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Date calculation confusion

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    Date calculation confusion

    My client complained that she is constantly forgetting to check indexes, and would like a reminder to check if she has not done so for 30 days.

    I have written a small piece of code (OK, converted Action Script to Xbasic) to do this, but cannot get it to work.

    I have a configuration table containing a field called Indexcheckdate that stores the date the indexes were last checked (Type = Date). When the code runs, this date is retrieved and stored in a variable called "indexdate". The date should then be checked against today's date to see if 30 days have passed. If not, no action should be taken.

    The dialog box always displays, even when the value of indexdate variable is less than 30 days before today's date (verified by text in dialog box). I am guessing there is something wrong with the line "IF a5_eval_expression("=(date()- Var->indexdate > 30)") THEN ", but I don't know what.

    Code:
    DIM indexdate AS D
    'get date indexes last checked
    tbl = table.open("configuration")
    indexdate = tbl.Indexcheckdate
    tbl.close()
    'Check if 30 days have passed since indexes were last checked
    IF a5_eval_expression("=(date()- Var->indexdate > 30)") THEN 
    'Displays a message box.
    DIM   indexreminder_result as N
    DIM   indexreminder_YES_Button as L 
    DIM   indexreminder_NO_Button as L 
    indexreminder_YES_Button = .F.
    indexreminder_NO_Button = .F.
    
    title_var = "Check Indexes"
    'Message is an expression. Need to evaluate the expression in the context of the current form.
    message_text_var = a5_eval_expression("=\"You have not checked the table indexes for 30 days.\"+chr(13)+chr(10)+\"Would you like to check them now?\"+chr(13)+chr(10)+chr(13)+chr(10)+\"Indexes last checked on \" + Var->indexdate",local_variables())
    indexreminder_result=ui_msg_box(title_var,message_text_var,UI_YES_NO+ UI_FIRST_BUTTON_DEFAULT+ UI_ATTENTION_SYMBOL)
    'Test to see which button on the message box was pressed....
    SELECT
    	CASE indexreminder_result = UI_YES_SELECTED
    		indexreminder_YES_Button= .t.
    	CASE indexreminder_result = UI_NO_SELECTED
    		indexreminder_NO_Button= .t.
    END SELECT
    END IF
    
    'If user clicks on "Yes" button
    IF indexreminder_YES_Button THEN 
    a5_CheckIndexesDialog(controlpanel.Active())
    'Update indexcheckdate to today's date
    dim tbl as P
    tbl = table.open("configuration")
    tbl.change_begin()
    tbl.Indexcheckdate = date()
    tbl.change_end(.T.)
    tbl.close()
    
    END IF
    If computers are so clever how come someone as dumb as me has to tell them what to do?

    #2
    Re: Date calculation confusion

    I've never understood the utility of a5_eval_expression().

    Code:
    indexdate = {09/01/2012}
    
    
    ? a5_eval_expression("=(date()- Var->indexdate > 30)") 
    = "=(date()- Var->indexdate > 30)"
    
    ? date()- Var->indexdate > 30
    = .F.
    So just change

    IF a5_eval_expression("=(date()- Var->indexdate > 30)") THEN
    to
    IF date()- Var->indexdate > 30 THEN
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Date calculation confusion

      I have tried that but get an error message that the "Indexreminder_Yes_button" is not found. So it is still trying to display the message box, but not dimensioning the array for dialog buttons (presumably because less than 30 days between dates).
      Alphagrab.jpg
      If computers are so clever how come someone as dumb as me has to tell them what to do?

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Date calculation confusion

        I didn't design the logic flow. You test the button pushed after your first if loop but the variable is only defined and set inside that loop. So if the date doesn't fall in the needing checking range, you still test it.

        Code:
        DIM indexdate AS D
        'get date indexes last checked
        tbl = table.open("configuration")
        indexdate = tbl.Indexcheckdate
        tbl.close()
        'Set up variables so they can be used in either loop
        DIM   indexreminder_result as N
        DIM   indexreminder_YES_Button as L 
        DIM   indexreminder_NO_Button as L 
        indexreminder_YES_Button = .F.
        indexreminder_NO_Button = .F.
        'Check if 30 days have passed since indexes were last checked
        IF date()- Var->indexdate > 30 THEN 
        'Displays a message box.
        title_var = "Check Indexes"
        'Message is an expression. Need to evaluate the expression in the context of the current form.
        message_text_var = a5_eval_expression("=\"You have not checked the table indexes for 30 days.\"+chr(13)+chr(10)+\"Would you like to check them now?\"+chr(13)+chr(10)+chr(13)+chr(10)+\"Indexes last checked on \" + Var->indexdate",local_variables())
        indexreminder_result=ui_msg_box(title_var,message_text_var,UI_YES_NO+ UI_FIRST_BUTTON_DEFAULT+ UI_ATTENTION_SYMBOL)
        'Test to see which button on the message box was pressed....
        SELECT
        	CASE indexreminder_result = UI_YES_SELECTED
        		indexreminder_YES_Button= .t.
        	CASE indexreminder_result = UI_NO_SELECTED
        		indexreminder_NO_Button= .t.
        END SELECT
        END IF
        
        'If user clicks on "Yes" button
        IF indexreminder_YES_Button THEN 
        a5_CheckIndexesDialog(controlpanel.Active())
        'Update indexcheckdate to today's date
        dim tbl as P
        tbl = table.open("configuration")
        tbl.change_begin()
        tbl.Indexcheckdate = date()
        tbl.change_end(.T.)
        tbl.close()
        else
        ui_msg_box("OK","Indexes are fairly current!",UI_OK)
        END IF
        There can be only one.

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Date calculation confusion

          Thanks Stan.

          That did it.
          If computers are so clever how come someone as dumb as me has to tell them what to do?

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Date calculation confusion

            Debug(1) is our friend.

            If you insert that line in the first modification of your script you will see that the date()- Var->indexdate > 30 was false so the flow jumped past everything in that loop and the next executed line was IF indexreminder_YES_Button THEN. But since that variable was never initialized by the loop, you received an error.
            There can be only one.

            Comment

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