Using updateRow method without a primary key value

[Scott B]

I have two lists: list1 and list2 . List1 has a detail view and list2 does not. After updating a record in list1 (via a control in the detail view, let's call it "Comment"), I need to persist that same update to the appropriate row in list2. For example, if the Comment field in List1 is: "Its a sunny day." and I change it to "Its a very sunny day.", I need to find the row in List2 that has the comment of "Its a sunny day." and change it to, "Its a very sunny day." The catch here is that I do not have a primary key value for either list1 or list2. Why? Because its an offline application and the data has not been synched yet. So, I'm trying to use the "Comment" field instead of the primary key.

I'm playing around with the updateRow() method to handle this, however I can't get the syntax quite right. It would be easy-peasy if I was using a primary key. Alas, this is not the case. So far I have:

//Gets the value in the Comment field for List1 (detail view control)
var comment = {dialog.object}.getValue('Comment');

// Gets a pointer to List2
var listObj = {dialog.object}.getControl('List2');

//updates the matching row in list2 with the new comment
listObj.updateRow(comment,{Comment: 'Its a very sunny day.'});

[Scott B]

Re: Using updateRow method without a primary key value

Any ideas?

[RichCPT]

Re: Using updateRow method without a primary key value

Why not add a GUID field that is used for syncs? This is how another toolkit I use does sync's. The client workstations can independently create a GUID for each new record they will be adding to the system.

[jgrannis]

Re: Using updateRow method without a primary key value

Would it be possible to select the related row in the 2nd list as soon as the user selects the row in the 1st list?

Something like the below adapted to work in the context where you put it:

var currentList1comment = {dialog.object}.getValue('Comment'); 
var list2Obj = {dialog.object}.getControl('List2')
var value = {};
value.select = 'match';
value.match = function(value,data) {
    if(data.Comment == currentList1comment) return true;
    else return false;
};
list2Obj.setValue(value);

Then because the correct row in List2 is now selected you can get the index of the row to use with updateRow instead of the list's value.

[WebDesignShop]

Re: Using updateRow method without a primary key value

The offline capability of Alpha Anywhere already assigns a GUID and will appropriately link the two tables if you assign table1 as the parent of table2. You can still use primary key's in an offline application and AA will swap out the GUID when it syncs the record. No need to remake the wheel. In essence, you are over complicating it I think. Unless I'm missing something here....