Compound variables in reports

[whanigsberg]

Hi everybody,

Has anyone had success in referencing dot variables in a report? I have a function which returns a logical result. Internally the function assigns values to several subelements of a compound variable.

I am able to declare the pointer variable and display the subelements on a form but not in a report.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bill

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: Compound variables in reports

Bill, I haven't tried this...

But...

How about declaring the pointer variable and its subelements in the OnPrintInit action of the report layout? Maybe this will be enough to inform the layout of their existence. (Try different scopes, local, shared, global)

[whanigsberg]

RE: Compound variables in reports

Hi Tom,

I've already done much of that. I'll gather my notes together and specify the results for scripts and forms and how it breaks down when I try to extend it to reports. This should save others some time and help them detect any gaps in my investigations.

Bill

[whanigsberg]

RE: Compound variables in reports

Just to round this off.

I rewrote the function so that while it still returns logical, its internally generated shared variable are unitary rather than compound. I then entered these into a form's variable definition space and placed the variables on the form.

It all went by the book. So the problem is the compound variables.

Bill

[whanigsberg]

RE: Compound variables in reports

Just to round this off.

I rewrote the function so that while it still returns logical, its internally generated shared variable are unitary rather than compound. I then entered these into a form's variable definition space and placed the variables on the form.

It all went by the book. So the problem is the compound variables.

Bill

[whanigsberg]

RE: Compound variables in reports

Hello everyone:

Here is what I've verified so far (4.03.230).

In a script, I can declare (only) the pointer as shared (or global) and call the function where the pointer plus subelements are declared. The function returns logical and the script can see the subelements.

On a form I have to declare the pointer in the oninit event since the layout editor won't accept a pointer type.

OnInit code:
dim shared teacher as p
'(this variable is declared and filled in a function "teacher_data")

Look in the field dropdown and the subelements of the pointer are visible. This looks wonderful; declare the pointer and have access to its subelements.

Next, pull the fields for each of the 4 subelements on to the form and return to view mode and the fields fill properly because there is onfetch code that runs the function using a field from the current record as an arguement.

OnFetch code:
''XBasic
dim flag as l
flag=teacher_data (this:Fiche.value) 'function returns logical
'turns out that fields holding variables don't refresh automatically
'therefore
this:Teacher_Firstname.Refresh()
this:Teacher_Lastname.Refresh()
this:Teacher_Local.Refresh()
this:Teacher_Office.Refresh()

However if you now close the form and reopen it you get 4 nonexistent-field-reference errors and the fields do not fill. Switch the form into design mode and bring it back to view mode and the fields fill without error.

The only way I have been able to get rid of it is to declare the subelements (e.g. teacher.lastname) in the in the layout editor. This is possible because the subelements are not pointer variables. Open the form straight from the control panel and it works like a charm. However, it kind of takes some of the advantage out of the compound variables because you have to declare all the subelements separately, just as you would have had to with ordinary variables.


Reports:
The behavior is more or less the same as with forms except that once two of the subelements are declared in the variables screen of the layout editor none display when the report is previewed. That is, declare the first subelement and it works. Declare a second and neither first nor second subelement display. And for good measure you can't delete either of the variables. (Just to verify, I created another report with no pointer variables and was able to add and delete variables normally.)


Perhaps the technique is not quite ready for prime time.

Bill

[whanigsberg]

RE: Compound variables in reports

test

[whanigsberg]

RE: Compound variables in reports

Just to round this off.

I rewrote the function so that while it still returns logical, its internally generated shared variable are unitary rather than compound. I then entered these into a form's variable definition space and placed the variables on the form.

It all went by the book. So the problem is the compound variables.

Bill