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Record focus changes when typing in memo field

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    Record focus changes when typing in memo field

    I have this odd behavior in an application where the focus on the record changes when I begin to enter something into a memo field. I couldn't find anything quite like this in searching.

    The following example has a form for a set (Fs_Positions) holding 4 embedded browses that show parent-child-grandchild-greatgrandchild all as 1-M tables in the set. The fouth table has a notes field. When I set focus on a particular greatgrandchild record, and try to add a value to the memo field (Tr_Notes), the focus in the grandchild jumps to the first record in that table.

    There are directions in a modeless dialog that pops up when the Positions form(Fs_Positions) is accessed to see the problem. I am at a loss. Any insight before having to fool around with a complicated work around would be appreciated. Thanks.
    Mike W
    __________________________
    "I rebel in at least small things to express to the world that I have not completely surrendered"

    #2
    Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

    Mike, that's very wierd. Even stranger, when the record selector moves in the grandchild table, the related records are NOT shown in the great-grandchild browse.

    I don't see anything obvious that would be causing this. I note that the problem does NOT occur using the simpler default form for the set.

    I wonder if the problem would clear if you moved the memo field to a new table, linked 1:1 to the transactions table. This is often recommended in order to assure continuity with transaction data if the memo field text should become corrupt.

    Troubleshooting complex forms is always problematic. I try hard to keep things simple.

    -- tom

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

      Hi,

      Just throwing this out there---not a problem in v8.

      The only similar thing is that when the memo field is typed into, the Position browse (grandchild) record that is in focus moves to the browse top....but the record is still the correct one. Other than that everything works according to plan I think in version 8. My point is it looks like something introduced in v9.

      And what Tom mentions does not happen either--the great grandchild records move when different grandchild (Position browse) records are selected.

      good luck.
      Mike
      __________________________________________
      It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
      It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
      Henry David Thoreau
      __________________________________________



      Comment


        #4
        Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

        Mike_W - the problem seems to go away if you comment out the OnFetch event script in the form; Set the sort sequence for the great-grandchild table by setting the order properties for that table in the properties of the form. This avoids having to run a query/sort everytime a record is fetched.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

          Mike, Tom,
          Thanks for looking.

          I thought about the separate table idea. I duplicated the transaction table and deleted all but refno and notes and linked 1:1 as suggested. Still happens.

          I tried commenting out all the form OnFetch events. In my hands, the oddity still occurs. I had not noticed it before but the 'reverse' happens when typing into the grandchild record notes memo field, the focus in the greatgrandchild (GGC) jumps to the first GGC record.

          I am going to break things down and rebuild and see just when the oddity manifests.
          Mike W
          __________________________
          "I rebel in at least small things to express to the world that I have not completely surrendered"

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

            Mike, whenever I see a complex form being used for data entry I'm reminded of Dr. Wayne's article at www.learn alpha.com. "Simplify your Application for Better Performance". If it's been a while since you read it maybe you should look it over again.

            Personally, I use QuickBooks as a sort of style guide. When they present a complex form it rarely involves more than 3 tables, and it's never used for data entry. Instead, they popup smaller dialogs based on single tables. The only place I recall that they permit data entry using a grid is in the invoice form, and I suspect that there they are using only two tables to support the data entry. Since data integrity is crucial to quickbooks users, and to Alpha Five applications, I think there's a lot of food for thought here.
            Last edited by Tom Cone Jr; 08-20-2008, 09:41 AM.

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

              Tom,
              Thanks for the thoughts. Yes, it has been a while since I have read that. If I remeber correctly, he simplied to accomodate a networked application. This will be my single computer and my sibling families single computer application and not be networked, but re-read that I will.

              I did go beyond my usual practice with this form, and have 4 tables involved. However, the form browses are for viewing. I don't typically won't (don't like or think good to) use browses for data entry. If you press any of the "ADD" buttons, or the action button, you will see that all the data entries happen through xdialog and the scripts enter data directly at the table level. I am going to do this with the notes part too, and see how that plays out. Thanks for the reminder to set order through form properties.
              Mike W
              __________________________
              "I rebel in at least small things to express to the world that I have not completely surrendered"

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

                Originally posted by Mike Wilson View Post
                I have this odd behavior in an application where the focus on the record changes when I begin to enter something into a memo field. I couldn't find anything quite like this in searching.

                The following example has a form for a set (Fs_Positions) holding 4 embedded browses that show parent-child-grandchild-greatgrandchild all as 1-M tables in the set. The fouth table has a notes field. When I set focus on a particular greatgrandchild record, and try to add a value to the memo field (Tr_Notes), the focus in the grandchild jumps to the first record in that table.

                There are directions in a modeless dialog that pops up when the Positions form(Fs_Positions) is accessed to see the problem. I am at a loss. Any insight before having to fool around with a complicated work around would be appreciated. Thanks.

                We have been working on a significant rewrite of the browse code in V9 for the last few months. Here is a beta build of A5V9 with the new browse logic. This should fix the bug you have reported here. Once we have completed testing this new code, it will be released as in-line patch to V9.

                http://downloads.alphasoftware.com/A..._patchBeta.exe
                http://downloads.alphasoftware.com/A..._PatchBeta.exe
                http://downloads.alphasoftware.com/A..._patchBeta.exe

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

                  This is off topic, but I was about to enter a feature request for browse, so I will mention it here. Would be useful to be able to hide a browse column. A search showed there was some success with setting the column width to 0.

                  Bill.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

                    Bill,
                    Setting the width to 0 works and is easy to incorporate--on a project I am working on I have a browse title button which hides and unhides 5 other columns using just the width setting you referred to.
                    Mike
                    __________________________________________
                    It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
                    It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
                    Henry David Thoreau
                    __________________________________________



                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

                      Thanks Mike. I have not tested yet, but do you know if Tab/Enter stops at each 0 width column?

                      Bill.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

                        Bill,
                        It does not appear to stop on 0 column width fields in my testing. I use the 0 width column, setting it with the Object Explorer easily. It works well in my hands, and allows the values to be collected through parentform:browse#:fieldname.value code.
                        Mike W
                        __________________________
                        "I rebel in at least small things to express to the world that I have not completely surrendered"

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Record focus changes when typing in memo field

                          Bill, Mike,
                          Does not stop here either....but to make certain I also turn off the tab stop for the column (I did turn it on just to test).
                          Mike
                          __________________________________________
                          It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
                          It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
                          Henry David Thoreau
                          __________________________________________



                          Comment

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