Alpha Software Mobile Development Tools:   Alpha Anywhere    |   Alpha TransForm subscribe to our YouTube Channel  Follow Us on LinkedIn  Follow Us on Twitter  Follow Us on Facebook

Announcement

Collapse

The Alpha Software Forum Participation Guidelines

The Alpha Software Forum is a free forum created for Alpha Software Developer Community to ask for help, exchange ideas, and share solutions. Alpha Software strives to create an environment where all members of the community can feel safe to participate. In order to ensure the Alpha Software Forum is a place where all feel welcome, forum participants are expected to behave as follows:
  • Be professional in your conduct
  • Be kind to others
  • Be constructive when giving feedback
  • Be open to new ideas and suggestions
  • Stay on topic


Be sure all comments and threads you post are respectful. Posts that contain any of the following content will be considered a violation of your agreement as a member of the Alpha Software Forum Community and will be moderated:
  • Spam.
  • Vulgar language.
  • Quotes from private conversations without permission, including pricing and other sales related discussions.
  • Personal attacks, insults, or subtle put-downs.
  • Harassment, bullying, threatening, mocking, shaming, or deriding anyone.
  • Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language.
  • Sexually explicit or violent material, links, or language.
  • Pirated, hacked, or copyright-infringing material.
  • Encouraging of others to engage in the above behaviors.


If a thread or post is found to contain any of the content outlined above, a moderator may choose to take one of the following actions:
  • Remove the Post or Thread - the content is removed from the forum.
  • Place the User in Moderation - all posts and new threads must be approved by a moderator before they are posted.
  • Temporarily Ban the User - user is banned from forum for a period of time.
  • Permanently Ban the User - user is permanently banned from the forum.


Moderators may also rename posts and threads if they are too generic or do not property reflect the content.

Moderators may move threads if they have been posted in the incorrect forum.

Threads/Posts questioning specific moderator decisions or actions (such as "why was a user banned?") are not allowed and will be removed.

The owners of Alpha Software Corporation (Forum Owner) reserve the right to remove, edit, move, or close any thread for any reason; or ban any forum member without notice, reason, or explanation.

Community members are encouraged to click the "Report Post" icon in the lower left of a given post if they feel the post is in violation of the rules. This will alert the Moderators to take a look.

Alpha Software Corporation may amend the guidelines from time to time and may also vary the procedures it sets out where appropriate in a particular case. Your agreement to comply with the guidelines will be deemed agreement to any changes to it.



Bonus TIPS for Successful Posting

Try a Search First
It is highly recommended that a Search be done on your topic before posting, as many questions have been answered in prior posts. As with any search engine, the shorter the search term, the more "hits" will be returned, but the more specific the search term is, the greater the relevance of those "hits". Searching for "table" might well return every message on the board while "tablesum" would greatly restrict the number of messages returned.

When you do post
First, make sure you are posting your question in the correct forum. For example, if you post an issue regarding Desktop applications on the Mobile & Browser Applications board , not only will your question not be seen by the appropriate audience, it may also be removed or relocated.

The more detail you provide about your problem or question, the more likely someone is to understand your request and be able to help. A sample database with a minimum of records (and its support files, zipped together) will make it much easier to diagnose issues with your application. Screen shots of error messages are especially helpful.

When explaining how to reproduce your problem, please be as detailed as possible. Describe every step, click-by-click and keypress-by-keypress. Otherwise when others try to duplicate your problem, they may do something slightly different and end up with different results.

A note about attachments
You may only attach one file to each message. Attachment file size is limited to 2MB. If you need to include several files, you may do so by zipping them into a single archive.

If you forgot to attach your files to your post, please do NOT create a new thread. Instead, reply to your original message and attach the file there.

When attaching screen shots, it is best to attach an image file (.BMP, .JPG, .GIF, .PNG, etc.) or a zip file of several images, as opposed to a Word document containing the screen shots. Because Word documents are prone to viruses, many message board users will not open your Word file, therefore limiting their ability to help you.

Similarly, if you are uploading a zipped archive, you should simply create a .ZIP file and not a self-extracting .EXE as many users will not run your EXE file.
See more
See less

New User Questions

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    New User Questions

    I have been looking at Alpha 5 in evaluation mode. My requirements for the program are simple (I could do it all with Q&A just fine) but there are certain features I'm not finding readily. I'd be grateful if someone would point me in the general direction of finding solution for this:

    In both Browse and Form mode I'd like to have "Copy Previous Field" summoned by means of a 'function' or 'F-key' on my keyboard. I've imagined that I might write a script to do this but I don't see how to assign it to an F-key. This seems to me to be basic data input efficiency to be able to do this. Creating a button on screen to do it would cause the hand to move to the mouse, maneuver it, click, and return to the keyboard. For my needs this would be irritating and slow. Any clues?

    Another issue: I need to create an in-date/out-date project tracker kind of database. I use barcoded work order forms and use a wand to scan the barcode, thereby entering it in the Job Number field. Lets say I enter 5000 records each with its own unique Job Number. Later I come back to the database with 12 work orders, representing a random selection of the 5000 entered. I want to wand in all 12 barcoded job numbers into a 'retrieve spec' window or field of some kind with one hand on the wand and the other for the keyboard (making whatever intervening keystroke is necessary) and, when finished, retrieve all 12 of those specific records for editing. Doing this one at a time will be ponderous. Is there a multiple query function that allows this?

    Thanks to all who respond.

    #2
    RE: New User Questions

    "I don't see how to assign it to an F-key." - There already is a command sequence ctrl-shift-f for this purpose.

    If you still want an Fkey, examine the onkey event for your form -not sure the same would work for a browse.

    "Is there a multiple query function that allows this?" - Like "or"?
    There can be only one.

    Comment


      #3
      RE: New User Questions

      Cntrl+shift+F brings up a gump called Message Archive. Its a search function of some kind. Still no luck dittoing the contents of previous corresponding fields into a new record.

      Comment


        #4
        RE: New User Questions

        It is in the user guide, search for "Shortcut Keys".

        Actually, the one I gave was for copying the value for the current field fom the same field in the previous record.

        CTRL+Shift+R

        should copy the whole record.

        You must begin a new record before either is active.
        There can be only one.

        Comment


          #5
          RE: New User Questions

          Thank you Stan, I found the short-cut keys portion of the manual. I also tried the ditto field shortcut combo on a "new" record in a text field corresponding to the one before it. I tried in both browse and form mode. No cigar. I still get some pop-up function called message archive unstead. I'm wondering if my copy of the program is glitchy or corrupted.

          I'm also having trouble doing something I was able to do fine last week. In programming data-entry specs for a date field I am unable to make it date-stamp based on the T/F status of another Logical field in the same record. It just won't do it. This is odd, since I was able to make this happen last week, almost the first time I tried it.

          Again thanks for responding.

          Comment


            #6
            RE: New User Questions

            Replying to my own post... now after experimenting with a simple logic field I find that I am not only unable to refer to it as a condition for date stamping but I cannot use it as a spec for a query. No matter what I do, it returns 'no records found' when I try to query based on "T" or "F" in the logic field. It sorts just fine on a numeric field but not on a logic field.

            I can't believe this program is so opaque as to present problems doing this.

            Comment


              #7
              RE: New User Questions

              .T. or .F.?

              Comment


                #8
                RE: New User Questions

                I have a logic field set for T or F
                I have a date field that I want to look at this logic field and auto-date itself with today's date if it sees True in that field.
                I set Data Entry Field rules on Condtional Default. Logic = .T. and the Default set to System-"Date. Simple eh? Well, it only works when I FIRST enter a new record, not when I go back to a previously entered record and change an "F" to a "T". When I try that, I get no results at all. It will not enter a date in the date field even with "Y" in the logic field once I have left the record and moved to another one.

                In other words, when I first enter the record I will place an "F" in the logic field. Then return at a later time to place a "T" in it and make it "true". Thats when I expect the date field to auto-stamp but it will not do that (or I'm failing to see why it won't and what the correct method is). I even tried to defeat the "logic field" by making it a character field, then place restrictions on it so that it would behave like a logic field. NO cigar. Same result. This is purely nuts. How can something this simple be so difficult?

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: New User Questions

                  Hi Tim,

                  Welcome to A5!

                  The data entry field rule is behaving like that because it is for new records. If you want the date to change on a record change event, you can make the field a calculated field in field rules. Then the date will change every time the record is changed.

                  Another way to do this is, on the form in design mode, use the CanChange or OnSave event to change the date.

                  A5 can do what you want, you just may have to approach it differently than what you may be used to.

                  For the query of multiple files, create a variable input box. Scan the barcodes into the box with a control line feed. Have the query parse the barcodes, and bring the selected records up in a browse window. Use the zoom to record feature if you want to add to the record.

                  Have Fun,

                  Dan
                  Dan

                  Dan Blank builds Databases
                  Skype: danblank

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: New User Questions

                    Thanks muchly Dan. I'll go do that! :)

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: New User Questions

                      Hey Dan... according to the shorcut key list, CTRL SHIFT F should copy the contents of a corresponding field in the previous record into a new one. HOWEVER, when I try this I get a popup that is all about "Message Archive". It certainly does not copy a field value... not for me anyway. What am I doing wrong?

                      and by the way, CTRL SHIFT D (insert today's date) does almost nothing. The only thing I can discern is that it deactivates the Alpha 5 window, i.e. the blue bar turns gray. Also CTRL SHIFT R does nothing, Page Up goes to the first record in the table, not the previous one and Page Down goes to the last record in the table, not the next one.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: New User Questions

                        Hi Tim,

                        The control shift F problem sounds like another program is running and has that key stroke combination reserved.

                        I had a similiar problem with Web Shots. Web Shots is a background image and screen saver program. So natuarlly it runs in the background. Every time I hit Control Shift D, the Web Shots program opened up.

                        When I turned the program off, the control shift d combination worked.

                        I'd recommend checking all the programs running in the background and shut off all unnecessary programs. Also I'd recommend checking for Spyware.

                        At least that's what I think your problem sounds like.

                        Good luck!

                        Dan
                        Dan

                        Dan Blank builds Databases
                        Skype: danblank

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: New User Questions

                          Yes, that was it. I shut down another app and it works fine. Thanks a bunch.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: New User Questions

                            Tim,

                            Note that in your own message you said you set the "Condtional Default". The key word here is "Default" which tells you it only sets the default value for a "i"new"/i" record - after all, how would you define the default value of a record being edited? As the original value or as a new, calculated value?

                            Someone else mentioned setting the field as a calculated value. That works but has other drawbacks. For example, if you run a global update or add anything via xbasic to that record, the date will be updated. This isn't always desirable. For example, suppose you wanted to change the capitalization of all last names - a global update to do this would reset the date for all records to today's date.

                            My solution is to put a script in the CanSave Record event that does this: (Assuming the field to be changed is called Change_dtf.)

                            table.current().change_dtf = date()

                            Since the CanSave Record event is not triggered by things like a global update or record changes via xbasic, the date will only be changed when a user makes a change manually. Of course, you could force the change via xbasic if necessary.

                            Comment

                            Working...
                            X