UDF Parameters lookup

[MikeC]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Hi Cal,
Well, I mentioned it and so did put together a small example of how it works.

First the functions have to be compiled into an AEX and added to the Alpha install directory in the addins_installed folder or added to the database Library--either way. I supplied an AEX file of these here too which I believe can be used--remove the .zip extension, leaving the AEX extension (Had to add the .zip in order to upload the file). Try it and let me know.

The zip file is the sample db which has the functions. Using the interactive window to check them out the Help_Function() has to be brought up first and ran. Then the Function_Parameters() can be used.

I am hoping someone will come up with a better way of having the addin functionality become usable (IOW without having to run the Help_Function).

[CALocklin]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

It's getting rather late tonight so I will check out your example in detail later. However, I'm curious about the need to put it in an aex file. I did my testing using a script. I never even saved it; just typed the code and ran it with the lightning bolt icon. I also tested a couple times with it in the autoexec. Either way seemed to work fine.

One thing I did find was that I couldn't overwrite it. Once a particular 'help' had been created, the only way to undo it was to close A5 and start again with a clean slate.

[MikeC]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

If you are simply using Alpha's built-in names in order to supply the function with the drop down lists, then no need to use AEX...but when creating my own arguments that do not rely upon Alpha's built in ones, then I cannot seem to get them to work without adding them to either a Library or the addins_installed folder.

If you can somehow get my sample to work without adding them to the Library or addins_installed folder, then for sure let me know!!

And correct about restarting Alpha--for some things you can just close the db and reopen...but when I am using parts that need the Addins_installed folder then the only way Alpha can see changes is to close Alpha down as it only loads the AEX / Addins_folder on startup I believe.

[csda1]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Hi Mike, Cal

And correct about restarting Alpha--for some things you can just close the db and reopen...but when I am using parts that need the Addins_installed folder then the only way Alpha can see changes is to close Alpha down as it only loads the AEX / Addins_folder on startup I believe.

Gee, closing and restarting Alpha Five back to where you were just happens to be a feature of the CSDA Code Utility ! ;)

As for reloading the addins AEX, if you have only 1 copy of Alpha Five open, you can do it by XBasic (not as easy as it should be), or by just going to the Addin Manager and making a change (such as deleting one and clicking OK, and then repeating and adding one back in). If the file timestamp of the Addin_Library.AEX does not change, it didn't happen, so it's easy to verify.

One might ask, though, that unless you are distributing library of functions, this might be a huge waste of time from those that might use it, and is it really worth the time?

One tip, is that you can include the help code in the main function itself, and keep the help code with the main function that way. Then call the function with a parameter setting that implies initialization and runs the addins help code, but wouldn't normally be used otherwise. I always have an option for my functions that also closes modeless dialog and similar left over objects so that I can also cleanup without it being in a separate function.

Keeping the initialization and closeout code with the operational code keeps it more consistent between versions.

[MikeC]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Hi Ira,

Then call the function with a parameter setting that implies initialization and runs the addins help code, but wouldn't normally be used otherwise.

I have tried just having the addins...help code inside the function but does not seem to run upon the initial use of the function when the arguments are to be set by a user. Is there something I have to do to make the addins run when first calling the function up say in the interactive editor or an event that will allow the users to tap into the functionality I have built in to the function (not Alpha's built in arguments--they work right away)??

Regarding other points---this function is possibly going to be used on various user machines in which it has to stand on its own with no "setup" or additions made other than maybe the one time addition to the Library or addins_installed folder of an AEX of the function.

[csda1]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

I have tried just having the addins...help code inside the function but does not seem to run upon the initial use of the function when the arguments are to be set by a user. Is there something I have to do to make the addins run when first calling the function up say in the interactive editor or an event that will allow the users to tap into the functionality I have built in to the function (not Alpha's built in arguments--they work right away)??

You still have to run the addin.function_argument_help() prior to it's use. That means the initialization call to the function must be in the Autoexec or similar to be automatically started. One partial solution is to set a global (or possibly an addins scoped variable) flag to indicate you've initialized. If the flag is not set, then any call to the function should initialize the addin help and set the flag, so the 2nd time around, it will work. It makes it easier for the debugging process too!

Regarding other points---this function is possibly going to be used on various user machines in which it has to stand on its own with no "setup" or additions made other than maybe the one time addition to the Library or addins_installed folder of an AEX of the function.

Do you mean you have no documentation? That's one of the reasons's I tell people how to call my functions with a help flag that brings's up a dialog of text that has the function's current (and up-to-date!) help. e.g. for the CSDA Code Utility's functions

a5desktop("H")
codetimer("","H")
DatabaseSave("","","H")
libmake("","H")

Each of the above will return the help info. So the documentation to use a function is actually a simple description to call the above help. And if you do something like a

save_to_file(a5desktop("H"),"C:\a5desktophelp.txt")

it will store the returned text (the same as the displayed value) and place it in the file.

All of that text is inside the function, and I normally leave it in an unencrypted section so that it is available to read with file dumps, should somebody forget it's access method.

[MikeC]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

You still have to run the addin.function_argument_help() prior to it's use.

That is what I have found....and so instead of having to call the function twice, I will have instructions to first run the Help_Function (which contains only the addin.function_argument_help() functions needed) just prior to using the actual function that does the work--this way a user would stay on the same page/form and be able to use the function with the added functionality I have given it (drop-down lists, filter builder, order builder, etc.).

I know an autoexec also works and if this function was part of an application then it would be a no-brainer! But this function is in place of creating a user interface in which to give parameters to the SimpleChart ActiveX object which enables a user to not to have to use xbasic to use it. IOW, once the parameters are placed in the function, a bar, line, or pie chart will be produced based on these parameters. SimpleChart has a small UI for setting the font, color, legend properties, etc. so is separate from the function.

So far it works but have not tested it completely--and so far have just used it for Bar charts but will be a simple matter to have it produce the Line and Pie types when the Bar type works.

I kinda doubt if this function would be something actual Alpha programmer would want as SimpleChartLite is just that...very simple...and very Lite!

I will using this mostly, I think, with users of QRB who have no knowledge of Alpha or xbasic but yet want some simple charting capabilities.

Hard to believe Alpha created a fantastic reporting tool (QReportBuilder) WITHOUT charting/graphing capabilities that have a user interface or even just a function that even a 2+ year novice like myself can write!!


Note--I mentioned before about adding an argument with a static drop-down list....was not hard to do at all--don't know if I am just getting familiar with how these addin helps work or if it was just easy.

[csda1]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Hi Mike, Cal, Steve et al,

As Ira indicated, if you use the same argument name as an existing Alpha function, your UDF will utilize the same feature as Alpha's. You can be more descriptive also in that say the Alpha argument is "tablename". If you name your argument "First_tablename", "Last_tablename" or whatever prefix you want with an underscore in front it will use the Alpha argument's feature, in this case, of course, a crlf list of all the tables in the database.

Actually, based on recent testing, the help prompt happens if the Alpha parameter name is contained anywhere within the name of your parameter.

I believe the earliest help parameter name found in the sequence of creating the help (whether yours or Alpha's) that is contained in your parameter name text will be the one executed. Thus, you need to really make sure the name is very unique from ones used by Alpha. Larger names should be executed before smaller names that are contained within the larger names.

Some currently being used/created by Alpha include

filename
file_open_mode
file_attribute

tablename
table_name
tablename_with_path
table_open_mode

fieldname

setname

data_dictionary_name

form_name
browse_name
report_name
letter_name
label_name
layoutname

operationname
toolbarname
menuname

number_format
time_format
date_format
filefindformat
saveas_format
keylist_format
format
custom_date_format
color_format
clipboard_format
dialog_format

regex_type
regex_syntax

result_expression

xdialog_name
script_name

system_mode
system_setting

systemfontname
font

tagname
type_of_operation
ui_beep_style
box_style
box_border
shadow_style
menu_context

matchtype
ascii_value
zipfilename
target_file
object_enum_flags
progid
SQLConnectionString

There probably are quite a few that I've missed, but those are probably the key ones.

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Thanks for this Ira, That is a very useful list.

Cheers.

[csda1]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Hi Mike, Cal,

At times the addin argument help shows the 3rd line saying something like
Press control-down key or click right click to select xxxxxxxx. When this appears, the parameter help appears upon activating it. However, for some of the parameter help, it does not work until I actually put an argument value in, as in "" or "A", and the 3rd line still does not appear, although it works at that point by pressing control-down.

Thus functionname(,"" works, but functionname(, does not.

Have you seen this behavior and/or know why it happens?

Thanks!

[MikeC]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Ira,
Once I added the function/addin.function_argument_help() function to the addins_installed folder or imported it to the database code library (as an AEX) on Cal's suggestion, the extra text help you refer to has always appeared right away....otherwise was very inconsistent. Also note (for others mostly) that the second argument of the addin.function_argument_help() is called a description and is what it placed in the extra text after Alpha's generic "Press control-down key or right click to select".

As to why it happens....only guess is that this internal function we're using has to be initialized when Alpha starts.

Also that since part of the extra help text is dependent upon what is placed in the addin.function_argument_help() function, it won't appear until it is being used?? :)

[csda1]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Hi Mike, Cal,

I finally figured out why I was experiencing the issue. Once I did this, it works reliably with my functions. You do not have to compile an AEX, it works fine with regular functions.

It turns out the answer was right in front of my eyes, but I did not see!

If you use %lastvalue% in the help, and you have no value in the current parameter, then you need to define a 2nd line that does it without the %lastvalue% in it. An example was in the sample code like this;

addin.function_argument_help( "file_attribute" , "file find attributes", "a5_fileattribute_helper('%lastvalue%')" , "=" , "" )
'create two version. if there is no existing value when user right clicks, bubble help will use the following def.
addin.function_argument_help( "file_attribute" , "file find attributes", "a5_fileattribute_helper()" , "=" , "" )

I suspect Alpha processes all lines containing the parameter name text until it gets to the 1st line (as executed from start) it can evaluate without error.

I believe I now understand the full scope of using this, even though I still think's it's a kludge.

[MikeC]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Thanks Ira,
Nice to have a few others involved in figuring out the undocumented areas of Alpha--especially an unsupported one such as this!

Have you found the best place to initially place the addin.function_argument_help() ? Unless I run it manually by either highlighting the actual addin....help function or by running a function that contains these addin....helps, the function I want to use will not have all the arguments working. And I have to do this each time I want to run this function. An autoexec works, but am looking for a way to do it without this for this particular situation.

[csda1]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Hi Mike,

I found that the addin help exists until you close Alpha Five. Closing the database has no effect on the addin help after you open a new database.

Have you found the best place to initially place the addin.function_argument_help() ? Unless I run it manually by either highlighting the actual addin....help function or by running a function that contains these addin....helps, the function I want to use will not have all the arguments working. And I have to do this each time I want to run this function. An autoexec works, but am looking for a way to do it without this for this particular situation.

Running the addin help lines occurs within my functions themselves. The 1st time I run the function (for any reason), it initializes this help, so the 2nd time it's there. How is this helpful? Almost every function I have has a way to return the version # of the function without any User Interface displays. This can be as easy as adding an extra parameter at the end of the parameters of the function, or including it as a particular setting of your current parameters' set of arguments to return this value (or at least do nothing).

I then put a call to each function's version return in the autoexec, forcing the initialization. It doesn't preclude this initialization need, but at least now the support for the function is included within the function itself, and thus tracks the changes.

You could also include a single script or function to initialize all the help in a Library or AEX, allowing the user to just add one simple line, eg. MyLibrary_Init()
to the autoexec. This at least simplifies it a bit.

My kind of wish list request I made years ago was to execute an Autoexec if it existed from each addin library AEX during bootup. This would allow libraries to properly setup themselves at boot time, without having to explicitly code them in.

[MikeC]

Re: UDF Parameters lookup

Ira,
Not good news but now I know that the possibility is almost null regarding automatic initialization and won't pursue it much more.

My kind of wish list request I made years ago was to execute an Autoexec if it existed from each addin library AEX during bootup. This would allow libraries to properly setup themselves at boot time, without having to explicitly code them in.

I would go even further to want it processed without anything done by the developer including the addition of an autoexec--have another autoexec type file that Alpha runs when there are addins in the library or addins_installed folder.



Thanks again Ira for your time on this---learned a few things and it reinforced many others that I was somewhat unsure about having discovered them on my own.