Mess display incorrect sequence

[Dave Mac Callum]

Hi there,

I have a script attached to a button which includes ba

To arrive at my problem on the attached database :

1. From Control Panel invoke Form, Main menu
2. From the resulting Form select button "Debtors Ledger - 1"
3. From the resulting Form select button "Restore Import Database"
4. The correct actions take place but they are out of sequence. Examine OnPush events. Restore database dialog box (first action) runs after "display a message box" (second action).

How do I get the actions to conform the the sequence I want. That is restore first and display message box last ?

Any ideas

Looking forward

[Dave Mac Callum]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

3. From the resulting Form select button "Restore Import Database"

Oops, You will not be able to restore without by backup.

Rather select Button "Backup Import Database - B"

This gives that same problem.

[Cheryl Lemire]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Dave, Dave, Dave,

I know you read this forum, why oh why do you have spaces in filenames?????

I could not backup because it is obvioulsy hard coded to drive f:

Any other ideas for me to duplicate?

Thanks

[Dave Mac Callum]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Hi there Cheryl,

Thanks for your interest.

By file name do you mean Table name ? Such as Company data ?

No one has commented on this before. I assume by your comment that this is not good ?

Apologies for giving you a problem you cannot duplicate. I have altered backup to c: drive. Hope this helps

[Cheryl Lemire]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Hi Dave,

By file name do you mean Table name ? Such as Company data ?

YES. Having spaces in filenames (tables, sets, forms, browses, fields, reports, operations, code) has been known to cause problems. If you must have a 'spacer' between words then it is best to use an underscore. Company_data

I will look at your new zip file later this afternoon :)

[Cheryl Lemire]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Hi Dave,

Sorry it took so long for me to reply (been banging my head up against the wall with another problem).

I was able to duplicate your problem. Unfortunately I do not have a resolution for you. The problem has something to do with the code that alpha is using for the backup process. I have looked through the code but have not been able to determine what needs to be modified.

I know it is in the backup code because I have a backup code that another developer uses, and if I substitute that code, the backup runs successfully and your message comes up last.

So my only resolution is to write your own backup code OR not use your own message box and just accept the final message that alpha puts up saying that the backup has been completed.

Maybe somebody else knows what portion of alpha's backup code is causing it to first display your message before running the actual backup.

Good luck

[DaveM]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Dave,

Spaces are bad news like Cheryl said and try to keep the table and other names as short as possible. Have known programmers that named their tables by the alphabet( 1 letter), but think that is a bit extreme. I try to name folders, tables and everything else like I only had eight letters available with no underscores or. Some are actually 10.

If your actions are going one after the other, you may be running into a timing issue. Means, backup is not be finished before the others start.

Solution Stan helped me with was to put it into seperate udfs and the run them by way of a udf. Sounds terrible, but it sure did work great.

That would possibly be view the steps in xbasic, copy the xbasi and the write a udf for each of your steps. You may have 3 or 4 udfs at this point. Test them of course. The make a udf that will run them in the proper sequence. Udfs are vastly faster than action scripting or scripts. What was taking a couple of minutes to run now runs if 10 to 15 seconds.

Hope I read your message right and this helps you.

Dave

[Cheryl Lemire]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Hi Dave,

Your idea is a great one, but it did not work. I did exactly that as part of my testing by copying the action scripting code into a UDF. I then called the UDF in my button, added an xbasic_wait_for_idle() just in case, and then the message box.

The UDF begins with letting me know that I need to close all windows and asks me if I want to proceed. I say OK, then the message box appears, then the actual backup begins after I press OK on the message box.

That is when I tried my own personal backup script which ran flawlessly and completed before the message box appears. That is how I determined that there was something in the xbasic behind the action script itself.

[DaveM]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

this part is actually a script.

'Date Created: 12-Oct-2007 11:08:25 AM
'Last Updated: 17-Oct-2007 05:17:39 PM
'Created By  : dave
'Updated By  : dave
functions_get(invget1(var->scode),"*")'get the data from aaa.csv into table
functions_get(invget2(var->scode),"*")'change the field names
functions_get(invget3(var->scode),"*")'fix the makes
functions_get(invget4(var->scode),"*")'fix the cost to actual cost
functions_get(invget5(var->scode),"*")  'fix the years to 4 digits
functions_get(invget6(var->scode),"*")  'Append it all to inventor
functions_get(invget7(var->scode),"*")  'get the old used units out of Inventor

it starts each funtion in order.

This is the first function run which imports a csv file into a table.

FUNCTION invget1 AS C (de as c)
 invget1 = "xxx"
script_play("invimportGet")
END FUNCTION

It has to run and complete before any of the rest are useable

this is the script called by the above function. It takes time to run.

dim shared madetable as c
madetable =:a5.Get_Master_Path()
madetable = madetable+"\invimp.dbf" 
import_destination_table = filename_decode(madetable)

dim global mymasterpath as c
mymasterpath=:a5.Get_Master_Path() 
mymasterpath = mymasterpath+"\AAA.csv"
import_filename = filename_decode(mymasterpath)
if file.exists(import_filename) = .f. then
	ui_msg_box("Error","File to import not found: '"+import_filename+"'.",ui_stop_symbol)
	end
end if

ON ERROR GOTO ERROR12102007110520937


import.type = 0
import.names = "use"
import.file = import_filename
import.db = import_destination_table
import.skip_lines = 0
import.skip_bytes = 0
import.field_sep = ","
import.record_sep = "<CR><LF>"
import.text_qualifier = "\""
import.record_len = 0
import.rem_blanks = .F.
import.escape_newlines = .F.
import.fields = 10
import.field1 = "days,n,0,3,0"
import.field2 = "stock_no_,c,1,8,0"
import.field3 = "yr,c,2,4,0"
import.field4 = "make,c,3,12,0"
import.field5 = "model,c,4,12,0"
import.field6 = "color,c,5,12,0"
import.field7 = "body,c,6,12,0"
import.field8 = "serial_no_,c,7,20,0"
import.field9 = "miles,n,8,9,0"
import.field10 = "price,n,9,10,2"
import()


GOTO CONTINUE12102007110520937
ERROR12102007110520937:
ON ERROR GOTO 0
ui_msg_box("Error","Error running Import Operation"+crlf()+error_text_get())
END
CONTINUE12102007110520937:

'Add the import destination table to the database....
file_add_to_db(table.filename_get(import_destination_table))

This is the second funtion and you can see why the other needed to be done first.

FUNCTION invget2 AS C (scripter2 as c )
scripter2 = "XXX"
dim global thedpath as c
thedpath = A5.GET_PATH() + "\\"
thedpath = thedpath+"\invimp.dbf"
table.fieldname_change(thedpath, "Stock_NO_", "Stock")
table.fieldname_change(thedpath,"Serial_no_", "Vin")
table.fieldname_change(thedpath,"Price", "Cost")
table.fieldname_change(thedpath,"Yr", "Year") 
END FUNCTION

The last one(7th) does an append to another table.

cheryl, I had no luck with the wait functions and is why I went to this.

i hope it gives you an idea

dave

[Dave Mac Callum]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

So my only resolution is to write your own backup code OR not use your own message box and just accept the final message that alpha puts up saying that the backup has been completed.

Hi Cheryl and Dave,

Thanks for the assist. I really appreciate the time spent in giving me direction.

Udf's a completely new to me and will probably have to get into them for my own good. However, at this point I need to get this product to my users and have decided to discard my message and accept the final message that Alpha puts up saying that the backup/restore has been completed.

Trust that you both benefitted with your discussion on this subject.

Have a good day

[Dave Mac Callum]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Dave, Dave, Dave,

I know you read this forum, why oh why do you have spaces in filenames?????

I could not backup because it is obvioulsy hard coded to drive f:

Any other ideas for me to duplicate?

Thanks

[Dave Mac Callum]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Hi Cheryl,

Ever since you despairingly advised I was heading for trouble by including spaces in my filenames, I have been wanting to alter file names to include underscores. I started by altering Table names that included spaces. Once I had altered the table name, I ran into trouble (I think) with forms that used these tables. I seem to remember that I could not amend the form. Apologies for being so vague. The problem is that when I started to work on this db the next day, it seems that it had resolved itself, and I could amend the form.

The table name that I altered was "Trade Transactions". I altered it to Trade_Transactions". Using Windows explorer, I notice that both "Trade Transactions" and Trade_Transactions" were listed, even though table "Trade Transactions" is no longer on the Control Panel Tables.

Do you think it is safe to delete, at the windows explorer level, "Trade Transactions" events from the db ? Have you experienced this type of thing before ?

I was complacently developing my systems without a care in the world until you came along. Seeing that you are the cause of my sleepless nights I hold you responsible for getting this right.

I am attaching screen dumps so you can see what's going

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Dave,

When making changes it's vital to keep good backups, so backup everything first.

Then, do your renaming from within Alpha Five. The option to rename a table is found on the utilities submenu if you right click the table name. This is also the best place to detach (drop) a table, or to delete a table. The database dictionaries keep track of which tables have been "added" to (and now comprise) the database. If you change the table name with windows explorer this does nothing to update the database dictionaries. So, make these changes from within Alpha Five so Alpha Five can keep the database dictionaries current.

[Dave Mac Callum]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your input.

Don't worry, I'm scared of changes and I back up continuously.

The way you described is actually the way that I do alter table names. How I was aware that there was both "Trade_Transactions" and "Trade Transactions" is that the resulting backup (when viewing) had suddenly grown in size.

Windows Explorer shows that I now have the table "Trade Transactions" files in the db folder and no "Trade Transactions" table in the Alpha Control panel. It seems that I will have these superfluous entries in the db folder forever !

How do I get rid of "Trade Transactions" files ?

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Mess display incorrect sequence

From wihtin Alpha Five use "Drop" the table to remove it from the database dictionaries. This will not remove the table or its dictionaries from the disk.

From within Alpha Five use "Delete" the table to remove the table and its dictionaries from the database dictionaries and delete it from the disk.