Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

[Garth Groft]

Thanks to you experts, all enhancements to my network app are completed. Alpha Five’s WYSIWYG interface for desktop apps is nicer to work with than my web app which is UX control based. I wish my Alpha Anywhere web app used the Absolute Positioning control.

My web app was developed with assistance from Dion McCormick who was serving as my mentor. Now I must take charge and make changes to the web app on my own. I am reviewing the code to figure out how the app is put together and what makes it work. I have been able to make some of the required changes.

To help you help me, I have attempted to include enough information to understand the basics of the app. Essentailly, this is a batch warranty registration process. The user is entering serial numbers to find maching warrReg table records and save the serial numbers and insert a new record with these serial number and associated data into a Registration table. The app is working but I have some questions about where / how some of the functionality takes place.

Here is the opening screen:Thanks to you experts , all enhancements to my network app are completed. Alpha Five’s WYSIWYG interface for desktop apps is nicer to work with than my web app which is UX control based. I wish my Alpha Anywhere web app used the Absolute Positioning control.

My web app was developed with assistance from Dion McCormick who was serving as my mentor. Now I must take charge and make changes to the web app on my own. I am reviewing the code to figure out how the app is put together and what makes it work. I have been able to make some of the required changes.

To help you help me, I have attempted to include enough information to understand the basics of the app. Essentailly, this is a batch warranty registration process. The user is entering serial numbers to find maching warrReg table records and save the serial numbers and insert a new record with these serial number and associated data into a Registration table. The app was working but the code raises a number of questions.
Here is the opening screen: Enter Customer Information (attached)

The test data button (only for testing) populates the customer and serial number fields (to avoid typing). Test Data button click: Inline java script:
// {dialog.Object}.setValue('Sales_orde_search','16855');
{dialog.Object}.setValue('Serial_no_search','00962706770');
{dialog.Object}.setValue('Customer_i_search','AMERICAN COOLING TECHNOLOGY');

Search button click: Lookup and fill in Fields. (attached)

Question 1: Custcode field was added after the form was created and is not in the list of variables. Must I re-do the data binding for the WarrReg table?

Clicking the Search button also opens the Installer Registration panel: (attached)

The Installer Registration panel opens with the original serial number displayed and a text box for serial number 2. When the user enters a valid serial number 2, a text box is displayed for the next serial number up to eight total.
Each serial number has the xbasic validation code show below. This code is intended to prevent duplicate entries but curiously all the lines are commented out. This same code referencing serial_2 curiously appears in the validation for all serial numbers. A Lookup and fill in Fields would seem to be appropriate for finding the matching record for each new serial number. Each serial number also has javascipt validation code but curiously all lines are commented out. (see attached)

[CharlesParker]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

what are you trying to do?

[Garth Groft]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

Charles, here's an overview of my tasks and questions:

1. The app enables customers to register on line products by entering their company name and one or more serial numbers up to 8. There are just two tables: warrReg and Registration. The company name and serial numbers are looked up in the WarrReg table which is filtered on company name. The Complete registration button makes the serial numbers entered get inserted into the Registration table as a new record along with additional fields entered on the form panel 2. Each record found is checked as (registered=.T.) and date stamped (dateReg) in the WarrReg table.

A looked up record must be a serial number not previous registered(registered field) and not a duplicate serial number entered on the form.

2. The app was developed by me but with great assistance from my mentor, Dion McCormick. The app is working in accordance with the original specs. The specs have changed and my mentor is no longer available. I do need a new mentor.

3. New specs - what has changed is?

a. A new field, custcode, has been added to the warrReg table. I want to display this field on panel 2 but the field was not in the form's original data binding. How do i add this field to the bound data?

b. The WarrReg table filter was changed from company name plus sales order number to just company name. This coding change has been achieved but I do not know why this filter is necessary. (except maybe for speed of lookup). Can't the look up find the record for matching company and serial no? I suspect this change affect other parts of the code.

I would like to be able to step through both the client and server side code to see what is being run.
There are a number of tasks being accomplished in the code that I do not see why the app is working. I am still looking for a replacement for pay mentor to help with this. I believe this could be accomplished in 3 - 10 hours over the next month or so via Team Viewer or the like.

[CharlesParker]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

A.)
(in a UX) you will need to go to the Databinding section and click Refresh table information after editing - then add the control manually and then go into bind the controls on your UX to fields, which is also in the Databinding area. Go over the settings as desired for the field in it's properties.

B.)To me it makes sense that the filter by company would also include further logic to include the sales order number in the case of a customer having more than one order but I do nto know the exact business logic you would need.

Yeah it does sound like you need a little over the shoulder help - but personally I truly believe my skill level is NOT worthy of pay as a tutor in any way.
I am very much a low code point and click developer who wold probably teach you bad habits, lol.
BUT that being said, so far the questions you seem to be asking about are not really that difficult but you will need to spend a little time working on it to tweak it just the way you want.

I would suggest that you duplicate the UX and work on that before you mess with the live version. Get it working and swap them out when your done.
This would allow you to work without fear of messing up the actual application.

[Garth Groft]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

thanks. all the UX forms controls are now bound to the data.

open issues:
1. at some point, i must rename many of the warrReg and Registration table fields. i gather that the list of variables for binding will include the old and new field names. is there a way to remove the old field names? i will need to locate all the old names in all the code, but i have not found all the code yet. is there a way to find code references?

2. i need to update both the Warranty.registered field and the Registration.registered field with .T. when to user clicks the Complete Registration button. i need to do the same for the DateReg field. somehow DateReg is being set to today's date and this field is being updated in the Registration table. i can not find this code. again is there a search for specific code reference in Alpha? The warrReg table also needs updated for DateReg.

i will be making the Registered field hidden on the form since it is only true upon completion.

[CharlesParker]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

I wanted to comment on this earlier but I was on my phone and even voice to text was difficult as I was speeding down the interstate, lol

Anyways, I am wondering why you "must rename" the table fields, You can always rename the label if you want it to "appear" differently in the form. If your trying to record a different value, such as true or false, then why not add a new logical T F field and use that ? Not required but was just wondering why go through it...
Also, you may want to check if the default value is set to =date() or =Now() for the DateReg field as that will create todays date automatically. Removing it would remove the default value, also it could be as a calculated expression so check there, other than that you might look in the database for default values.

You can search for code but pretty much what you see is what you get, and you may have something going on in the database as far as cascading values, etc.
I would look for variables and arguments, if they exist, they might be in server side or client side.
I would look at any javascript functions or xbasic but Alpha ships with so many genies and builders it is possible to build a fairly complex app with with out much hand coding at all.

[Garth Groft]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

Charles,

I must rename the warrReg table fields to match the warrReg table fields in the Alpha Five network app. I shortened the fields in the web app's warrReg table to ten character max for FoxPro compatibility. I should not have done this. About 7 fields are affected, but only one field in the lookups and javascript code. This must be changed because the warrReg table and other tables are shared by the network and web app. I do think i get this done, tedious as it may actually be.

Yes, default value is set to =Date(). I set the default value for Registeration.registered field to .T. and now the Registeration.registered field is .T after completeing the resisteration. More progress!

I still need to update twe warrReg table fields: Datereg with Date() and Registered with .T. upon clicking the Complete Registration button. Is this be accompished in the client side javascript?

Do you have a idea where this server-side javascipt code may be used? There is a block of code for each serial number. Where do the field numbers come from?

I added:

update.field15 = "CustCode"
update.expr15 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.custcode + "'"

and the Registration table custcode is successfully being updated. I assume due to this addition.

Some of these fields are no longer needed in the Registration table since they specific to sales orders data found by each serial number looked up. You any recall app will accept any serial number that matches the companyname and not registered. I must add a message to alert the user when the serial number entered is already registered. The code is already in place to ensure that a serial number entered is not a duplicate of a serial number already entered in the panel.

function afterDialogValidate as v (e as p)
on error goto error_handler

'-- The following command will submit the information on the UX form into the registration dbf table.
'-- Save the data into the registration table
'To edit this action, place insertion point anywhere in the command, then click the 'Action Scripting' button'.
ExecuteServerSideAction("Save Data::Save_Submitted_Data_to_Table_s_")


'-- The process for updating the warreg table
'-- 1) Create filter query for the specific record in warreg using serial_no, Sales_orde, Customer_i to update.
'-- 1) Revised 2015.5.4 Create filter query for the specific record in warreg using serial_no and Customer_i to update.
'-- 2) Populate the fields to update using the update.expr item..
'-- 3) Cont.....


'-- Update Master serial number
tbl = table.open("warrreg")
'Define a query so that only selected records are updated.
'query.filter = "Serial_no = " + e.datasubmitted.serial_no + " .AND. Sales_orde = " + e.datasubmitted.Sales_orde + " .AND. Customer_i = '" + e.datasubmitted.Customer_i + "'"
query.filter = "Serial_no = " + e.datasubmitted.serial_no + " .AND. Customer_i = '" + e.datasubmitted.Customer_i + "'"


query.order = ""
query.options = ""
indx = tbl.query_create() '-- Create query.
update.fields = 2
update.field1 = "Dealer"
update.expr1 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.dealer + "'"
update.field2 = "End_Users"
update.expr2 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.end_users + "'"
testShipDate = "1/1/2000"
update.field3 = "Ship_Date"
'--update.expr3 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.ship_date + "'"
update.expr3 = "'" + testShipDate + "'"
update.field4 = "Vehicle_Vi"
update.expr4 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.vehicle_vi + "'"
update.field5 = "Install_Da"
update.expr5 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.install_da + "'"
update.field6 = "Comment"
update.expr6 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.comment + "'"
update.field7 = "Comment"
update.expr7 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.comment + "'"
update.field8 = "Foreign_Se"
update.expr8 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.foreign_se + "'"
update.field8 = "Years_Exte"
update.expr8 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.years_exte + "'"
update.field9 = "Warranty_N"
update.expr9 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.warranty_n + "'"
update.field10 = "Dates_Exte"
update.expr10 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.dates_exte + "'"
update.field11 = "Dateexpire"
update.expr11 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.dateexpire + "'"
update.field12 = "Compressor"
update.expr12 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.compressor + "'"
update.field13 = "Mftr_model"
update.expr13 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.mftr_Model + "'"
update.field14 = "Mileage"
update.expr14 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.mileage + "'"
update.field9 = "Mount_Kpn"
update.expr9 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.mount_kpn + "'"
update.field9 = "ACTSysModel"
update.expr9 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.actsysmodel + "'"
update.field15 = "CustCode"
update.expr15 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.custcode + "'"

tbl.update()

'-- BE AWARE - Not be all eight serial numbers exist and need updated. Will this trigger an error when filter contains no record.


debug(0)
'-- Second serial number
tbl = table.open("warrreg")
'Define a query so that only selected records are updated.
'query.filter = "Serial_no = " + e.datasubmitted.serial_no + " .AND. Sales_orde = " + e.datasubmitted.Sales_orde + " .AND. Customer_i = '" + e.datasubmitted.Customer_i + "'"
query.filter = "Serial_no = " + e.datasubmitted.serial_no + " .AND. Customer_i = '" + e.datasubmitted.Customer_i + "'"
query.order = ""
query.options = ""
indx = tbl.query_create()
update.fields = 2
update.field1 = "Dealer"
update.expr1 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.dealer + "'"
update.field2 = "End_Users"
update.expr2 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.end_users + "'"
update.field3 = "Ship_Date"
update.expr3 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.ship_date + "'"
update.field4 = "Vehicle_Vi"
update.expr4 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.vehicle_vi + "'"
update.field5 = "Install_Da"
update.expr5 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.install_da + "'"
update.field6 = "Comment"
update.expr6 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.comment + "'"
update.field7 = "Comment"
update.expr7 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.comment + "'"
update.field8 = "Foreign_Se"
update.expr8 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.foreign_se + "'"
update.field8 = "Years_Exte"
update.expr8 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.years_exte + "'"
update.field9 = "Warranty_N"
update.expr9 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.warranty_n + "'"
update.field10 = "Dates_Exte"
update.expr10 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.dates_exte + "'"
update.field11 = "Dateexpire"
update.expr11 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.dateexpire + "'"
update.field12 = "Compressor"
update.expr12 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.compressor + "'"
update.field13 = "Mftr_model"
update.expr13 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.mftr_Model + "'"
update.field14 = "Mileage"
update.expr14 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.mileage + "'"
update.field9 = "Mount_Kpn"
update.expr9 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.mount_kpn + "'"
update.field9 = "ACTSysModel"
update.expr9 = "'" + e.datasubmitted.actsysmodel + "'"
tbl.update()

[CharlesParker]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

whoa horse, lol one thing at a time!

Glad to see your making progress. Looks like your starting to get your feet wet and looking around under the hood of the UX.
Also be aware that setting a default value, sets the value when the component loads and is the initial value, not just "when the registration is complete"

So if you want "Registration Complete" to be set to true and submit a T in the hidden field when the user hits submit you may not want to set its default initial value to T because it would submit T every time. And of course, that may be OK - if you have required values for lets say the reg number and that's all you want to ensure happens.

It is really about what you want to do.

When I was first looking at my own application and getting started working with Alpha. I found out that if I actually wrote down what EXACTLY i wanted to do I could break it down into smaller more manageable steps. Dont worry you'll get it.



If you want to set a value to a certain value when a button is clicked, go to the javascript OnClick event for the button, switch to text mode and click on Insert UX Component method at the bottom then (type setvalue in the filter to quick find) use "SetValue" to set the value of a control to a specific value. You can also GetValue from another field and so on.
If you search the forum for examples of those you will surely see an example to perform just what you will need.

The javascript code to update the fields you seem to be showing here runs during the AfterDialogValidate event. The answer was actually in your question if I am reading it right. Thats a server -side event, and in it is also the command to save the submitted data, you might want to review that action as well just to see what going on in there.


I hope this is helping you learn to do what you need.

[Garth Groft]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

you have been very helpful.

what i failed to mention before is that i need to generate code that a updates the datereg and registered fields for each serial number entered, but only upon clicking the Complete Registration button. the serial numbers entered all exist as unique variables. i will need to look for some java script examples aimed at updating the warrReg fields for a list of variables. this will be a bit harder for me to nail down than the other changes.

setting the default value to .T for the hidden warrReg.registered field is perfect. if the user completes the registration, the tables registration field will be .T. for the new inserted record. if the users just quits, no new record is added and no one cares what data was entered but not submitted.

[CharlesParker]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

Ok, so what do you mean by "updates" the datereg and reg fields? If you simply mean updates as in submits an edit to an existing record then the submit button does that. You may need to say what you want to happen to each field when the user makes a change, edit s a record, etc.

Do people login and edit their information or do they simply login and register a number as being the owner of it?
When you say "generate code" that is very ambiguous, you have to say what you want to happen like I want the value to be X or I want the value to be numeric, so that when people do this on a mobile device, the number pad comes up instead of the normal keyboard, etc.

The more specific you are the better answer you will get. If you are looking to generate a unique serial number you can do that by simply putting
= remspecial(api_uuidcreate())
as the default value for a new serial number for instance. This creates a numeric value without letters or symbols randomly

Alpha really has a lot to offer and once you get the hang of it.

[Garth Groft]

Re: Alpha Anywhere Web App Validations

OK, i will try to clarify.

1. the user enters a series of serial numbers (forced as numeric) up to eight:

example:
730787
14473
255934

Each serial number has a onChange event that looks up the serial number in warrReg table and does this Inline-Javascript. This code checks each serial number entered is not a duplicate of a prior serial number or if not found in the warReg table.

if the user enters a serial number, 730787 (same as the first entry), a message is displayed informing the user that this serial number has already been entered in current list. This code was written by Dion and is working. I need to add some code check each serial number for already registered and if so, inform the user and clear the serial number entered.

________________________________________________________________________

// This will verify that the serial number was found and that it is not a duplicate

setTimeout(function(){

var serialNumberValid = "true"; //This will hold the state of the serial number


var serial1 = {dialog.Object}.getValue('Serial_1_Search');
var serial2 = {dialog.Object}.getValue('Serial_2_Search');
var serial3 = {dialog.Object}.getValue('Serial_3_Search');
var serial4 = {dialog.Object}.getValue('Serial_4_Search');
var serial5 = {dialog.Object}.getValue('Serial_5_Search');
var serial6 = {dialog.Object}.getValue('Serial_6_Search');
var serial7 = {dialog.Object}.getValue('Serial_7_Search');
var serial8 = {dialog.Object}.getValue('Serial_8_Search');

if ({dialog.Object}.getValue('serial_temp_field') == 'notfound') {
serialNumberValid = "false";
};

if((serial2 == serial1) && (serial2 != '')) {
serialNumberValid = "false";
};

if((serial2 == serial3) && (serial2 != '')) {
serialNumberValid = "false";
};

if((serial2 == serial4) && (serial2 != '')) {
serialNumberValid = "false";
};

if((serial2 == serial5) && (serial2 != '')) {
serialNumberValid = "false";
};

if((serial2 == serial6) && (serial2 != '')) {
serialNumberValid = "false";
};

if((serial2 == serial7) && (serial2 != '')) {
serialNumberValid = "false";
};

if((serial2 == serial8) && (serial2 != '')) {
serialNumberValid = "false";
};


if (serialNumberValid == "false") {
{dialog.Object}.setValue('Serial_2_Search','');
{dialog.Object}.setValue('serial_temp_field','');
alert('Serial Number Not Found or Duplicate Serial Number');
return;
}
else
{
{dialog.Object}.setValue('serial_temp_field','');
return;
};


}, 750);


2. Regarding update, i simply mean replace the Datereg and registered values in the WarrReg table with the associated default values on the form (=Date() and .T.).

When the user clicks the "Complete Registration button, the warrReg table records matching the serial numbers entered by the user need to have the Datereg and registered fields replaced with the Date() and .T., the default value on the form's associated registration table fields (Datereg and registered).