Calculated Value Wows..

[preston2]

Ok, I have been working on a new little app and this time around I decided to do a lot of the math using calculated values on the form instead of using calculated fields in the table or intense scripts.

On the surface it all works fine for the math on the form but I also need one Calculated Value that is a total of several other calculated values to be written to a field in a table so it can be used on other forms without having to recreate all the calculated values again and again on each form.

There is no direct way to put a calculated value on a form into a field of a table so I tried the following.

vn_subtot = CALC->Price_Subtot
parentform:SUBTOT.value = vn_subtot

And Also;

parentform:SUBTOT.value = CALC->Price_Subtot


Now here is the screwy part.

For awhile it will work with the;
vn_subtot = CALC->Price_Subtot
parentform:SUBTOT.value = vn_subtot

Then that will stop working and throw a script error so I switch to;
parentform:SUBTOT.value = CALC->Price_Subtot

And then that will work for a while and then start throwing a script error.

Basically every time it throws a script error I just change the script method and it starts working again for a little while. Which make absolutely no sense. What is even weirder is when I use the variable vn_sutot to store the value and then write it to the SUBTOT.value, the variable vn_subtot remains zero even though it transfers the value of Calc->Price_Subtot to the SUBTO.value

script-error.png

Unless I can find a simple and reliable way to store the values in Calculated Values on a form into a table field, I think I will not try and use Calculate Values anymore.

[G Gabriel]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Instead of:
vn_subtot = CALC->Price_Subtot
use the same expression you used to calculate CALC->Price_Subtot
IOW:
If you used Price_Subtot=ABC+XYZ
Then do:
parentform:SUBTOT.value =ABC+XYZ

[preston2]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Instead of:
vn_subtot = CALC->Price_Subtot
use the same expression you used to calculate CALC->Price_Subtot
IOW:
If you used Price_Subtot=ABC+XYZ
Then do:
parentform:SUBTOT.value =ABC+XYZ

That would require writing about 100 lines of code to replicate all the Calculated Values on the form that affect the final value in Calc->subtot as Calc->subtot is a calculation of Calculated Values. If I was going to do that, what is the point of ever using Calculated Values in the first place?

I am using this now and it is working but I will need to see if it remains stable.

DIM window_name as C
window_name = ":"+"Estimates"
DIM varP_Object as p
'Get a pointer to the specified window
varP_Object = obj(window_name)
'Check if the specified window exists
if .not. is_object(varP_Object) then
ui_msg_box("Error","The window '"+window_name+"' does not exist.",ui_stop_symbol)
else
DELETE expression_result 'Clear any possible previous expression result
expression_result = eval("CALC->Price_Subtot",form_name)
varP_Object:SUBTOT.value = expression_result
end if

[MoGrace]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Hi Preston,
Have you tried creating some of the calcs at the table level when you structure it instead of the form level? Then they will be available to any form that uses the table. Just an idea...

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Preston,

To which event have you tied your script?

-- tom

[preston2]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Preston,

To which event have you tied your script?

-- tom

A button push. I do not have it automatically fire from any other event happening on the form.

[preston2]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Hi Preston,
Have you tried creating some of the calcs at the table level when you structure it instead of the form level? Then they will be available to any form that uses the table. Just an idea...

That is the way I have done it in the past. I was just hoping this would work as it would keep me from having to search through a tables calculated fields to find the right one to make adjustments if needed.

Also the math I use is very complex so it would require a lot of extra fields to break the math up due to expression length limitations in calculated fields.

[DaveM]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Preston,

I honestly preferred using script/udf's(mostly) for this. I tried field rules, calc fields and some other in the forms. It became clear that using scripts and udf's worked much better and much faster over all.

My calculations for car dealers have to compute payments for sales and leasing, including monthly/weekly/quarterly/semi-annual/2 weeks/2 times a month payments as well as all other computations. I even had to write my own payment functions because alpha's were too far off to comply with the Federal regulation-Z. I also have to contend with printing payment coupons, and contracts. Doing sales tax forms and computations for end of month.

Generally, a sale/lease will go through 5 scripts and 2 udf's before a payment is generated to the penny. The scripts and udf's vary with the choices, of course.

[MoGrace]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Looking at Gabe's example - if the calcs were defined for the table, then that calc could be set as the default value for the field in the field rules. That would allow the amount to be overwritten in the form using a 'recalc' button...

Also, I remember early on reading that calcs needed to be written in a logical order and how they are placed in the tab order of the form can make a difference also.

Edit: The logical sequence would probably apply to calcs that use other calcs. But if your fields are populated with default values, at least you wouldn't have to deal with blank values when entering a new record. Or you could set your numeric defaults to 1 instead of 0 ... hard to guess without seeing the form.

In my payroll app I have lots of calculations and the only way to get some of the calcs to update when the data is changed is to change a value in a non essential field, save the record, then edit it back. Hence the recalc button.

[DaveM]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Most of my scripts/functions are triggered with an onfielddepart event. The fields on the form get populated and a refresh is done to make them visible.
Some/many of the fields on the form are variables and get written to the table(s) on saving. Much faster that way too.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

There is no direct way to put a calculated value on a form into a field of a table

Onfetch code for form

parentform.commit()
Tbl = table.current()
tbl.change_begin()
tbl.whateverfieldname = calc->calcfieldname
tbl.change_end()

[DaveM]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

The numbers of calc fields I had to do slowed the loading of the form. I suspect it still does that in v11 and v12??

[G Gabriel]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Getting back to this thread..
Why would you have to re-write "100's" of lines of code?
How many times do you assign this calc value to that field?
I would think only once, unless there is more to your script that doesn't meet the eye.
Also, in a situation like this, you do not have to re-write anything. Just simply copy/paste the expression and use the editor to find/replace..
But assuming all of this does not apply to your situation.. the bad news is you are trying to swim against the tide and thus you are meeting this resistance.
Alpha, once you initialize a form, the first thing it will do (and I showed that in a previous thread many years ago) is to run the calc fields on the form, first and foremost.
Unfortunately, alpha does not recalc these values each time you push a button.
What does that tell in terms of possible solutions?
You will have, somehow, to force alpha to recalc these values.
How?
There is a method to recalc all calc fields that apply to the table, but to my knowledge none for a form.
So, now what?
You could either:
1-Change the value (and change it back) of one of the calculations dependencies to force alpha to recalc, or
2-Load a second instance of the form right before assigning the calc value to the field, or
3-Add the value to the field at the table level and re-synch the form
All of the above is a long winded round about ways to do something that you shouldn't have had to deal with in the first place. And I say that, because this issue and related ones came up way too many times in the past where peope want to take the value of a calc field and do something with it, either assign it to a field, update a table, a report or something similar loosing sight of where this value came from in the firat palce.

[MoGrace]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Gabe makes sense. If the field needs to be a calculated value, then the calc goes there. Otherwise if the calcs are for the purpose of a report, let it do the calcs with the table values. You can also embed a report preview into a form and provide links back to the record. Unless the calcs are fairly simple, i would expect the overhead on the form would be very slow - especially during data entry, which ought to be fast.

Most of my forms use vars to hold the totals I want to see, and those can be posted to the table if necessary.

So many ways to skin a cat!

[DaveM]

Re: Calculated Value Wows..

Don't use the forms to do the calcs. That is what scripts and functions are for. Robin, Wise to use the vars to hold the totals. They can be assigned by the scripts as they run.

My rule on functions: If you have to write the code more than 2 times, make it a function.