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Multistate button problem with modal entry

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    Multistate button problem with modal entry

    Hi,

    I am using modal entry in my database almost exclusively and that is what I have specified under View, Settings, Data Entry. I am having a problem with the example in the Introduction to Action Scripting beginning on page 97 (the example of using a multistate button with 26 buttons representing the letters of the alphabet to run a query for record selection. I can only get the example to work if I change the Settings to Modeless. If the Setting is Modal, then I can't save the OnChange script, because the form is no longer in design mode (that's what the error message says). If I set it up using the Modeless setting, then switch it back to Modal after saving the form, it still will not work. Pushing the buttons will not cause them to be activated (depressed). It works fine in Modeless setting.

    I also tried duplicating the example in the AlphaSports database for using a combo box with the Customer push button form and it won't work either with a Modal setting.

    What can I do to get this to work?

    Thank you for any help.

    Kind regards,
    Robin Sculthorpe

    #2
    RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

    Hi again,

    I'm still working on this problem as stated above. I think I'm half-way there, maybe . . .

    I am keeping the form set to Modal as well as the general database setting under View, Settings, Data Entry. I used Action Scripting on the multistate button object for the OnArrive event to Set data entry setting to modeless so that the buttons will depress. So good so far, but I want to turn the modal setting back after the button press so that no inadvertent changes will be made to the table. I tried using the OnDepart event for the multistate button to set the data entry to modal using Action Scripting, but the form remains in modeless entry. I also tried using the same Action Scripting in the OnChange event, both before and after the part of the script to run the custome query. That doesn't work either.

    Any thoughts as to how to turn back on the modal entry feature after a button depress? Am I overlooking something really easy?

    Regards,
    Robin Sculthorpe

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

      Hi again,

      I'm still working on this problem as stated above. I think I'm half-way there, maybe . . .

      I am keeping the form set to Modal as well as the general database setting under View, Settings, Data Entry. I used Action Scripting on the multistate button object for the OnArrive event to Set data entry setting to modeless so that the buttons will depress. So good so far, but I want to turn the modal setting back after the button press so that no inadvertent changes will be made to the table. I tried using the OnDepart event for the multistate button to set the data entry to modal using Action Scripting, but the form remains in modeless entry. I also tried using the same Action Scripting in the OnChange event, both before and after the part of the script to run the custome query. That doesn't work either.

      Any thoughts as to how to turn back on the modal entry feature after a button depress? Am I overlooking something really easy?

      Regards,
      Robin Sculthorpe

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

        Oops, sorry I sent that last reply twice!

        Robin

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

          Hi,

          I finally figured it out. I turned the modal entry back on by using Action Scripting on the OnDepart event of the multistate button object. I had to commit and refresh the parent form because it had been in modeless entry, before inserting the command to set data entry to modal. I also made my embedded browse uneditable (no new entry, change, or deletions allowed).

          It may not be the best way to do this, but it works!

          Robin

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

            Robin
            Did you get your form to work?

            I am trying something similar. I have a two-state button set as a checkbox. The value of a varible changes when the checkbox is checked and unchecked. This allows me to complete an if statement for a calculated field, which in turn either shows a field or hides it.

            My problem is that I want my form to be modal, but I want to be able to go straight to the checkbox and check or uncheck it.

            I have tried changing the OnFlyover, OnFlyoverLeave, OnArrive, OnDepart, etc. I have not found the right combination.

            I have also looked for a place to set the properties of my checkbox. (To set it as modeless) No luck.

            Any Ideas?
            Thanks
            Tony

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

              currently, when a form is modal, all of the variables on the form are also modal.

              we realize that some users will want the form to be modal, but some of the variables on the form to be modeless, so we are planning on adding a new property to an object on a form "always_modeless".

              if you check this property for an object, you will be able to change its value even if the form itself is locked for editing.

              this will be part of one of the upcomming patches.

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

                Hi,

                Yes, I got my form to work correctly. If you can't wait for the promised patch, here's what worked for me.

                For my multistate button object to work correctly, I used Action Scripting for the OnArrive and OnDepart events for the multistate button. For the OnArrive, I inserted a command to change the data entry to modeless for the form. For the OnDepart event, I inserted commands to commit and refresh the form, then reset the data entry to modal.

                I'm not at work right now and don't have access to my database, but will be there tomorrow, if you have any more questions.

                Robin

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

                  Robin
                  I was not doing the save, refresh, reset to modal in the correct order. I was doing - reset to modal, save, then refresh.
                  It works great now. I'll use this until new patch comes out.
                  Thanks
                  Tony

                  Sewlyn - looking forward to new patch.

                  Anyone considering Alpha Five, here's just one example of the type of service and help offered by the people at Alpha Software.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

                    I realize that it's been a long time since you guys were looking at this. I ran into the same problem in the "Introduction To Action Scripting" book, page 110. Based on your thread, I set the form's properties to modeless, and now the form works.
                    I am running build 1410 - do I have the patch referred to?
                    Why do i care if the form is modal or modeless?
                    Thanks for any info.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

                      Hi,

                      Because my work-around solved the problem for me, I never checked to see if the patch was updated to fix this.

                      When referring to data entry, modal means that the user has to select change or enter mode before they can enter a new record or change an old record, whereas modeless means that the user has only to move the cursor to any field and begin keying immediately. I prefer modal for my applications, because there is less chance that a user will inadvertently make unwanted changes, especially without realizing that they have done so.

                      Robin Sculthorpe

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Multistate button problem with modal entry

                        The property is there and works beautifully. I set a form to modal but set a field on the form to always modeless. This field allows the user to enter a string to search for when a button is pushed. Since the field is not data but merely a container for the variable for the search string it doesn't need to be modal.

                        A very nice improvement.

                        Bill
                        Bill Hanigsberg

                        Comment

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