Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

[rtbtat]

Hi:

Here we go again with one those annoying problems that drive me up a wall. I borrowed Barry Rochford's technique of using a Dialog Form to obtain Global Variables used in a report. I've used them for several months with no problems at all.

However, I just moved [copied] two different forms [both used as Dialog Forms] to a new database.

When I edit the OnActivate Event in BOTH forms and then save the form, I get the following messages.

-------------------------------------------------
Dialog Form Using Date Variables:

Script OnActivate line:9
:dfrmDates:VStart_Date.Refresh()
Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

-------------------------------------

Dialog Form using Character Variables:

Script OnActivate line:8
:dfrmMonthYr:VarMonth.Refresh()
Argument Is Incorrect Data Type
-------------------------------------------------

I am going to post both OnActivate scripts [for each form], one uses DATE variables while the other one uses Character variables. Even though I get the same message shown above after editing both scripts in the OnActivate event, the scripts seem to work properly. That is driving me crazy.

Here is the script for the form using dates:
--------------------------------------------
Dim Global VStart_Date as D
Dim Global VEnd_Date as D

'Clear the Global Variables and refresh the screen during the form dfrmDates OnActivate Event. Note, those are French Brackets.

VStart_Date = {}
VEnd_Date = {}

:Dfrmdates:VStart_Date.Refresh()
:Dfrmdates:VEnd_Date.Refresh()

END

Here is the script for the form using character variables.
--------------------------------------------------------

'Clear the Month and Year Global Variables and Refresh the screen during the form dFrmMonthYR OnActivate Event:

Dim Global VarMonth as C
Dim Global VarYr as C

VarMonth = " "
VarYr = " "

:dfrmMonthYr:VarMonth.Refresh()
:dfrmMonthYr:VarYr.Refresh()

END
------------------------
Robert

[Stan Mathews]

RE: Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

Robert,

Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

is sometimes returned when Alpha can't understand what you intend. I got this error today when I tried to run a script with this line in it....

:Summary.run_silent("summary to hist001")


Don't see the problem ? took me several tries. The correct coding is.....

:Summarize.run_silent("summary to hist001")

So you may have some other problem with your script than where you are looking.

However, I just moved [copied] two different forms [both used as Dialog Forms] to a new database.

Is everything in place in the new database for the copied forms to reference?


Just a guess.

Stan

[rtbtat]

RE: Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

Stan wrote:

[Is everything in place in the new database for the copied forms to reference? ]

I would think so, I checked everything I could think of at least three times before posting my message. Since then I've made some progress, but I still haven't worked with all of the changes to figure out what or why it is happening.

I finally got the dates form to refresh the global variables, but that happened ONLY after I moved away from calling the form via the OnPrinInit event. Now I call the form from a simple button and I CANNO use it as a DIALOG form. When called in normal mode, I still have the same problem with refresh(), however, at least I can use parentform.resynch()for the Date Variable form.

I guess we could call that progress because parentform.resynch() wasn't working when the form was called as a Dialog from OnPrinInit.

There is good news, the character variables are being refreshed properly, but only when I call the form in normal fashion versus calling it as a Dialog Form.

I don't really understand why calling the form in Dialog mode would not allow refreshing of the variables during the OnActivate event, that is obviously very puzzling to me.

Anyway, I still have a lot of work ahead of me trying to figure out why I cannot use the forms in Dialog mode and why only the character variable form is refreshing properly.

[martinwcole]

RE: Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

just a thought
I had much trouble with variables and dialogs where the variables were not global - so when I made all variables global that I set and use between the regular and dialog forms everything worked okay

[martinwcole]

RE: Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

oopsy - sorry - now i see that you WERE using global variables.

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

Robert,

Your error message makes me think maybe Alpha Five is getting your variables mixed up with the names of the controls on your form which display the variables.

.refresh() cannot be used to refresh the variables themselves

It is used to refresh the control which displays the variables.

I'd check the properties of the controls and verify that the name of each is as expected. If they were given different names when you 'copied' the form, this might account for the errors you're getting.

-- tom

[rtbtat]

RE: Argument Is Incorrect Data Type

I've checked the form name numerous times, it is in fact dfrmDates.

But there is something very strange about this form, and it may be the root cause of my problem. Hopefully I can explain what is happening, and let me tell everyone who is reading this thread, this is very bizarre!

There are only two fields on the form, they are both Global Variables. I named those two fields are:

VStart_Date and VEnd_Date.

As for the correct nomenclature, I am always confused when it comes to that aspect of A5, but here is what I initially wrote in my OnActivate Event script

:Dfrmdates:VStart_Date.Refresh()
:Dfrmdates:VEnd_Date.Refresh()

The above did not work, I constnatly received an error message.

There is one aspect of this form that I find very confusing. Although I prefixed both field names beign with a letter V [obviously for variables], when I'm editing the OnActivate script, and select the drop down arrow in the Container, I can see all of the fields and buttons on the form. Check this out, the only fields that show up are:

Start_Date and End_Date,

I cannot find a field named VStart_Date or VEnd_Date!!!Tthis is the bizarre part. When I first created the form a long time ago, the field names were Start_Date and End_Date, and then I subsequently decided to place a V in front of each name.

But once again, when I check all of the available fields in the OnActivate Event, there are no V's in the name, I think that is very weird.

Anway, I just found this out and tried using the same nomenclature as above, without the letter V at the beginning of each variable. And so far, the refresh() lines in the script appear to be working. Here is the latest version of my OnActivate event script:
--------------------------------------------------------

Dim Global VStart_Date as D
Dim Global VEnd_Date as D

Debug(0)

VStart_Date = {}
VEnd_Date = {}

'parentform.resynch() 'don't need this line if the following two lines work.

:Dfrmdates:Start_Date.Refresh() 'No V in the variable name
:Dfrmdates:End_Date.Refresh() 'No V in the variable name

END

Thanks,

Robert