Switch Between Applications

[alexmuir]

Hello

As part of our standard demonstration procedure to prospective clients I want to be able to be able to switch between one application (database) and another.

If I have a button on a button on application 1, (launch another A5 database) it opens up another application, but closes down the one I launched the application from.

Is there any way I can launch the database and then on closing it, return to my original one?

Any help would be appreciated.

Alex

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: Switch Between Applications

Possibly try sys_shell("alpha5.exe")
with your folder parameters to open another a5 app without closing the one that called it?

[CraigSchumacker]

Re: Switch Between Applications

I haven't tried this, but try stringing ON_DATABASE_EXIT() and A5.LOAD()... I think it will work.

[CraigSchumacker]

Re: Switch Between Applications

I just looked at A5.LOAD(). The example has an error in it.

In the example, cDB is declared, but not defined.

If you use that snippet of code, then prior to the If statement in the example, add

cDB = "thepathofyourdatabase"

[MoGrace]

Re: Switch Between Applications

Also be sure to specify or get the title so you can use a button to switch between the open adb's without error and / or test if it is already open.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Switch Between Applications

Alex,

If memory serves, Tom Henkel is supporting an application that does this sort of thing. He's active on the board and has posted messages on this topic. Try searching for the message threads, or drop him a line.

-- tom

[preston2]

Re: Switch Between Applications

Hello

If I have a button on a button on application 1, (launch another A5 database) it opens up another application, but closes down the one I launched the application from.

Is there any way I can launch the database and then on closing it, return to my original one?

Any help would be appreciated.

Alex

May I ask why other than to look good in front of a perspective customer? I mean is there a program flow logic that must work that way?

If you just need to open up several databases then Alpha will allow you to have as many open at the same time as you want as long as they are not the same adb file. Then you can just click through them from the Windows start bar.

[Tom Henkel]

Re: Switch Between Applications

We do switch from one adb to another, and another, and another, then back again within the same Alpha window. We present a common "Menu" database that "Calls" the other adb's when the user "signs in". We do this because our internal security keeps track of the user so that we know who did what and when to the data. This system was devised long before Alpha had reasonable security, and there is no reason to change now. We use addin variables to keep track of where we are going and where we came from. The a5.load() is populated with the appropriate variable, and the transition is fairly elegant. I'm pretty sure I posted this in the code archive, but if you can't find it, I will gladly post it again.

Thanks for the plug, Tom.

Tom

[alexmuir]

Re: Switch Between Applications

Thanks for your input.

May I ask why other than to look good in front of a perspective customer?

In some industries ie engineering, the question of tracking by parts serial number can be common to most manufacturers. How the serial number is generated can be different. By opening up multiple applications, it enables the prospect to see his specific way being done.

I take your point about the start bar, and having tried it, this can get get quite cumbersome.

I was looking for a more polished way

Thanks for your input.

[alexmuir]

Re: Switch Between Applications

Tom.

Your approach is what I am looking for.

Can I have a copy of the code please?

Thanks for your help. It is very much appreciated.

Kind regards

Alex

[preston2]

Re: Switch Between Applications

Can I have a copy of the code please?

Ditto..

[Tom Henkel]

Re: Switch Between Applications

Here we go...

Callsub is used to "call" a sub application and save the current application's name in an array called aa.bcbss.applvl. It is used for making sure we get back to where we came from.

'Date Created: 19-Mar-2003 10:18:41 AM
'Last Updated: 20-May-2011 11:41:00 AM
'Created By  :
'Updated By  : Thomas Henkel
FUNCTION callsub AS C (subapp AS C,path=" ")
'Function callsub is used to determine whether to use the shadowed database when calling 
'a sub application or to use the main database
'  parameter subapp has the format of "folder\appname"  leave off the ".adb" I will insert it.
'									ie:      supply\stockroom
'	parameter path is to tell where we are going to go.  "P" in path means to use "personnel" path
'		 - aa.bcbss.ppath instead of aa.bcbss.path
'debugcheck()
dim aa as P
aa = addin.variables()
dim aa.bcbss as P
dim aa.bcbss.appname[10,2] as C
dim aa.bcbss.applvl as N
dim aa.bcbss.subapp as C
'Set up name of Calling Application
dim aa.bcbss.calling as C
dim shared filename as C
dim filename1 as C
dim path as C
dim global mpath as C

aa.bcbss.calling = a5.Get_Name()
	if path = "P"
		filename1 = aa.bcbss.lppath+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
	  else
	  	filename1 = aa.bcbss.lpath+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
	end if
	'filename1 = aa.bcbss.path+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
'	if access=19
'		filename1 = "C:\Program Files\A5V5\Shadow\Personnel\\"+subapp+".adb"
'	end if
	if ut(path) = "P"         'see if we have a shadow of Personnel
		if file_exists(aa.bcbss.lppath+chr(92)+subapp+".adb")
			filename = aa.bcbss.lppath+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
		  else
		  	filename = aa.bcbss.ppath+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
		end if		
	  else if ut(path) = "C"		'Added for testing.
		if subapp = "Personnel"
			filename = "C:\Personnel\Local"+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
		  else if subapp = "Homemaker"
			filename = "C:\Homemaker\Local"+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
		  else
			filename = "C:"+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
		end if
	else
	  	filename = aa.bcbss.drive+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
	end if
	if file_exists(filename1)
		filename = filename1
	end if
	aa.bcbss.subapp= filename
'	dim good as N
'	good = 0
'	good = aa.bcbss.appname.find(aa.bcbss.calling)
'	if aa.bcbss.applvl >1
		dim nextlvl as N
		nextlvl = aa.bcbss.applvl+1
		aa.bcbss.appname[aa.bcbss.applvl,1] = aa.bcbss.calling
		aa.bcbss.appname[nextlvl,2] = aa.bcbss.whereto
'	end if
	aa.bcbss.applvl = aa.bcbss.applvl +1
	'Clear out existing scheduled scripts to "scpCheck_Closeit".
'	for j = 1 to 10
'		if script_schedule_name_get(j) = "scpCheck_Closeit"
'			script_schedule("","",j)
'		end if
'	next j
END FUNCTION

Setup has a pretty good explanation;

'Date Created: 27-Nov-2002 11:50:43 AM
'Last Updated: 20-May-2011 11:41:19 AM
'Created By  : Tom Henkel
'Updated By  : Thomas Henkel
'FUNCTION "SETUP" INITIALIZES THE VARIABLES TO BE SENT TO THE CALLED APPLICATION.
'	THE CHARACTER PARAMETER "appname" IS THE NAME OF THE CALLED APPLICATION AND IS WHAT IS
'		PLACED INTO THE AA.BCBSS.WHERETO SUPER-GLOBAL VARIABLE  
'		THE CHARACTER VARIABLE "FORMNAME" IS THE NAME OF THE FORM IN SOCIAL SERVICES 
'		THAT CALLED THE NEW APP.  IT IS USED TO DETERMINE WHICH FORM TO OPEN UPON RETURN
'		THE VARIABLE "RETN" IS USED TO TOGGLE THE "RETURN" MENU ITEM ON/OFF
FUNCTION setup AS V (appname AS C, formname as C )
	'debugcheck()
	dim aa as p
	aa= addin.variables()
	dim aa.bcbss as P
	dim Global Retn as C
	Retn = "X"
	aa.bcbss.wherefrom = formname
	aa.bcbss.whereto = appname
END FUNCTION

Returnmain determines if the user has a shadow or if we need to bring back the ddatabase from the server. It uses the applvl array to determine how far back to go. I set the array to 10 items. If we go deeper than 10 applications, shoot us.

'Date Created: 05-Nov-2003 10:00:30 AM
'Last Updated: 20-Oct-2015 09:57:55 AM
'Created By  : Tom Henkel
'Updated By  : Stephen Andrews
FUNCTION returnmain AS V ( )
'debugcheck()
dim aa as P
aa = addin.variables()
dim filename as C
if aa.bcbss.applvl = 1
	'we're already at the main menu, no need to go through the nonsense
	parentform.Close()
	end
end if
dim ans2 as N
if aa.bcbss.applvl = 2
	ans2 = 6
else
	ans2 = ui_msg_box("Question","Do you want to return to the Social Services Main Menu?",292)
end if
	if ans2 = 6
		parentform.Minimize()
'		*****  Removed for testing so that we don't use the shadows  *****		
		if file.exists(aa.bcbss.lpath+chr(92)+"Socsvcs.adb")
			'use runtime version
'			filename1 = aa.bcbss.path+chr(92)+"Socsvcs.adb"
'			filename = aa.bcbss.path+chr(92)+"Socsvcs.adb"
			filename1 = aa.bcbss.drive+chr(92)+"Socsvcs.adb"
			filename = aa.bcbss.drive+chr(92)+"Socsvcs.adb"
		  else
			filename1 = aa.bcbss.appname[1,1]
			filename = aa.bcbss.appname[1,1]
		end if
		if aa.bcbss.applvl = 2 .and. (aa.bcbss.wherefrom = "" .or. aa.bcbss.wherefrom = "Main Menu")
			aa.bcbss.wherefrom = "Main_Menu"
		end if
		'added 01/23/06 to make sure we open up the main menu on return from the hinterlands
		if aa.bcbss.applvl > 2 
			aa.bcbss.wherefrom = "Main_Menu"
		end if
		'************************************************************************************
		if file_exists(filename1)
			filename = filename1
		end if
		PleaseWait(.T.,"Returning to Social Services Main Menu...")
  	  else
		if aa.bcbss.applvl = 1
			parentform.Close()
			end
		end if
		filename1 = aa.bcbss.appname[aa.bcbss.applvl-1,1]
		filename = aa.bcbss.appname[aa.bcbss.applvl-1,1]
		aa.bcbss.applvl = aa.bcbss.applvl-1
		if file_exists(filename1)
			filename = filename1
		end if
  		aa.bcbss.whereto = aa.bcbss.appname[aa.bcbss.applvl,2]
  		PleaseWait(.T.,"Returning to "+alltrim(aa.bcbss.whereto)+" "+strtran(aa.bcbss.wherefrom,"_"," ")+"...")
  	end if

:a5.Load(filename)
'debug(0)
END FUNCTION

These are the functions we use. They are obviously highly customized to our environment.

Review them use them, but you will absolutely need to tailor them to your specific environments.

Below is an example of how we use the "setup" and "callsub" functions under a button on our main menu to "call" (load) our client information database from our main menu database.

'Date Created: 27-Nov-2002 11:53:40 AM
'Last Updated: 03-Mar-2015 02:56:18 PM
'Created By  : Tom Henkel
'Updated By  : Thomas Henkel
dim aa as p
aa = addin.variables()
dim filename as C
'if level = "A"
'	debugcheck2("TEST1")
'end if
'FUNCTION "SETUP" INITIALIZES THE VARIABLES TO BE SENT TO THE CALLED APPLICATION.
'	THE CHARACTER PARAMETERS ARE THE NAMES OF THE CALLED APPLICATION AND THE FORM
'	WE ARE COMING FROM. THEY ARE PLACED INTO THE AA.BCBSS.WHERETO AND AA.BCBSS.WHEREFROM
'	SUPER-GLOBAL VARIABLES

'FUNCTION CALLSUB IS USED TO DETERMINE IF A SHADOW DATABASE EXISTS, AND IF SO,
'	CALL THE LOCAL COPY OF THE DATABASE INSTEAD OF THE NETWORK MASTER.  INFORMATION 
'	PASSED IS THE SUBFOLDER NAME AND APPLICATIN NAME.
'  VARIABLE AA.BCBSS.SUBAPP CONTAINS A TEXT STRING IN THE FOLLOWING FORMAT:
'		aa.bcbss.lpath+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"  OR
'		aa.bcbss.path+chr(92)+subapp+".adb"
' 	WHERE AA.BCBSS.LPATH AND AA.BCBSS.PATH ARE FULLY QUALIFIED PATH NAMES TO EITHER THE 
'	SHADOW DATABASE(lpath) OR THE NETWORK DATABASE(path)

'------- This controls the availability of Buttons ---------------------
DIM Shared Form_Name AS c
DIM SHARED Button_Name AS c
Button_Name = topparent.active()
Form_Name = topparent.name()

if IsHidden(Form_Name,Button_Name)
	msg = "The requested feature is currently unavailable.  Check back later."
	ui_msg_box("UNAVAILABLE",msg,UI_OK+UI_ATTENTION_SYMBOL)
	END
end if
'-----------------------------------------------------------------------

setup("Customer Information","Main_Menu")
callsub("Casereg\Client_info")
pleasewait(.T.,"Retrieving Customer Info Menu... ")
'Open database:
:A5.load(aa.bcbss.subapp)

Good luck and have fun,

Tom