How to open additional files?

[jjfcpa]

I'm still getting acquainted with Alpha Five, but I'm just wondering if there is a preferred way to open additional files with a form when there will be no data entry into these files.

I'm thinking of a case where data would be entered into one file, and summarized data is added to another file where there is no direct link between the two files.

Another case would be when you have a detail file and need to create a summary file by scanning all the records and adding the summarized data to a temporary file before printing a report. Once again, there is no direct link between the two files.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: How to open additional files?

I'm thinking of a case where data would be entered into one file, and summarized data is added to another file where there is no direct link between the two files.

This sounds like a posting field rule or something you code to happen when a record is saved. You don't need to "open additional files". Whatever method you use to transfer the values will open the target table.

Another case would be when you have a detail file and need to create a summary file by scanning all the records and adding the summarized data to a temporary file before printing a report.

You would design an operation to do the summary and print the report based on the summary table.

no direct link between the two files

There would have to be some link. Suppose you summarized invoice details by product id to get total qty of product invoiced. The link would be product id.

Suppose post quantity invoiced to a summary table, additive, to created the situation in your first part. If there is no direct link, how would you know what record to post to?

[jjfcpa]

Re: How to open additional files?

By no direct link I mean (using your example), if you wanted to print a summary report showing sales by month for the current year. You would take the invoice file and scan it to accumulate the sales by month. Consequently, there is no primary key that would link the invoice file to the monthly summary file.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: How to open additional files?

if you wanted to print a summary report showing sales by month for the current year. You would take the invoice file

In Alpha, I believe the easiest way, would be to create a crosstab operation on the invoice file, group rows by item, group columns by month number, total qty sold, filtering for the invoice date in the current year. You could then base a report on this result table with only showing the report footer containing the totals. (no detail section)

At least that's one way to do it.

[jjfcpa]

Re: How to open additional files?

In Alpha, I believe the easiest way, would be to create a crosstab operation on the invoice file, group rows by item, group columns by month number, total qty sold, filtering for the invoice date in the current year. You could then base a report on this result table with only showing the report footer containing the totals. (no detail section)

At least that's one way to do it.

Thanks Stan for the info. This is a little different (and perhaps easier) than the present way that we do this, but I see your point and it does seem like this would be one way to approach this.