Help with Variables

[DRW]

I have attached a simple test application to demonstrate a problem I�m encountering in trying to utilize a variable which is bound to a two state button which in turn is used to control the visibility (using show and hide actions) of a memo field. I need to get this variable conditionally set to different values in the form On Fetch event but its not working.

The gist is that I have a memo field that is intended to act as a sticky note. If a record(s) has a sticky note (determined by the simple fact that the field is not empty) then as each record gets focus the sticky memo field should. If at the time the record gets focus there is no text in the memo then it shouldn�t be displayed. I can get this part to work quite nicely using conditioned show and hide actions in the form On Fetch event. In order to control the display of the sticky memo after the record has received focus for purposes of hiding, showing, or editing I have placed a two state button bound to a logical variable onto the form. In the button On Change event I show or hide the memo field based on conditionals pertaining to the logical value of the variable - .T. to show and .F. to hide. This also works quite except for certain circumstances wherein it may require two pushes of the button to close or open the memo field depending on whether the memo was or wasn�t opened when the record first got focus. The reason for these is easy to deduce. My presumed solution to this would be to place a couple of additional actions in the form On Fetch event to preset the value of the logical variable based on whether or not the memo field already contained text - .T. when text was present and .F. when not. Unfortunately this doesn�t seem to be working the way I would expect. The variable updates in the On Fetch event only seem to work correctly for the very first record opened � they only seem to be recognized for subsequent records if a form refresh is invoked.

I�m kind of stumped at this point.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Help with Variables

I prefer a different approach for this sort of thing. I use a single variable to track whether the object is hidden or not. The button push runs a script. The script looks at the variable if it says the obj is hidden the obj is shown and the variable changed accordingly; if the obj is shown the script hides it and the variable is changed accordingly.

If an example of this would be helpful holler.

-- tom

[DRW]

Re: Help with Variables

Thanks for your suggestion. I�ve retooled my button scripts to check the visible status of the memo field object just prior to invoking the show/hide actions. It accomplishes my objectives quite well.

A couple of additional questions:

1) What are the practical differences if any between using �show/hide� actions vs. �set properties of objects � object.visible - True/False�? They seem to accomplish the same practical effects or are there subtle distinctions that I�m not aware of or situations where one makes more sens e than the other?
2) When I have defined hidden objects that by necessity must overlay other visible objects, e.g. a memo field that when displayed must do so over the top of other fields, I experience what I am going to call �bleed through� of the underlying fields. For example, if the hidden memo field gets shown and overlays other regularly shown fields then a mouse click made onto the memo field at any coordinate that happens to also be occupied by any underlying field causes the underlying field to momentarily bleed through the overlaid memo field. I�ve even encountered situations where underlying fields which are defined with lookups will actually pop the lookup list onto the top of the now displayed memo field and allow editing of the contents of the lookup while it is showing through. The only solution I have come up with to solve this problem is to make sure that simultaneous with showing memo field all other fields occupying the same screen real estate as the memo field get hidden or have their visibility property set to false, which means having to reshow them or their visibility property back to true when the memo field gets hidden. Have you experienced this?

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Help with Variables

Hi Douglas,

Have you considered using a conditional object?

Maybe that will cure your bleed through too.

[DRW]

Re: Help with Variables

Yes. A while back somemone had suggested use of conditional objects. In my few quick tests I found conditional objects exhibited the same bleed through problems. However, I am willing to admit the possibility that I may not have properly deployed the conditonal objects. When I get some free time to experiment I will give then another go. Thanks for the suggestion.