adhoc browse question

[martinwcole]

where I give a user the ability to create an adhoc browse, is there a way I can save it and run it again in the future letting them maybe change one field in the query?

[Al Buchholz]

Re: adhoc browse question

DBF or SQL?

DBF - IF the user is running developer, you can open the ad hoc, switch to design mode, and save.

SQL - A little more complicated depending on how the original query is saved and run.

[martinwcole]

Re: adhoc browse question

Thanks Al

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: adhoc browse question

Al,
I keep a generic xml dialog that opens any table as a browse.
Create or use any table on the fly and it can be "browsed" with a simple udf call.
Have one that allows optional parameters for editing, a title, a button that can respond to the active cell.
Or is your requirement more specific Martin?

[martinwcole]

Re: adhoc browse question

Well .... an "Adhoc Browse" was a method Alpha came up with for users in Runtime to create their own browse - fields, query, order, etc. But the toolbar has no emailto feature or way to save the browse for later use. That may be the reason it was never used much. The client wants the functionality of an Adhoc browse, but with features it does not have. And you have to start over from scratch each time.

Naturally this could be handled easily if they said what tables and sets they want available, and what fields, and what fields to query on, but they don't want to pay for it. If I could just alter the toolbar/menu to let them email the browse as an Excel would be nice. Or, better yet, a way to add an option I could use to program it to auto save as an Excel and auto email to the menu/toolbar.

[martinwcole]

Re: adhoc browse question

Actually, I've got an idea - will get back to you later if it works

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: adhoc browse question

While you are hatching your Eureka plan
consider a button on a XML browse with "save as Excel" button after they have sorted and filtered - lets you off the hook.
But probably restricted to a single table.

[MoGrace]

Re: adhoc browse question

Hi Ray,
Have you shared your generic UDF for generating a browse here somewhere? I know I'd like to see it!

[Al Buchholz]

Re: adhoc browse question

Well .... an "Adhoc Browse" was a method Alpha came up with for users in Runtime to create their own browse - fields, query, order, etc. But the toolbar has no emailto feature or way to save the browse for later use. That may be the reason it was never used much. The client wants the functionality of an Adhoc browse, but with features it does not have. And you have to start over from scratch each time.

Naturally this could be handled easily if they said what tables and sets they want available, and what fields, and what fields to query on, but they don't want to pay for it. If I could just alter the toolbar/menu to let them email the browse as an Excel would be nice. Or, better yet, a way to add an option I could use to program it to auto save as an Excel and auto email to the menu/toolbar.

Records - Export Selected Records - brings up a dialog of choices. works in dev or runtime when browse is in view mode.

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: adhoc browse question

Yes Robin , its easier to upload another, how could I have forgotten you are an XML dlg junkie.
You can run this with only the first three params to get the idea.
I think this one calculates optimum sizing, optional filter, action button, editable/not, and so on.

[Al Buchholz]

Re: adhoc browse question

Ray

Nice code.

Have you thought about how to pass a list of fields to use and build a browse rather than use the default browse with all of the fields on it.

Hmm... or set the width to zero for fields that aren't on a list....

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: adhoc browse question

Interesting idea Al
I haven't had the need but its possible
I'll post back here if I get a sample going.

[martinwcole]

Re: adhoc browse question

I suspect this could all be done with xdialog - but would be a challenging project (beyond my capabilities)
1. give the user the same options in a simulated adhocview
1. auto export the browse to a sepcified location as an excel
3. bring up an email dialog with the excel as an attachment for them to send it to (with the sendto and sendfrom filled in from global variables)

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: adhoc browse question

I suspect this could all be done with xdialog - but would be a challenging project (beyond my capabilities)
1. give the user the same options in a simulated adhocview Which in particular ?
1. auto export the browse to a sepcified location as an excel
3. bring up an email dialog with the excel as an attachment for them to send it to (with the sendto and sendfrom filled in from global variables)

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: adhoc browse question

To do the export you mention, create a udf exactly as is below AND then call the browse, with a name for the button parameter.
Run the browse, press the button. This code will show how you can receive parameters from the XML browse in response to a button push - in here code to create your XLS table and send it. In the example XML posted earlier, the message can be a filter string and will be activated in an "=" character exists.

FUNCTION RunFrmBrwButton AS C (Buttn AS C, fil AS C, msg AS C = "", recn AS C ="")
	ui_dlg_box("RunfrmButton","Butt - "+Buttn+";Table - "+fil+";Messg - "+msg+";Recn - "+recn)
END FUNCTION

The function also gets the record number if required. That was a tricky bit for me to get.
For different browses that may be used just branch to the relevant section of code for each.