Dimming form pointers as shared

[enstorms]

Am trying to grasp the scope of Shared variables as they relate to a form window, which I am assuming is the same as the form that contains the field objects.
When I call a form to update a record from an embedded browse, could I not establish a shared pointer to the browse form like this?

dim SHARED myBrowseForm as p
dim SHARED myUpdateForm as p
myBrowseForm = topparent.this
myUpdateForm = form.zoom_to_record("Update_form","existing")

Now on my Save button in the update form, can I not reference objects on the browse form as this?

dim SHARED myBrowseForm as p
myBrowseForm:count_field.value = parentform:count.value

This doesn't seem to work, but can't understand why. Would appreciate any enlightenment.
Thanks.
Ernie

[csda1]

Re: Dimming form pointers as shared

Hi Ernie,

Am trying to grasp the scope of Shared variables as they relate to a form window, which I am assuming is the same as the form that contains the field objects.
When I call a form to update a record from an embedded browse, could I not establish a shared pointer to the browse form like this?

dim SHARED myBrowseForm as p
dim SHARED myUpdateForm as p
myBrowseForm = topparent.this
myUpdateForm = form.zoom_to_record("Update_form","existing")

Now on my Save button in the update form, can I not reference objects on the browse form as this?

dim SHARED myBrowseForm as p
myBrowseForm:count_field.value = parentform:count.value

This doesn't seem to work, but can't understand why. Would appreciate any enlightenment.

Each form (actually pretty much any A5 window that is not an XDialog or dialog) operates in it's own session (or also referred to as thread) and has its own session variable space (which is synonymous with shared). Thus creating it in one form as shared does not mean it is shared with the other form. It means that it is shared with all code running in that form's session.

Global variables would be accessible to all forms. It is also possible to get the shared or local variable space pointer from another thread via methods available from the form pointers and read or write the values in those variable spaces.

[enstorms]

Re: Dimming form pointers as shared

Ira,
Really appreciate you getting back to me on this. I mis-interpreted the attached diagram. Where it show form1 and browse1 in the same session/thread, I assumed that was what I was doing in calling a form from a browse. Didn't read the fine print where is says change a layout using f8. Never used that.
Yes, I am familiar with the functions available for getting a pointer to another open window, just thought I'd try a shortcut. In re-reading some of your response, you mention xdialog or dialog. I am assuming opening a different form as dialog wouldn't work in this case either????
Thanks again for your explanations.
Ernie

[csda1]

Re: Dimming form pointers as shared

Hi Ernie,

In re-reading some of your response, you mention xdialog or dialog. I am assuming opening a different form as dialog wouldn't work in this case either????

A form opened as a dialog is still a form running in it's own session (I believe). It may be only if it is modeless. Modal operation may effectively share the current session. Best was is to test it to find out and report back for others. In general, I don't recommend using forms as dialogs, but there may be some cases where they have advantages (although they are bound to a table - a definite drawback for dialogs).

Windows running their own sessions may be all MDI windows (Ones that have Minimize, Maximize/Restore and close boxes in the title bar typically), or possibly others. As far as I know, all alpha internal dialogs are either compiled code or XDialogs, and they don't run in their own sessions.

[enstorms]

Re: Dimming form pointers as shared

Evidently, modal windows open in own session. Tried opening the update form as "dialog" and shared pointer not found.
Thanks again, Ira.
Ernie

[martinwcole]

Re: Dimming form pointers as shared

opening another form as a dialog, where the form is based on a table

dim f as p 'not really needed but put here anyway
dim global recnum as n 'not shared
recnum=0
f=form.view("customers_dialog","dialog")
'at that forms continue/close event, set recnum
'something like = recnum=table.current().recno()
f.close() 'must close if opened as dialog
'do something with recnum
if recnum > 0
     parentform.index_set("") 'recordnumber order
     parentform.find(recnum)
     recnum=0
end if