Using a Filter that is Contained in a Variable

[johngtatp]

This has to be ridiculously easy, but for the life of me, I can't figure it out. I have a query whereby the filter is contained in a variable. I want to create an append using the same variable as the filter for the append. When trying to fill in the append filter using the variable, it is not a valid filter as it does not evaluate to a logical. How can I extract the text from the variable to be used in the filter? I don't know why I don't know this, and I appreciate your help.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Using a Filter that is Contained in a Variable

Example? Is the variable dimmed as global so the operation can see it?

[aschone]

Re: Using a Filter that is Contained in a Variable

In the append operation you can click the XY to display the Expression Builder window. In this window is a option on the left hand side for variable. Do you see your variable listed there?

You may also need to surround the variable with the function s_quote()

[johngtatp]

Re: Using a Filter that is Contained in a Variable

The variable is there and it is dim'd as Global.

As an example...

?vparam
= "((custserv=.t. .or. lineserv=.t.) .and. category = var->vcategory .and. (timeentered <= var->vdatestop .and. timeentered >= var->vdatestart))"

If I just put in var->vparam into the filter editor, the result shows the contents of the variable but then throws the error that "Filter must evaluate to a logical expression"

Now looking over this, I see that I have other variables that might be only form based, which could be the issue, but I am not sure (In the Interactive Code Editor, the variables all have a value so I don't think this is an issue).

What I am doing is filtering a table using a form with variables on it. I then query the table with a concatenated filter based on what filters were or were not selected. I then want to append whatever records are queried to another table. I was going to use the current query filter to do that in the above manner. Perhaps there is an easier way?

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Using a Filter that is Contained in a Variable

I don't think the expression builder is going to resolve the filter variable for the append as anything but a character expression. The genie just isn't built that way.

You can capture the xbasic for the append and modify it like

dim global filt as C
filt = quote("amt < 13")

'early part of append operation code

append.t_filter = unquote(var->filt)

'rest of code

If that's the kind of thing you mean by passing the filter as a variable.

You should be able to capture the xbasic for your append (no filter) and change the transaction filter lne to

append.t_filter = unquote(var->vparam)

[aschone]

Re: Using a Filter that is Contained in a Variable

try this... however not sure it will work. I am thinking that when you run ?vparam it should have already converted the variables to their actual data value.

?vparam
= "((custserv=.t. .or. lineserv=.t.) .and. category = s_quote(var->vcategory) .and. (timeentered <= s_quote(var->vdatestop) .and. timeentered >= s_quote(var->vdatestart)))"

*Dang Stan is quick

[Al Buchholz]

Re: Using a Filter that is Contained in a Variable

Open a form or browse and build the filter you want in a query - menu - query - query by expression. and then save the query.

Using the interactive window is not the way to go for this process.

Use what you have without the quotes around it as the filter for the query.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Using a Filter that is Contained in a Variable

To be entirely "proper" I think the filter should be..

"((custserv .or. lineserv) .and. category = "+s_quote(var->vcategory)+" .and. (timeentered <= "+s_quote(var->vdatestop)+" .and. timeentered >= "+s_quote(var->vdatestart)+"))"

Testing a logical variable = .T. or .F. is somewhat redundant. A logical variable simply is .T. or .F..