xDialog Browse quandry

[Tom Henkel]

I've created a browse of appointments for our clients. For ease of use (and just because I wanted to try something new) I created an x-Dialog of the browse. simple enough, go to browse properties, advanced, create x-Dialog with embedded browse.

So far, so good.

The x-dialog browse performs as expected and all are happy with it.

The initial intent of the browse has changed now, we need to view either "in-person" or "Phone" appointments (Using field "Type") and I will need to change the filter.

Once again, simple enough, go back to the initial browse, modify the filter for a new variable, and see if it works. If so, copy the browse filter definition to the saved x-dialog browse and we're good to go.

Not Quite!

While the browse itself works just great with the new filter, the x-dialog throws an error, and this is with the generated code!

Code within "normal" browse:

A_Date =Var->appointment_date  .and. alltrim(Type)=Var->anst

Original X-Dialog Browse definition code:

<browse width="1248" height="711" data_entry_style="modeless" restrict_enter="yes" restrict_change="yes" restrict_delete="yes" restrict_find="yes" restrict_range="yes" restrict_index="yes" restrict_query="yes" gridline_horizontal="yes" gridline_vertical="yes" restrict_column_resize="yes" restrict_column_move="yes" restrict_column_delete="yes" row_height="21"[COLOR="#FF0000"] filter="(a_date = Var-&gt;Appointment_Date  )  .and. ( alltrim(Type) &lt;&gt; &quot;Phone&quot; )"[/COLOR] order="toseconds(A_Time)+WORD(Name,2)">

New X-Dialog code matching Browse Code:

<browse width="1248" height="711" data_entry_style="modeless" restrict_enter="yes" restrict_change="yes" restrict_delete="yes" restrict_find="yes" restrict_range="yes" restrict_index="yes" restrict_query="yes" gridline_horizontal="yes" gridline_vertical="yes" restrict_column_resize="yes" restrict_column_move="yes" restrict_column_delete="yes" row_height="21"[COLOR="#FF0000"] filter="(A_Date = Var-&gt;appointment_date ) .and. ( alltrim(Type)=Var-&gt;anst )" [/COLOR]order="toseconds(A_Time)+WORD(Name,2)">

For some reason, I cannot upload the image of the error message, so I'll spell it out:

Message box "Alpha Five"
Exclamation symbol "Cannot use function in this context"
"OK" Button

Debugging it, all varibles are defined and
Does anyone have any idea as to why the error would come up in an embedded x-dialog browse and not on the regular browse?

Thanks,

Tom

Tom

[Tom Henkel]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

It appears the culprit is a test for a character expression in the filter. My guess is that the variable isn't quoted, so the filter is confused.

filter="(a_date = Var->Appointment_Date  )  .and. ( alltrim(Type) = [COLOR="#FF0000"]Var->ans_t [/COLOR])"

a_date is defined as a date field, and so is the variable Appointment_Date. Type is a character field and so is variable ans_t.

Quote and S_quote can't be used in HTML expressions, so my question is HOW DO I QUOTE THE VARIABLE???


Tom

[Ton Spies]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Hi Tom,

I never used HTML before so I don't know but maybe an expression like this: eval(s_quote(your code)) ?
Ton

[G Gabriel]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

What was the original filter in xdlg that did work?

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Tom
That method has been a game changer for me in some areas of my apps.
I gave up trying to filter that way, in the Xdlg filter. What I do which also make it more universal;
1. make the Xdlg a UDF if you havent already
2. pass the table pointer as a parameter in the UDF (eg. ptr), and the field filter string (eg. fld)
3. enter a new condition after init

simple example:

if a_dlg_button <> "close" then 
	ev=eval("ptr"+"."+fld)
	browseObj1.QueryRun("code=" + quote(ev))
	browseObj1.Fetch_Last() 'just where to "land"
end if

[Tom Henkel]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

G,

see my first post.

Original X-Dialog Browse definition code:
Code:

<browse width="1248" height="711" data_entry_style="modeless" restrict_enter="yes" restrict_change="yes" restrict_delete="yes" restrict_find="yes" restrict_range="yes" restrict_index="yes" restrict_query="yes" gridline_horizontal="yes" gridline_vertical="yes" restrict_column_resize="yes" restrict_column_move="yes" restrict_column_delete="yes" row_height="21" filter="(a_date = Var-&gt;Appointment_Date ) .and. ( alltrim(Type) &lt;&gt; &quot;Phone&quot; )" order="toseconds(A_Time)+WORD(Name,2)">

Ton,

per the help, "s_quote() and quote() can't be used in xdialog html."

It has something to do with them not being represented properly.

Rom

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Tom,

What is the scope of the anst or ans_t variable? I just set up a similar filter on a test browse in good ol' Alphasports and it works. I used global variables. Can you provide us with a bit more context or maybe even a sample.

I was going to suggest browseObj1.QueryRun() as well but I use it directly in the INIT section of the xdialog code section.

I try to use as few global variables as possible so I try to substitute the actual value in to any filters I need. In the case of a browse in xdialog where the definition is text in the form of xml I have used a method where I put a place holder in the filter and then use stritrn() to plug in the actual value just before the dialog runs.

Something like:

browseObj1_browse_definition = <<%xml%
<browse -------    filter="(A_Date = Var-&gt;appointment_date ) .and. ( alltrim(Type) = &quot;[COLOR="#FF0000"]__anst__[/COLOR]&quot; )"  ----
-----------
--------
---------
</browse>
%xml%

browseObj1_browse_definition = strtran(browseObj1_browse_definition,"__anst__",ans_t)  'the ans_t variable would be appropriately declared earlier on

'Now, display the Xdialog.
ui_dlg_box(dlg_title,dlg_body,dlg_event)

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Interesting example Tim. I'll have to try apply that way.

I can't remember exactly why I moved the query - I think it was for enable dynamic resetting as a modeless dlg when the filter conditions change and user presses refresh (In the browse). It wouldn't reactivate inside init.
Shared filter var works for me here.

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Interesting example Tim. I'll have to try apply that way.

I can't remember exactly why I moved the query - I think it was for enable dynamic resetting as a modeless dlg when the filter conditions change and user presses refresh (In the browse). It wouldn't reactivate inside init.
Shared filter var works for me here.

That makes sense.

re the scope of the variable, I guess it depends on the context. If you declare the var shared within the over all code that calls the xdialog then shared will probably work but I have seen mixed results. That is why I tend not to use variables in the filter itself but resolve to the actual value. (and not just in this case of an embedded browse but in all filters)

I use the analogy of a boss sending his secretary out to get all the files that start with a particular letter. However he does not know which letter, Bob down the hall does. He could tell her to go to Bob down the hall to find out which letter (the variable approach, she could forget to ask Bob, she could get lost trying to find him, talk to the wrong Bob, or Bob could have forgotten by the time she gets to him) or the boss could phone Bob and tell her before she leaves his office ( the resolving to a value approach). The first approach is not wrong but I see the second approach succeeding more often than the first so I use the second approach.

Tim

[G Gabriel]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Don't have v11 to test, but try:

<browse width="1248" height="711" data_entry_style="modeless" restrict_enter="yes" restrict_change="yes" restrict_delete="yes" restrict_find="yes" restrict_range="yes" restrict_index="yes" restrict_query="yes" gridline_horizontal="yes" gridline_vertical="yes" restrict_column_resize="yes" restrict_column_move="yes" restrict_column_delete="yes" row_height="21" filter="(A_Date = Var-&gt;appointment_date ) .and. ( alltrim(Type)=alltrim(Var-&gt;anst ))" order="toseconds(A_Time)+WORD(Name,2)">

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Yes true, except if Bob's taken the day off, then we're stuck any which way (that's usually golf Thursday).
It will take me awhile to absorb the difference, but I sometimes get it eventually.
Gabe , your reply I expect to need some time with too. Thanks.

[Tom Henkel]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Tim,

THANK YOU!!!

Works like a charm.

My other option was to copy the whole browse definition (420 lines of xml code), hard code the filter, and just go to it on a conditional if statement. (brute force, but it works.)

This resolves another issue I have and I can remove a second copy of the browse definition.


Again, THANKS!

Tom

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: xDialog Browse quandry

Tom,

Your very welcome. Glad it worked for ya.

Since this method of displaying the browse uses xml as the definition, lots of possibilities open up as far as dynamically constructing the browse much in the same way that an xdialog definition can be manipulated.