Append Variable value

[Jimmie1234]

I am trying to append records from file A "receiving" to file B "names", but I want to be able to change the Date_Into_System value based on input from a dialog box. The code below gives an error "....references a non-existent field....". I can't understand what I'm doing wrong. INPDATE is the variable I am trying to set via the dialog and append to the Date_Into_System record. Can anyone point me to the problem?

' *****************enter date to use
DIM INPDATE as C

result=ui_dlg_box("Date of Log File (MM/DD/YYYY)",""%dlg%
Date to use: [30INPDATE];
"OK"
%dlg% )

DIM Append as P
a_tbl = table.open("names")
append.t_db = "receiving"
append.m_key = "ROLL_NUMBER-PO_NUM-SIZE"
append.t_key = "ROLL_-P_O_-SIZE_QTY"
append.m_filter = ""

' only non-blank records
append.t_filter = "P_O_"\"\""
append.type = "Unique only"

append.m_count = 12
append.m_field1 = "Name"
append.m_exp1 = "@Receiving-"Description"
append.m_field2 = "Stylenum"
append.m_exp2 = "@Receiving-"Color"
.
.
.
append.m_field10 = "Uop"
append.m_exp10 = "@Receiving-"Uop"

append.m_field11 = "Date_Into_System" '***error occurs**
append.m_exp11 = "CTOD(INPDATE)" '***** here ******

append.m_field12 = "Roll_Number"
append.m_exp12 = "@Receiving-"Roll_"

[Stan Mathews]

RE: Append Variable value

If I got the error

"....references a non-existent field....".

I would think that Alpha didn't know that

CTOD(INPDATE) referred to a variable.

So I'd try

CTOD(var-"INPDATE)

[Jimmie1234]

RE: Append Variable value

Stan,

Thank you for the help. One of these days, I might be able to think like you..and be able to fix these minor probs I keep on encountering.

Thanks again.

Jim

[Stan Mathews]

RE: Append Variable value

Only meant to show the problem solving process. Usually the error messages aren't nearly that helpful.

Never hurts to clarify things with the var-" prefix, though it often isn't required. Calc-" is another prefix that is good to get in the habit of using.

Good luck.

[Robert Emery]

RE: Append Variable value

I agree with Stan... even though Alpha usually recognizes variables as such, I almost always use var-" and calc-" prefixes, if nothing else but for my own clarification later on when I (or others) need to modify/understand the code. It's good practice, like commenting your code.

Bob Emery

[Jimmie1234]

RE: Append Variable value

Thanks again, both of you. I appreciate those bits of insight that develop over time....great to share them.

Jim

[Jimmie1234]

RE: Append Variable value

Stan,

I've tried your suggestion, and wrote a little routine just to update a field in a table using the var-" prefix. Still have problems in that the update does not occur unless I change the "CTOD(var-"INPUTDATE") back to just the function "DATE()". Not what I want obviously.

I'd appreciate anymore feedback on how do do this.This is the portion of code I can't make work:

' *****************enter date to use*********
DIM INPUTDATE as C
DIM DATE1 as D
result=ui_dlg_box("Date of Log File (MM/DD/YYYY)",""%dlg%
Date to use: [30INPUTDATE];
"OK"
%dlg% )
' ****************Convert it and check for correctness
DATE1=CTOD(var-"INPUTDATE)

message_text = " Date to use is "+DATE1+crlf(2)+ "Is it OK to proceed?"

operation_result=ui_msg_box("Update Operation",message_text,UI_OK_CANCEL+ UI_FIRST_BUTTON_DEFAULT+ UI_INFORMATION_SYMBOL)
If operation_result "" ui_ok_selected then
end
end if
'******** Date shows correctly so go to the update section
.
.
.
update.field17 = "DESCRIPTION"
update.expr17 = "W_UPPER(DESCRIPTION)"
update.field18 = "LOGDATE"
update.expr18 = "CTOD(var-"INPUTDATE)" '"--line of interest
update.field19 = "AMOUNT"
update.expr19 = "1"
.
.
.
a_tbl.update()

Stan Mathews wrote:
-------------------------------
Only meant to show the problem solving process. Usually the error messages aren't nearly that helpful.

Never hurts to clarify things with the var-> prefix, though it often isn't required. Calc-> is another prefix that is good to get in the habit of using.

Good luck.

[Stan Mathews]

RE: Append Variable value

We've run into one of those quoted character string inside another quoted character string situations.

From the interactive editor

update.expr18 = "CTOD(var-"INPUTDATE)" 'your first attempt

? UPDATE.EXPR18
= "CTOD(var-"INPUTDATE)"'"-not what we want

VAR-"INPUTDATE="08/16/2004" '"-make an assignment like your script would

update.expr18 = "CTOD('"+var-"INPUTDATE+"')" '"-drop the variable into the expression properly

? UPDATE.EXPR18
= "CTOD('08/16/2004')"

and we get the desired result.