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DBSUM problem

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    DBSUM problem

    Here is my problem:

    (Relavent fields only)

    Parent table: INVOICE
    Fields: Transaction (sequential)
    Amount (n 12.2) Total Inv amt

    Child table: CHARGE
    Fields: Transaction (link with Invoice)
    Amount (n 12.2)

    Formula for new variable to make sure individual charges
    total the invoice amount:
    DBSUM("CHARGE.DBF","INVOICE",transaction,"AMOUNT")

    Above does not work. It returns a character, not numeric,
    field.
    The same formula has been used before and it works OK,
    but not this time.

    Any suggestions?

    #2
    RE: DBSUM problem

    i don't know why this is happening to you.

    i just confirmed that dbsum() returns a numeric by typing this in the interactive window:

    ?dbsum("invoice_items","invoice_number", "000001", "quantity")
    = 79.000000

    Comment


      #3
      RE: DBSUM problem

      Would it help to change your DBSUM to the following...

      val(DBSUM("CHARGE.DBF","INVOICE",transaction,"AMOUNT"))

      Mike
      Thank you,
      Mike Konoff

      Comment


        #4
        RE: DBSUM problem

        Yes, that is how it works in my other applications.
        Somehow, this one does not want to return a numeric expression.
        I thought it was because I upgraded my A5 version, but went back
        to older applications and it still works with those databases.
        I even tried VAL(DBSUM(....etc. but that does not work either.
        I also tried 1 * dbsum( ... etc to force a numeric field, but no
        luck.
        Can I send you a zip file with the two tables to see if you can
        figure it out? There's got to be a reason.

        Jorge

        Comment


          #5
          RE: DBSUM problem

          Yes, I tried using the val() formula but that did not work.
          I also tried 1 * dbsum(... etc) to see if that forces a numeric
          field.

          Jorge

          Comment


            #6
            RE: DBSUM problem

            please don't send me anything directly.

            rather attach a file to a message on the message board.

            first, refer to the message in the "Announcements" section for information on how to send the minimum number of files.

            Comment


              #7
              RE: DBSUM problem

              I'm glad I asked!

              This new message board is great! This is just another reason
              why A5 is so great!

              Jorge

              Comment


                #8
                RE: DBSUM problem

                Finally figured it out.... but sounds like an A5 problem. Is it?
                Using the interactive window I made a typo error and that's how I figured it out.

                This did not work:
                ?dbsum("charge","transaction",transaction,"amount")
                returned a "no data" message

                This worked:
                ?dbsum("charge","transactio",transaction,"amount")

                Note the "transactio" for the field name does not have an "N" at then end.
                Thus, I assume field lengths cannot be longer than 10 characters unless separated by an "_". Again, I assume "trans_action" would have worked.
                Is this correct?

                Jorge

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: DBSUM problem

                  I have occasionally had index and field names truncate to 10 characters. I have never been able to pin this on a specific cause but I suspect crashes and heavy development without frequent db compacts.

                  I conclude that conservative practice is to use short names. I usually manage to make myself follow this rule. Whenever I notice that a name has shortened I adjust the code to the new name rather than restoring the old name.

                  Bill
                  Bill Hanigsberg

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: DBSUM problem

                    Thanks very much for confirming the nature of my problems.
                    I'll know better in the future.

                    Jorge

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: DBSUM problem

                      Hi Bill:

                      Here's one guaranteed way to force truncation of long field names. Someone needs to move data from one location to another and copies over just the dbf/fpt files. Then the user opens that table with A5 without the original data dictionary present. If no data dictionary at all is present, all long names will be truncated when A5 creates the new one. If an outdated dd is present which doesn't contain LFN info for all the fields, then any new LFN that has been added will likely be truncated.

                      I've never (so far) had a long field name truncate other than for one of these reasons. For this reason I rarely just copy dbf's. I almost always reconfigure/zap/append.

                      Finian
                      Finian

                      Comment

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