return type of a method

[Rick LaCount]

anyone know the return type of .children() I tried to write the result to the trace window but get 'invalid arg' messages when I assume either type N or C. I am wanting to output the structure of a set to a table. Thanks in advance.

[Stan Mathews]

RE: return type of a method

According to the documentation

obj = topparent.this 'get a pointer to the top form
count = obj.children() 'find out how many child objects

it would seem that the type would be numeric. How are you using the method?

[csda1]

RE: return type of a method

This will sound more complex than it is, but here goes;

.children() returns a number that is the number of tables in a set (or a 1 in a table). The number can be used in the .child() method to refer to the tables in a set. Each table in the set structure is numbered from the parent being the value returned by .children() to 1 which will be the bottom table in the set definition.
Thus, you can access tables within the set definition by using the .child(number) to return a table pointer

Regards,

Ira J. Perlow
Computer Systems Design & Associates
[email protected]

[Rick LaCount]

RE: return type of a method

thanks for the quick response.

I have a pointer, tbl, to an open set, using tbl =table.open("tablename.set")

I have tried:
trace.writeln(tbl.children())

trace.writeln(str(tbl.children()))

Dim tblptr as P
tblptr = tbl.this
writeln(str(tblptr.children()))

to no avail, I am just wanting to see how many child tables there are in the set.

thanks again

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: return type of a method

If you open (load?) a form based on the desired set, you could use

:formname:tables.children() to get the number of tables in the set.

You'd have to subtract 1 I suppose to find the number of child tables.

It may not be necessary to show the form, in order to do this... which is why I put 'load' in parentheses above.

-- tom

[Doug Chanley]

RE: return type of a method

Rick,

Here is a script I use to dentify open tables, their names & slot
numbers. I think that this script uses some older syntax but it still
works....


''XBasic
traceln("Names of open Tables:")
count = 1
WHILE db_current(count) >= 0
traceln(db_name_get(db_current(count))+" "+"Table Handle ="+""+ltrim(str(count)))
count = count + 1
END WHILE

[Willard]

RE: return type of a method

Rick I think you are attempting to get the actual field ty0pes within the associated table. I have done this using a form. Get the Child numbers with

count=:formname.Children()
dim name[count] as c
for i= 1 to count
name[i]=child(i).type()
writeln(name[i])
next i
end

I think this is what you are looking for. I am not sure of this but I beleive that a character field is labeled "c", Date = "d", Numberic = "n" and a lable or the acutal form is named "v". Therefore if you omit the "v" and place the appropriate names in place of the single letters you will have something of value. Of course you could do the table with the enum functions as done in the wonderful documentor.

[Rick LaCount]

RE: return type of a method

thanks all again, Doug, kinda what I was lookin for. I see a mention of using a form based on the set... is this the only way?!? I was under the impression that I could take a pointer to a table (which may be the main of a set) and get the .children() of it? I feel there is some good use to be made of this if I can get it to work.

Again thanks,

Rick

[csda1]

RE: return type of a method

Rick,

Supposedly, A5 can have only one Set open at a time. Thus, whenever a form is activated (but not necessarily shown), then you can reference the set via the form's properties. I have never figured out any way to use Table.open() to access Sets in any kind of reliable fashion.

This is one of the annoying A5 idiosyncracies that I dislike. Methods, properties and events should be consistent (except where it makes no sense) for all tables/sets/forms etc and to jump around as needed.

It's like comparing the x86 assemble language to the 68k assemble language. One is extremely regular, the other is not. Guess which one is not? It's the one with Intel Inside! :?)

By the way, I thought about using old Intel motherboards that had bugs on them (RAMDAC) as outdoor roofing shingles. Then I'd have Intel Outside!

Regards,

Ira J. Perlow
Computer Systems Design & Associates
[email protected]