Basic Append Question

[delilahbean]

Hi. I'm trying something new, which may be pretty basic, I am not sure. I am becoming more familiar with Alpha 5 every day and have learned a lot through the mistakes I've made. I'd like to just get some reassurance if possible that I'm not in for another learning experience in my near future.

I have a master table that multiple users could be entering into at one time. Another user needed a quick and easy way to add multiple records at once. I created an append that will add those records to the master table, but am concerned the append may interfere in some way with the auto incrementing of the record numbers for the users entering one by one. Is there any way the auto increment could get messed up and cross users/records and cause problems?

Thanks in advance for your assistance. I've been using this board for a couple of years now and have gained so much valuable info.

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: Basic Append Question

That is a sensible consideration, so good for you. I suppose the answer depends at least on how critical the app is and what other tables are updated simultaneously.
If the answers are "not high" and no other updates occurring live - ie a simple single table data capture, I would trust that ALPHA'S record locking system (yes there is one in operation) is very adequate, since you are (apparently anyway) using standard A5 forms or browses with A5 append operation. This is after all its core business.
I would recommend in any event you write a simple integrity checking program and have it run regularly as part of your diligence.
Taking unnecessary programming steps within the operations could introduce unintended other errors.
But don't lose focus on this issue as you expand, it must remain considered.

[delilahbean]

Re: Basic Append Question

Thank you very much for your assistance and reassurance. I'll continue to test this and keep an eye on it in the future, and I'm going to work on something to help me identify errors as you've recommended. So far, so good.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Basic Append Question

Visit aimsdc.net and look for Auto Increment Function.

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: Basic Append Question

Hi Stan. I found it and read that article. Not as complicated as it appears.
I had prepared similar for invoicing, uses separate table containing last number, the last user id, status Busy/Complete and the reserved number.
before a user can get the next number the status is checked for busy and puts up a "waiting for XYZ to finish Invoice number 123". while Checking for release.
Always used that method in other databases.
Interestingly enough no user has reported seeing this in normal high input circumstances... unless AND more importantly.. when a procedure failed to complete then not only does the "waiting" come up - no one can proceed but admin knows where to go to to assess the failure right away... thereby prevent the total disappearance of an invoice.
The function for it is fairly simple. Building the handling around failure that is a little specific to situation.

[delilahbean]

Re: Basic Append Question

Thank you so much. This is exactly what I needed.

[martinwcole]

Re: Basic Append Question

If I understand Cal's approach, he uses a separate table for storing the counter value for each table that has an 'auto increment' field.

I have a table called "counters" that has 60 fields, one for storing the last used counter value for each of 60 different tables with "roll-your-own-autoincremt" fields. My approach is basically the same as Cal's, but with only one counter table. With up to 20 concurrent users entering records, I have never had an issue. The open and change and save event happens so fast, given that it will try 4 times with a 1 second wait interval between each try, no users have ever gotten the error message telling them the table cannot be accessed - try again in a few seconds.

[MoGrace]

Re: Basic Append Question

Hi Martin,
I like the idea of one table. Could you give us an example of how you implement your script?

[Mike Wilson]

Re: Basic Append Question

Fun topic. I'll have to chime in. I use the same approach as Martin with one table that holds a record for each table that needs a unique id holding the next unique record id number (qid) which is retreived by my script qid_create() which accesses the qid table exclusively (with 5 trys @ .2 sec apart) and also creates the next increment number (if needed) not by autoincrement field rule. However, I have not 1 field for the value but 10 fields. Why? Because I also have a script qid_reuse( ) that is called when a record is deleted and that script captures the qid for the record being deleted and place into the next available (of the 10) fields of the qid record so I don't have major gaps in the qid numbers.

[MoGrace]

Re: Basic Append Question

Hi Mike,
In my situation when the user adds a new Customer record for example, he creates a natural key and my script needs to create the primary key which he never sees. So I am trying to figure out which event to use to accomplish this using Martin's counter table. Any ideas?

[MoGrace]

Re: Basic Append Question

In the CanWrite field rule event, I am trying to get a pointer to the field I want to update and am getting an error "no such field" for both tc.field_get(fname) where tc = table.current(); and also table.field_get(fname) where fname = "DIRCODE". Must I use the convention Directory->Dircode to use this in the FRUL event?

I noticed that this was how Cal defined his field pointer, but he didn't say where he was using his function.

Edit: Yes he did - the CanSaveRecord event - I will try it there instead...

[martinwcole]

Re: Basic Append Question

Mo, here is info regarding my approach. In the past maybe 17 years I have had only 2 failures - one with Alpha's autoincrement and one with my approach. I still don't like using Alpha's autoincrement fields, although my understanding is that they are much more reliable now than they were in 1998.

Actually, there are 81 fields, one for each of 81 tables.
Bear in mind that my approach began in 1999, way back with Version 5, 4.03. 
In those days, the word among developers was that autoincremt fields were not reliable.
Well, it happened to me on an important client, and it took me quite a while to fix the data.
And that's when I got the idea, as I recall from Peter Wayne, to make roll-your-own 

autoincrements.

This was an advantage for me since I archive tables to keep them as small as possible.  And I 

let users search in the archives and reinstate records, using appends - which would cause the 

autoincrment fields to change and mess up the data.

If I were starting over, I would make the fields character instead of numeric. Below is a few 

of the fields from a table called counters.

Assett	Numeric	5	0	
Calaudit	Numeric	8	0	
Calequip	Numeric	5	0	
Calmaint	Numeric	8	0	
Charpyspec	Numeric	8	0	
Charpytestmeth	Numeric	8	0	
Chemspec	Numeric	8	0	
Client	Numeric	5	0	
Conductivity	Numeric	8	0	
Distributor	Numeric	5	0	
Equipcalpo	Numeric	6	0	
Fastenerspec	Numeric	8	0	
Fastmetal	Numeric	8	0	
Fixture	Numeric	9	0	
Generalvendor	Numeric	5	0	
Hardness	Numeric	8	0	
Hydrogenspec	Numeric	8	0	
Invoicenumber	Numeric	7	0	
Quotenumber	Numeric	7	0	
Labnum	Numeric	6	0	
Majaudit	Numeric	8	0	
Majequip	Numeric	5	0	
Majmaint	Numeric	8	0	
Manufacturer	Numeric	5	0	
Metal	Numeric	7	0	
Packingslip	Numeric	7	0	
Partkey	Numeric	6	0	
Payment	Numeric	7	0	
Penprocess	Numeric	9	0	
Pmatspeckey	Numeric	9	0	
Pprime	Numeric	9	0	
Saltspec	Numeric	9	0	
Tensilespec	Numeric	9	0	
Tensiletest	Numeric	8	0	
Tensiletesttestunique	Numeric	10	0	
Testid	Numeric	10	0	
Testingpo	Numeric	9	0	
Testmethod	Numeric	6	0	
Testplan	Numeric	8	0	

Here is the "onenterecord" record event in field rules

on error goto errors
t=table.get("clients")
t.client_id="TEMP"
end
errors:
err_msg = error_text_get(error_code_get())
line = error_line_number_get()
script = error_script_get()
ui_msg_box("error", err_msg+" error occurred at line "+alltrim(str(line,4,0))+ " in script: 

"+script)     
end

here is the "cansaverecord" event in field rules

'Date Created: 07-May-2015 02:26:06 PM
'Last Updated: 07-May-2015 02:30:12 PM
'Created By  : MARTIN
'Updated By  : MARTIN
if a_deleting_record
	end
end if 
t=table.get("clients")
if t.mode_get()=1 'editing a record
	if t.baddress1=""
		t.baddress1=t.saddress1
		t.baddress2=t.saddress2
		t.bcity=t.scity
		t.bstate=t.sstate
		t.bzip=t.szip
		t.bzip2=t.szip2
	end if 
	end
end if 
if t.mode_get()=2 'entering a new record
	dim trys as n
	dim n as n
	dim temp as c
	trys=0
	on error goto retry
	t2=table.open("counters",FILE_RW_EXCLUSIVE)
	on error goto errors
	t2.change_begin()
		t2.client=t2.client + 1
	t2.change_end(.t.)
	n=t2.client
	t2.close()
	t=table.get("clients")
	temp=padl(alltrim(str(n)),5,"0")
	t.client_id=temp
	if t.baddress1=""
		t.baddress1=t.saddress1
		t.baddress2=t.saddress2
		t.bcity=t.scity
		t.bstate=t.sstate
		t.bzip=t.szip
		t.bzip2=t.szip2
	end if 
	end
end if 
end
retry:
if trys > 10
	cancel()	
	ui_msg_box("Error","The system is currently busy - try again in a minute!",16)
	sys_send_keys("{esc}")
	end
end if 
trys=trys + 1
sleep(1/3)
resume 0
end
errors:
err_msg = error_text_get(error_code_get())
line = error_line_number_get()
script = error_script_get()
ui_msg_box("Error", err_msg+" Error occurred at line "+alltrim(str(line,4,0))+ " in script: 

"+script)
end

here is a function that runs at night, and/or on administrator on-demand - that resets all the 

counter fields

'Date Created: 25-Aug-2009 08:41:59 AM
'Last Updated: 07-May-2015 02:33:51 PM
'Created By  : martin cole
'Updated By  : MARTIN
FUNCTION ResetCounters AS L ( )
	on error goto errors
	xbasic_wait_for_idle()
	t=table.open("counters",file_rw_exclusive)
	t.change_begin()
		if tablecount("testsmicrohi",".t.")=0
			t.microhardness=1			
		else
			t.microhardness=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsmicrohi",".t.","testid"),7))) 
		end if	
		t.testsbellexam=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsbell_welderexam",".t.","testid"),7))) 					
		t.testmagnetic=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsmagnetic",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		t.flatwisespecs=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("flatwisespecs",".t.","specid"),8))) 
		t.Testsstressdurbspec=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsstressdurabspecs",".t.","specid"),8)))				
		t.testflatwise=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsflatwise",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		t.batchno=tablemax("packingslips","batchno > 0","batchno")
		t.Hydembspec=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("hydembspecs",".t.","Hydembspecid"),9))) 
		n=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testshydemb",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		m=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testshydemblog",".t.","testid"),7))) 		
		if m > n 
			t.testshydemb=m
		elseif n > m
			t.testshydemb=n 
		else
			t.testshydemb=n  
		end if 
		n=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("Testsstressdurb",".t.","testid"),7)))
		m=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("Testsstressdurblog",".t.","testid"),7)))
		if m > n 
			t.Testsstressdurblog=m
		elseif n > m
			t.Testsstressdurblog=n 
		else
			t.Testsstressdurblog=n  
		end if 
		t.Testsstressdurblog=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("Testsstressdurblog",".t.","testid"),7)))
		t.testshardcond=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testshardcond",".t.","testid"),7))) 
		t.metaltestmethods=val(tablemax("metaltestmethods",".t.","testmethodid")) 	
		t.documentid=val(tablemax("documents",".t.","specid"))
		t.manualid=val(tablemax("docmanuals",".t.","manualid"))	
		n=val(tablemax("furnacespecs",".t.","specid"))
		m=val(tablemax("lotacceptance",".t.","specid"))		
		if m > n 
			t.Furnacespec=m
		elseif n > m
			t.Furnacespec=n 
		else
			t.Furnacespec=n  
		end if 		
		t.Furnacespec=val(tablemax("furnacespecs",".t.","specid"))
		t.testfastener=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsfastener",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		t.tensiletest=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("teststensile",".t.","testid"),7)))
		t.testmetal=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsmetal",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		t.testsmetal2=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsmetal2",".t.","testid"),7)))
		t.testslapshear=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testslapshear",".t.","testid"),7)))	
		t.testsflexture=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsflexture",".t.","testid"),7)))	
		t.testcharpy=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testscharpy",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		t.planschem=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("planschem",".t.","testid"),7))) 		
		t.planstensile=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("planstensile",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		n=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsfurnace",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		m=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testslotaccept",".t.","testid"),7))) 		
		if m > n 
			t.testfurnace=m
		elseif n > m
			t.testfurnace=n 
		else
			t.testfurnace=n  
		end if 
		t.testfurnace=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsfurnace",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		n=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testssaltspray",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		m=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testssaltlog",".t.","testid"),7))) 		
		if m > n 
			t.testsalt=m
		elseif n > m
			t.testsalt=n 
		else
			t.testsalt=n  
		end if 
		t.penspec=val(alltrim(tablemax("penspecs",".t.","penspecid"))) 
		n=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsfastmetal",".t.","testid"),7)))
		m=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsfastmetal_log",".t.","testid"),7)))
		if m > n 
			t.testfastmetal=m
		elseif n > m
			t.testfastmetal=n 
		else
			t.testfastmetal=n 
		end if 
		n=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testspenetrant",".t.","testid"),7)))
		m=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testspenetrant_log",".t.","testid"),7)))
		if m > n 
			t.testpen=m
		elseif n > m
			t.testpen=n 
		else
			t.testpen=n 
		end if 
		t.testhydrogen=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testshydrogen",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		t.testchem=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testschem",".t.","testid"),7))) 		
		t.tensiletesttestunique=val(tablemax("teststensiletests",".t.","testuniqueid")) 
		t.testplan=val(tablemax("tplans",".t.","testplanid"))		
		t.vengenpo=val(tablemax("vengenpo",".t.","ponumber")) 		
		t.vendorauditunique=val(tablemax("vendoraudits",".t.","auditunique")) 		
		t.vendor=val(tablemax("vendors",".t.","vendorid")) 		
		t.testmethod=val(tablemax("testmethods",".t.","testmethodid")) 		
		t.testingpo=val(tablemax("testingpo",".t.","ponum")) 		
		t.tensilespec=val(tablemax("tensilespecs",".t.","tensilespecid"))
		t.saltspec=val(tablemax("saltspecs",".t.","saltspecid"))
		t.penprocess=val(tablemax("penprocess",".t.","Penetrantid"))
		t.payment=val(tablemax("payments",".t.","paymentnumber"))	
		t.partkey=val(alltrim(right(tablemax("partnumbers",".t.","Partkey"),7))) 	
		t.packingslip=val(tablemax("packingslips",".t.","Packingslipnumber"))
		t.metal=val(tablemax("metallographicspecs",".t.","specid"))
		t.manufacturer=val(tablemax("manufacturers",".t.","mnfid"))	
		t.majequip=val(tablemax("equipmentmajor",".t.","Majequipid"))	
		t.majmaint=val(tablemax("equipmajmaint",".t.","Majmaintunique"))	
		t.majaudit=val(tablemax("equipmajaudits",".t.","Majauditunique"))
		t.labnum=val(alltrim(right(tablemax("login",".t.","labnum"),6))) 
		t.invoicenumber=val(alltrim(right(tablemax("invoices",".t.","Invoicenumber"),7))) 
		t.quotenumber=val(alltrim(right(tablemax("quotes",".t.","Invoicenumber"),7))) 	
		t.assett=val(tablemax("otherassetts",".t.","assettsid"))
		t.calaudit=val(tablemax("equipmentcalaudits",".t.","calauditunique"))
		t.calequip=val(tablemax("equipmentcalibration",".t.","calequipid"))	
		t.calmaint=val(tablemax("equipcalmaint",".t.","calmaintunique"))
		t.charpyspec=val(tablemax("charpyspecs",".t.","charpyspecid"))			
		t.charpytestmeth=val(tablemax("charpytestmethods",".t.","charpymethodid"))	
		t.chemspec=val(tablemax("chemspecs",".t.","chemspecid"))
		n=val(tablemax("clients",".t.","client_id"))
		m=val(tablemax("clients_arch",".t.","client_id"))			
		dim z as n
		if m > n
			z=m
		else
			z=n 
		end if 
		t.client=z
		t.conductivity=val(tablemax("conductivityspecs",".t.","conductivityspecid"))	
		t.distributor=val(tablemax("distributors",".t.","dstid"))			
		t.equipcalpo=val(tablemax("equipcalpo",".t.","ponum"))				
		t.fixture=val(tablemax("fixturespecs",".t.","fixturespecid"))	
		t.fastenerspec=val(tablemax("fastenerspecs",".t.","fastenerspecid"))		
		t.fastmetal=val(tablemax("fastmetalspecs",".t.","fastmetalspecid"))		
		t.generalvendor=val(tablemax("vendorsgeneral",".t.","vendorid"))		
		t.hardness=val(tablemax("hardnessspecs",".t.","hardnessspecid"))
		t.hydrogenspec=val(tablemax("hydrogenspecs",".t.","Hydrogenspecid"))	
		t.testawsd171=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsaws_d171",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
        	t.testawsd11=val(alltrim(left(tablemax("testsaws_d11",".t.","testid"),7))) 	
		t.printoptions=val(alltrim(tablemax("testsprintoptions",".t.","notesid"))) 	
		t.Masterpass=val(alltrim(tablemax("masterpass",".t.","uniqueid"))) 	
	t.change_end(.t.)
	t.close()
	resetcounters=.t.
	end
	errors:
	t.close()
	resetcounters=.f.
	msgbox("Note tell Martin","Error occurred in ResetCounters function")
	err_msg = error_text_get(error_code_get())
	line = error_line_number_get()
	script = error_script_get()
	ui_msg_box("Error", err_msg+" Error occurred at line "+alltrim(str(line,4,0))+ " in script: "+script)
	end
END FUNCTION

Hope this helps.

[MoGrace]

Re: Basic Append Question

Thank you Martin, I will digest your script for my needs.

In the meantime I notice that if A_DELETING_RECORD is true, you just end the script which allows the record deletion to take place. Then in your reset section you get the actual last number from your tables.

My Question: How are you controlling a deletion that would create a skip in the series - or do you not do that? I am trying to allow a deletion only for the last record entered so if the user inadvertently enters a duplicate (with a spelling difference for example...), he can delete it, otherwise he cannot just arbitrarily go and delete older records. I am not having much luck with this idea at the moment, as I can't seem to stop the record deletion even though my prompt appears correctly when I test the field value.

My function returns T or F depending on whether a deletion should be allowed or not. In CanDeleteRecord, if the value returned is .f. then I have Cancel() as the condition. Tracing my script shows F was returned, yet the record deletes anyway.

Any ideas?

[martinwcole]

Re: Basic Append Question

well .... you could modify the script. It is not important to me that there is a missing number. Also. they can delete records, provided certain conditions are met. My reset always resets it to the table max, so if you only delete the last record, the reset would correctly reset it, as you describe.

[MoGrace]

Re: Basic Append Question

I am still working on it, but using the tablemax() after a record deletion, inside the delete script, is not getting the correct value. Maybe tomorrow will bring clarity...