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Transfer VB code to Xbasic for Cutlist Program

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    #1

    Transfer VB code to Xbasic for Cutlist Program

    I have been trying to convert some VB code that I have used to sort and collate parts lists for my cabinetmaking business into Xbasic but some of the functions I was using are not available in Xbasic and I wonder if any one out there has some advice as to how I might proceed.

    My data consists of strings that look like this " 2 @ 11-1/2 X 30-1/2". The program I have ( which I originally wrote with some help in GWbasic) takes a list of comma delimited values, changes them to decimal numbers, sorts from biggest to smallest, collates equivalent parts and then changes them back to the string values and prints a list of the collated values from biggest to smallest.

    I was using an approach database to create the delimited files and then GWbasic and later Visual Basic 5.0 to sort and print my lists. The overall process using these various programs was pretty clunky and I bought Alpha5 thinking that I could refine my process within one environment.

    I have created an input form that works well and I can export delimited files of my parts for various materials which is an improvement already over my previous system. But I got stuck on the VB InStr() function which helps me isolate the numbers in my string from the non numeric characters. Also I am a bit lost with the function creation dialogs in Xbasic and I don't seem to be able to recreate my functions in Xbasic.

    I admit I am not the worlds best programmer but I really like A5 and I want to understand it better. I read through the tutorials and A5 made easy but there is something I'm not getting. The tutorials focus on your standard name and address data and there aren't many examples that relate to what I am trying to do.

    The question I would ask the local Gurus is: Does it make sense to proceed trying to convert my code to Xbasic? Is there a more direct way to sort data like this than to export the delimited values to a text file and then use an Xbasic program to sort and collate them.

    Any advise would be appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Tags: None
    #2
    I don't know how much you have already done in A5, or what kind / how much existing data from your previous app you want to use. But ignoring any of that, I think I would probably approach this with a properly structured table.

    Fields would include:
    Material
    Length
    Width
    Thickness
    Quantity
    and maybe some others like Grade, Finish, etc. as needed.

    Any one cabinet project might call for two different thicknesses of MDF, for instance, but it would be a breeze to simply sort the table by Material followed by any other combination that suited you.

    In general, it seems to me that writing all sorts of functions, parsing strings and all that is really unncessary and only makes things harder.

    If you already have a set of data in the format you discuss, I'd endeavor to get that into a table, probably with some Xbasic string handling, and be done with the difficult coding stuff.
    -Steve
    sigpic

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      #3
      Steve,

      Thanks for the input. The original program was written over 15 years ago so it is hard to remember why I started off the way I did but I will look into setting up a database as you suggest. It seems harder to rethink the process than to patch up what I have but that may not be true. Setting up a database as you suggest is very simple. The hard part is extracting the info I need. I think I will give it a try.

      I am not that uncomfortable with the parsing but I don't seem to be finding string handling functions similar to what I have been using in the help file. I'm sure I'm looking over the top of them.

      Thanks again.

      Jim Lovejoy

      Comment

        #4
        I'm not a VB expert by any means but I do work with VB code from time to time. With a little patience, I'm sure that you will be able to translate the VB code. The similarities between the two are, I would say, much greater than the differences.

        Mu suggestion to you would be to spend time in the online help, looking up, for example, Alpha's string manipultion functions. When you find one, use the "similar functions" lists to expand from there.

        In the one instance you mention, I think InStr() and xbasic Substr() are very similar and then xbasic has IsAlpha() and IsDigit() to determine the nature of a character in a string.

        Good luck.

        Finian
        Finian

        Comment

          #5
          Finian,

          Thanks, I got those language references, I missed them before. It was a big help. Scanning the list of functions it is easy to miss the one you need if you are not sure the name you are looking for. When I found Substr there was a link to other string functions so I have some stuff to go through.

          I think it's time to go home and leave this for another day.

          Thanks to all.

          Jim Lovejoy

          Comment

            #6
            It sounds like sortsubstr() is probably part of what you are looking for too.

            Originally posted by Jim Lovejoy
            Finian,

            Thanks, I got those language references, I missed them before. It was a big help. Scanning the list of functions it is easy to miss the one you need if you are not sure the name you are looking for. When I found Substr there was a link to other string functions so I have some stuff to go through.

            I think it's time to go home and leave this for another day.

            Thanks to all.

            Jim Lovejoy

            Lenny Forziati
            Vice President, Internet Products and Technical Services
            Alpha Software Corporation

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