Anyway to set the value of private_path with xbasic?

[GordonMac]

Is there any way to use xbasic to set the value of the private_path, shared_path, and default_folder in Alpha5? The Help files only seem to indicate using View/Settings in the Control Panel to manually set these values. However, isn't there some kind of undocumented command that uses xbasic code to internally save these values, once the user defines them in the settings tab? I inquired with Alpha but haven't received a response yet.

I realize that all the settings under the view tab are program specific rather than application specific. Nevertheless, making an application truly transportable requires that these program settings be handled. All their values can be setup and stored in the system registry using dot variables but that does no good if you can't write them into Alpha5 settings controls. Thanks.

Gordon
SCS

[Peter.Wayne]

Re: Anyway to set the value of private_path with xbasic?

It's in the registry, under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Alpha Software\Alpha Five 9.0\init\paths

where the keys are
"databases", "images", "private", "shared" and
"use_windows_temp"

So to change the paths to something else, you would do something like

paths.private="c:\private"
paths.shared="c:\shared"
paths.images="c:\images"
paths.use_windows_temp=0

registry.save_settings("init\paths",paths)

(I haven't tested this -- let us know how it works!)

[GordonMac]

Re: Anyway to set the value of private_path with xbasic?

It's in the registry, under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Alpha Software\Alpha Five 9.0\init\paths

where the keys are
"databases", "images", "private", "shared" and
"use_windows_temp"

So to change the paths to something else, you would do something like

paths.private="c:\private"
paths.shared="c:\shared"
paths.images="c:\images"
paths.use_windows_temp=0

registry.save_settings("init\paths",paths)

(I haven't tested this -- let us know how it works!)

Hi Peter,

I finally got a response from Selwyn today and he sent me some undocumented xbasic code to handle this issue. What is interesting is that your way will work as well and I had not thought of using xbasic to adjust the values in the registry. In fact, I hadn't realized until earlier today that the registry already held all these settings in it. I am new at working with the registry.

Here is what Selwyn shared which I believe others will find of interest.

a5.System_Mode_Set( "paths.shared", varSharedPath)
a5.System_Mode_Set( "paths.private", varPrivatePath)

This use of the a5.System_Mode_Set() command is not documented. What I have learned is that every single event in Alpha5 behind the scenes reflects a command in xbasic. Ira mentions on his website that Alpha5 has almost 10,000 instruction sets of which 40% are not fully documented. That is allot. His commercial utility lists all of them and the use of some result in catastrophic errors since the correct syntax is not documented. So we test at our own risk with plenty of backup.

Kind regards,
Gordon
SCS

[csda1]

Re: Anyway to set the value of private_path with xbasic?

Here is what Selwyn shared which I believe others will find of interest.

a5.System_Mode_Set( "paths.shared", varSharedPath)
a5.System_Mode_Set( "paths.private", varPrivatePath)

This use of the a5.System_Mode_Set() command is not documented.

Actually, they are, kind of. See a5.System_Mode_Get help

What I have learned is that every single event in Alpha5 behind the scenes reflects a command in xbasic.

Well, mostly. There are a number that are driven by C code or Active X code

Ira mentions on his website that Alpha5 has almost 10,000 instruction sets of which 40% are not fully documented.

That's 10000 functions (or methods). I don't think I said 40% are not documented, but about 6000 are, so I guess that rings right.

His commercial utility lists all of them and the use of some result in catastrophic errors since the correct syntax is not documented. So we test at our own risk with plenty of backup.

.

The CSDA Code Utility does not have a feature like that, although I do have an internal utility that does just that. I don't release it, because I don't feel it's an appropriate tool for most to have. Alpha could do it, but they'd have to spend a lot of time getting rid of junk code in the list that is old and no longer used. Many functions are left for backward compatibility, some are just junk code for testing, some for internal use by other functions, as well as some other types. I don't think any of them are really dangerous, but many of them are not useful, due to context being different. Nevertheless, many are useful, but are risky to use. If Alpha doesn't document them, they are also free to change them at any time.

Or, as I've said for many years before the phrase became popular, "With Great Power, comes Great Responsibilty". Use with caution.

I do make use of many undocmented functions (I think I'll have to add that to my code count utility that will be in the next version of my utility as a flag - that way you can decide if the risk is worth it!), but they are always as a last resort.

More typically, I redo the function in my own, typically faster and with more features, code. But these are for large ROI (Return-On-Investment) in terms of speed or power or ease of use

[GordonMac]

Re: Anyway to set the value of private_path with xbasic?

Hi Ira,

Thanks for all your commentary. It is much appreciated. Yes, the function is listed in the help files but not with any examples of syntax used in the way I was shown... which is why I indicated it was undocumented.

I was aware of the ActiveX code as an addin but was not aware of the C code. I had assumed early on that the platform was written in C (as most are) but when I saw so many of the internal references handled by xbasic, I started to think it may have been written almost entirely in xbasic. However, that seems unlikely since many of the application files appear to be saved in a more condensed almost semi compiled format. That would not likely be the work of xbasic. Anyway, these are just my observations and I am not a programmer such as youself.

Sorry, I did not understand that you did not include those routines in your CSDA Code Utility. I remember reading something about it on your web site but didn't end up actually seeing it in the demo version of your utility. Now I don't have to spend hours looking for something that is not there.

It is interesting that you mentioned all the old code in the Alpha5 engine. It seems to me that they could prune much of it out and then write some routines in a separate utility that would safely strip out the old outdated functions and commands when found in an application and replace them with the correct replacements. Of course, this may be a great deal easier said than done. Nevertheless, it can be done and perhaps should be done in order to consolidate and speed up their engine. Perhaps a simple redirection from old references to the new instruction sets would be th easiest way without changing the client's applications. At least a Beta version that could be tested and tuned... I know, money.

I will be interested to see what you do with your next version of the CSDA Code Utility according to your above comments.

Kind regards,
Gordon
SCS

[GordonMac]

Re: Anyway to set the value of private_path with xbasic?

It's in the registry, under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Alpha Software\Alpha Five 9.0\init\paths

where the keys are
"databases", "images", "private", "shared" and
"use_windows_temp"

So to change the paths to something else, you would do something like

paths.private="c:\private"
paths.shared="c:\shared"
paths.images="c:\images"
paths.use_windows_temp=0

registry.save_settings("init\paths",paths)

(I haven't tested this -- let us know how it works!)

Hi Peter and Ira,

Peter's method worked and the one sent by Selwyn didn't. In fact, I do not recommend using his a5.system_mode_set() suggestion. Although it did not error on execution, I was not able to edit any more of my scripts once executed. I had to exit Alpha5 and reload the program and application. This is what I used which worked perfectly:

dim varSharedPath as c
dim varPrivatePath as c
varPrivatePath = "C:"+chr(92)+"Program Files"+chr(92)+"<AppFolder>\\"
varSharedPath = a5.get_exe_path()+"\\"
paths.private = varPrivatePath
paths.shared = varSharedPath
:registry.save_settings("init\paths",paths)

Don't forget to use the colon before :registry.save_settings()

Thanks so much for you help.

Kind regards,
Gordon

[csda1]

Re: Anyway to set the value of private_path with xbasic?

Hi Gordon,

Hi Peter and Ira,

Peter's method worked and the one sent by Selwyn didn't. In fact, I do not recommend using his a5.system_mode_set() suggestion. Although it did not error on execution, I was not able to edit any more of my scripts once executed. I had to exit Alpha5 and reload the program and application.

Despite the fact that you had problems with Selwyn's method, I would use an XBasic way that targets the functionality 1st before using such a raw method as modifying the registry. Alpha's storage to the registry can change between versions (e.g. ver 8 to ver 9) made entirely different items to the registry, but none to the XBasic call. In general, you do a5.system_mode_get(), modify some of the pointer properties, followed by am a5.system_mode_set() to change something.

I know you couldn't get it to work, but that's how most, if not all, the settings are done within A5, and is the "proper" way to go for long term XBasic program reliability.

[GordonMac]

Re: Anyway to set the value of private_path with xbasic?

Hi Ira,

Yes, I agree with you completely and that is why I first went with the method shared by Selwyn. However, the syntax he shared is not correct since it doesn't change the settings in the settings tab nor does it save the changes to the registry on exit. In fact, the program code becomes currupted using that syntax, requiring an exit and reload. However, both the registry and the settings tab are updated immediately with Peter's method, which is effective for the current version of Alpha5.

Nevertheless, you are absolutely right and that is why I wanted to handle the settings internally with xbasic and that was the reason for my asking Selwyn for the code suggestion. If Alpha only gave more examples of valid syntax it would give me a better clue to experiment with. I will look at it again. In the mean time, I have at least one method that works.

In every instance, I make these kinds of calls to the registry conditional so that if the condition is already met, the autoexec script bypasses the call and leaves the registry alone. I have the condition set in both the script as well as the script that calls the script so that even a manual execution of the script will not change the registry if the condition is already met. I like belts and suspenders...

Kind regards,
Gordon
SCS

Hi Gordon,

Despite the fact that you had problems with Selwyn's method, I would use an XBasic way that targets the functionality 1st before using such a raw method as modifying the registry. Alpha's storage to the registry can change between versions (e.g. ver 8 to ver 9) made entirely different items to the registry, but none to the XBasic call. In general, you do a5.system_mode_get(), modify some of the pointer properties, followed by am a5.system_mode_set() to change something.

I know you couldn't get it to work, but that's how most, if not all, the settings are done within A5, and is the "proper" way to go for long term XBasic program reliability.