thinking outloud ... need opinions/suggestions

[Cheryl Lemire]

When I am entering a new invoice, I have to fields that use table lookups. The cust_id field looks up the matching record in the t_cust table and then auto fills the corresponding customer information fields in the invoice. If this is a new customer, I have a button to 'enter a new customer' on the invoice form (this was done at the client's request as they do not like the enter new record option in the lookup). Once the new customer has been added the client clicks the return to invoice button which saves their new customer record and brings them back to where they left off on the new invoice.

The auto_id field on the new invoice form looks up the matching record in the t_auto table and returns only records that match the cust_id in the current invoice. The client selects the appropriate auto they need and corresponding auto information fields are auto filled.

When I am entering a new invoice I want to add a new customer. I need to be able to add a new auto for that customer at the same time and I would like the cust_id to be automatically inserted. Instead of the 'return to invoice' button on my form, I can make this an 'add auto info' button and move the 'return to invoice' button to that form upon completion.

Here is my problem. What code would I need in my 'add auto info' button that would automatically fill the cust_id field on the add auto info form based on the current customer record that will be saved when the button is pushed?

[Jos Schaars]

RE: thinking outloud ... need opinions/suggestions

Hi Cheryl,

Read your post and was puzzled again. But I just gues: you're not native English and most times you used the word "auto" you ment "car"?
I'm Dutch and I also refer to my "car" as my "auto".

In this assumption:
Have you tried using some global variables? You reset them to some null value when entering the new customer/new car form, saving the record sets them and closes the form because another global variable was set by opening the invoice form. Returning to the invoice form, you could test these? Of course you should not allow for more instances of the new customer/new car form.

Jos

[Cheryl Lemire]

RE: thinking outloud ... need opinions/suggestions

Hi Jos,

Sorry my posts always confuse you, I am sure you are not alone as they confuse me most of the time as well **winks**

I too was thinking along the lines of a global variable, but how to actually implement it had me at a loss. This is what I have accomplished so far:

f_inv_dat - enter new invoice form
f_cust_inv - enter new customer form (opened directly from the f_inv_dat)
f_auto_inv - enter new automobile form (opened directly from the f_cust_inv)

I should not have any trouble with values of the global variables as the above sequence is the only place I will be using these variables and the only way my client will be accessing the various forms.

On the f_inv_dat I have a button to 'enter new customer'. The OnPush event of this button saves the current invoice and opens the f_cust_inv form, it does NOT close the f_inv_dat form as this is my way of returning back to the current invoice being entered.

On the f_cust_inv I have a button to 'enter new automobile'. The OnPush event of this button saves the current customer, DIMs my global variable for cust_id and assigns the value of the cust_id field to the variable, opens the f_auto_inv form, then closes the f_cust_inv form as it is no longer needed.

On the f_auto_inv, the OnInit event of the form I take the value of my global variable and assign it to the cust_id field on this form which will save in the t_auto table.

This all works beautifully and as I need it to.

The f_auto_inv form will have the 'return to invoice' button with an OnPush event to DIM a global variable for the auto_id and assign the value of the auto_id field from that form to the variable.

NOW, since the above worked so well, I would like to take this a step further and have the cust_id and auto_id fields on my f_inv_dat to automatically fill from the global variable values. The problem is, since the f_inv_dat form is already opened (unlike my f_auto_inv form) I am unable to use the OnInit event of the f_inv_dat form to assign the values to the two different variables.

Since I am unable to use the OnInit event of the f_inv_dat form to assign the values ... is there a way that perhaps I can do this on my 'return to invoice' buttom from my f_auto_inv form?

This is the code that I currently have:

OnPush event of button to add new automobile

'Save record in current form.
topparent.commit()

'enter new automobile for current customer and assign value to variable
DIM Global var_Cust_Id as C
var_Cust_Id = t_cust-"cust_id
query.filter = ""
query.order = ""

OnInit event of f_auto_inv

'Automatically fill the cust_id field with the value of the global variable
t_auto-"cust_id = var_Cust_Id

[Cheryl Lemire]

RE: thinking outloud ... need opinions/suggestions

OK, here is a thought: if I close the current invoice in the OnPush event of 'enter new customer' instead of leaving it open, I can retrieve the current record number as well by adding the following code to the event:

'enter new customer for current invoice
record_number = current_record_number()
query.filter = "recno() = " + record_number
query.order = ""

If I do the above, that would allow me to assign the values of my global variables to the cust_id and auto_id fields in the OnInit event of the f_inv_dat form.

However, how would I then return to that same record_number? What code would I need to add to the 'return to invoice' button OnPush event that will retrieve that record?

AND ... what code would I use to place my cursor in the cust_id field of the f_inv_dat form so that I will be returning to where I left off?

[Cheryl Lemire]

RE: thinking outloud ... need opinions/suggestions

Correction on this code:

'enter new customer for current invoice
record_number = current_record_number()
query.filter = "recno() = " + record_number
query.order = ""

Change the above to:

'enter new customer for current invoice
DIM global var_Record_Number as P
var_Record_Number = current_record_number()

On my 'return to invoice' button I will add:

query.filter = "recno() = " + var_Record_Number
query.order = ""

I will let you know if this works :)

[Cheryl Lemire]

RE: thinking outloud ... need opinions/suggestions

My syntax was incorrect ... but more thought into this and closing the invoice data entry form will not work anyway. I still cannot use the OnInit event of the form as that form will be used for entering new invoices without always adding new customers.

So ... I still need a way to taking the values of my global variables for the cust_id and auto_id to automatically fill in when I return to the invoice to continue the data entry.

[Cheryl Lemire]

Problem resolved

I resolved my issue by using the OnActivate event of the f_inv_dat to automatically fill the cust_id and auto_id fields of the current invoice. I also activated focus on the cust_id field by activating the object.

[Jos Schaars]

RE: Problem resolved

Hi Cheryl,

Reading your potst I also opted for the OnActivate event.
You could also consider to use REDIM instead of DIM so you won't get an error when it is done a second time.

Jos