Current Form or Another Form

[Dave Mac Callum]

Hi there,

I use the Form-Duplication facility to avoid having to rebuild Forms. Once the Form is duplicated
Once the Form is duplicated i make appropriate amendments to the resultant Form as follows

3)
'DEBT_XACT_CRN_M' Last Duplicated - (CRN to use as Master due to Alloc present)
'DEBT_XACT_INV_M' Sep 5 2016 14:04hrs
'DEBT_XACT_PAY_M'
'DEBT_XACT_JRN_M' May 24 2016 8:17am

After duplicating 'Debt_Xact_Crn_m' to 'Debt_Xact_Inv_m' (and others) do the following
a) Edit Form Properties
Window caption 'Debt_Xact_Inv_m'
Backdrop colour
Filter/Order Filter Expression - Trde_Xact_Nom->Tn_Xact5f = "INV"

..together with others including "Customise" buttons (many) and certain Scripts.

It has become a real mission to "Customise" the buttons on a form every time I make Form amendments
to the Master 'DEBT_XACT_CRN_M'

One problem that I have is a concern when running common Functions within these "identical" Forms, that each
individual Form retains its own Shared variables values when running concurrently, witout cross-pollination from
any other Form.

I need your opinion as to whether Alpha5 Form is solid enough to retain these Shared Variables if I rely on
'Current Form Window' rather than having to alter each instance to 'Another Form Window'. 'Another Form Window'
to my mind will give additional insulation against the Shared Variables becoming corrupt.

When testing these "Identical" forms with ''traceln' when 'Current Form Window' was retained
the Shared Variables seemed in some instances to cross-pollinate ! If I am interpreting correctly

Trusting that my explanation is clear. Maybe there is a better way ?

Looking Forward

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

If you are asking whether session variables (shared) can communicate between forms I think the answer is yes. The documentation says


Variable exists while ?

Session
SHARED

(e.g. dim SHARED NAME as C )
A window is open. Even if you change the layout that is loaded in the window (by using the File > Open? command from within the Form or Browse window), the variable continues to exist.

[Dave Mac Callum]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

If you are asking whether session variables (shared) can communicate between forms I think the answer is yes. The documentation says


Variable exists while ?

Session
SHARED

(e.g. dim SHARED NAME as C )
A window is open. Even if you change the layout that is loaded in the window (by using the File > Open? command from within the Form or Browse window), the variable continues to exist.

Thanks for the input, Stan.

What specific documentation are you referring to ?

I am more interested in shared variables only being available (scoped) within the named window and not being accessible
within the re-named duplicate window.

Have a good one

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

In the local documentation it is under the heading Variable Scope.

Seems like you want....

Layout

Cannot be declared using Xbasic

The layout is open. If a different layout is loaded in the window (by using the File > Open? command from within the Form or Browse window), the variable will disappear.

[Dave Mac Callum]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

In the local documentation it is under the heading Variable Scope.

Seems like you want....

Hi Stan,

Thanks for your reply.

If you are wondering why it takes me so long to respond to your help, it is because
it is a real mission to connect to Alpha Message Board. It takes me typically 30 minutes to
connect to Internet, connect to Message Board, log on, and reply.

One has to be strong to connect from South Africa !!

Have a good one

[MoGrace]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

Question for Stan:

If the variables are defined for the layout under the layout variables tab in the 'V' button - how do you refer to them in your button scripts? Do you have to use WITH local_variables() or do you just use 'dim myvar as c' in the script and A5 will use whatever default was set when the var was first defined? Or do you not dim them again at all?

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

I've never investigated and the documentation doesn't specify.

[MoGrace]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

Which is probably why I always add my layout variables to the session tab...then dim them as shared in my scripts. This thread got me thinking tho that if I have a 'searchfor' variable in two different forms that are both open, then the active form might get confused if the variable's value is not specifically reset.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

When defining variables for a form there is a link Understanding Variable Scope which indicates that layout variables can only be seen by scripts and functions defined on the form. In the documentation regarding layout variables it says they cannot be defined via xbasic which should preclude being able to dim them.

[DaveM]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

easy way.
Variable for a form that needs to live after form is shut. dim global

[Al Buchholz]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

Which is probably why I always add my layout variables to the session tab...then dim them as shared in my scripts. This thread got me thinking tho that if I have a 'searchfor' variable in two different forms that are both open, then the active form might get confused if the variable's value is not specifically reset.

You should write a function that does the search and an argument to the function that passes the value to search for from the layout variable that you already have.

[MoGrace]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

When defining variables for a form there is a link Understanding Variable Scope which indicates that layout variables can only be seen by scripts and functions defined on the form. In the documentation regarding layout variables it says they cannot be defined via xbasic which should preclude being able to dim them.

So does that mean my layout scripts using those variables should be wrapped in WITH local_variables() / END WITH statements?

[MoGrace]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

You should write a function that does the search and an argument to the function that passes the value to search for from the layout variable that you already have.

What a great idea - have you got a simple example for me?

[MoGrace]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

easy way.
Variable for a form that needs to live after form is shut. dim global

But Dave, this is about when you don't want variables that live outside the form ;)

[DaveM]

Re: Current Form or Another Form

destroy the variable when form is closed. OR used differnst variable names

as far as form, create forms on sets, not tables. duplicate the for? Make another identical set and use copy to.

just a couple ideas