Close Open a Form

[V7 Noob]

Very long story short, Anyone know of a way to close and then re-open the same form using a button on it?

All the scripts I create stop running as soon as the form is closed.
Prefer Action scripting, but anything would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Barry

[armasoft]

Barry,

This is possible, but to what purpose? What are you trying to achieve as there may be better alternatives.

[V7 Noob]

Have a pay Bills form with one to one relation between "bills" and "checks". I tick a check box on each bill to be paid. Pressing the pay bills button, executes a script that goes out to checks, creates a check and fills a variable with the check# then returns, then the check# is then added to each bill that was check marked.

We would normally now add the desired amounts to the bills with matching check#'s we want to pay and this amount gets posted to the checks total amount via field rules.

Here's the problem, the above works perfectly .but ...... the only way the posting rule will works is if I exit the form and return, then fill the amounts.
If I don't exit the form and return, the posting will not take place.

I'm guessing it updates the relation or link between Bills and Checks?
Thus the need to exit the form and return. OR... is there a way to refresh the link between them at that point? I've tried every refresh I could find.

I know, should have checks as parent, but here's where the really long story takes place and would turn into a novel.
Thanks

[Mike Wilson]

Hi Barry,

"I tick a check box on each bill to be paid"

This sounds like you are working in an embedded browse showing multiple records for the bills.dbf.

..goes out to checks, creates a check and fills a variable with the check# then returns, then the check# is then added to each bill

This seems like a loop somehow. Not clear how this happens.

this amount gets posted to the checks total amount via field rules.

This makes no sense whatsoever.

A check is a an amount. When the check is created it would be correct to enter the check amount to the check record. The step of

amount gets posted to the checks total amount via field rules

make no sense to me whatsoever.

So it's hard to help when something within your process is funky.

[Ted Giles]

I get what you are doing, I do a similar process posing items to a budget in a Council Finance application.

You may have to take the process outside of the form.
The attached app makes use of the Menu function. There is only one option displayed, but it does what you want.
Open the Form and click on the CloseOpen menu button - top left - to see it work.

Menu.zip

[V7 Noob]

Thank you for the replies!
Mike, the check amount is un-known until all the desired bills to be paid are selected.
Ted, neat trick, but hoping to automate.

I've attached a stripped down version, encase somebody has time to look.

[Ted Giles]

Doesn't help.
To explore your reasoning we would need the forms and set structure - if any - together with the scripts.
Are you able to sanitise or anonymise a version and upload it?

Posting should be possible - at least in my apps it works and refreshes the data with no problem.
My suggestion would allow you to get it working with minimal rewrite of your existing design.

Mike is spot on as we are guessing how your app has been designed.

[V7 Noob]

Sorry Ted, was my 1st time trying to upload to the forum. The files were in the original folder, but the scripts and others apparently got stripped out? Maybe this is what you mean by sanitize? Can you explain how to accomplish? I can find nothing in the forums on this.

The form is cool, you can check box as many bills you want to pay for a vendor at one time and it will issue the check number to all check marked, then you enter the amount to pay against each. This populates the check amount as you go, But again only works if you close and reopen the form.

This is why I started off with very long story short. Just looking to close and re-open with a button on the form it's self. I should then be able to incorporate into the script.
Thanks so much

[Ted Giles]

By sanitize, I mean strip anything you don't want to be seen right out.
When you upload an app, you need to close all windows and zip it from the Control Panel.
Then, upload the zipped app.
I didn't get any forms with the last upload and no .adb file.

[johnkoh]

I reviewed your zip files and did not know what you want to do.

if your plan is

you can check box as many bills you want to pay for a vendor at one time and it will issue the check number to all check marked, then you enter the amount to pay against each. This populates the check amount as you go

I think You may have to restructure the tables, such as "one to many". Parent table have a field for vendor to pay, pay date as new entry. child table has the bill lists which are not paid yet that coming from other tables(Purchase Orders ) by selected vendor at parent table. can be creatable by import operation. After you click on a button, pay it, then write and print a check. after printed a check you can import the check number from "check" tables or lookup() or create a history Set tables.

you need to know the keep same name, type and size of the "Primary key " from parent and "foreign key" from child table. A5 may not confusing about the Link name but human will do.


If you do well for the structure of set/tables, you do not have to close a form and open it again.

[V7 Noob]

Not sure why the zip didn't come over complete? Trying again. Thank you!

[johnkoh]

Modeling is very important task when you work with "database". I think the Layout is not enough to build the "Auto - Payment" system.
Your job will be a lots easier when you have a good Modeling.

from your form.

* there seams to be no way to update the set and have it show in the checks browse with out exiting the form then returning.

3.) Should be able to enter an amount in AMT_PAID field of Bills and it should update AMOUNT in Checks per the posting rules in Bills AMT_PAID.

1) there seams to be no way to update the set-- records are already saved without closing a form unless it has some problems.
2) have it show in the checks browse with out exiting the form then returning. -- Add "Show All Records" and "Sort" with ActionScripts -- test it with a new button.
3) Should be able to enter an amount in AMT_PAID field of Bills and it should update AMOUNT in Checks per the posting rules in Bills AMT_PAID.
---- The posting rule Will not work with your button codes. because table.open("table_name") function does not honor the field rules. see help more detail. You may using "Table events" or coding the action with xBasic or some operation function.

[madtowng]

I do a lot of my programming without proper prior planning, and figure things out as I go.
With that said, I need to ask if the intent is to pay the entire bill amount if the amount paid is blank,
or if the user needs to provide the amount paid? Also, if only a partial amount paid, would that bill
then become eligible for future payments ? Last, but not least, do you want to prevent paying more
than the amount due ?

[V7 Noob]

Thanks for the suggestions.
Regarding,
1.) Agreed.
2.) If you do steps 1 & 2 and save, find, sort or query on chk_stc table will not find the newly created record in chk_stc.
If you exit the form and return, sort, find and query work perfectly.
This to me shows Alpha doesn't recognize a link between chk_stc and the bills tables, until you exit.
Needs to be a set refresh action or something??

3.) Agreed, I think, by the time your to the point of entering amounts, the scripts with-in the button have completed. or maybe I'm not understanding. There is a table open, but followed by table close later.

dim tbl as p
tbl = table.open("chk_stc",FILE_RW_SHARED)
tbl.enter_begin()
tbl.PAY_TO = convert_type(sup_num,"Numeric")
tbl.DATE = convert_type(Chek_date,"Date")
tbl.BANK2 = "SCB"
tbl.NAME = a5_eval_expression("=Sup_Name",local_variables())
tbl.CAT = a5_eval_expression("=Vendors->Catogory",local_variables())
tbl.LINK = 1
tbl.enter_end(.t.)
tbl.close()


Thanks again

[Ted Giles]

If you have an Index with Unique Only, you will have this issue.
You have multiple occurrences of Unique items in various Indices.
Try removing the constraint and see what happens.