Housecleaning questions

[acceptthis]

I had a couple of questions and wondered if anyone could help:

1)Whenever I open my local help window, and it isn't already open, the window pops up to about 1/6th screen size (see the image). I have to expand it to see anything. How do I get it to popup to a usable size the first time? Is this a windows or explorer default?

2)Sometimes I get an error that I have a table open when it's not open. I've noticed on the xbasic explorer that there's an open windows session for that table. I read a post with a similar problem where packing the database might fix it, but the table I that just recently had the problem, gets zapped regularly. To help me find what the cause is, where can I look? More importantly, can I close it manually? Right now, I have to shut down Alpha and start again if I want to perform any operation that requires the other sessions to be close. By the way, my computer is a stand-alone, single user license.

[acceptthis]

Here's the picture. I thought I uploaded it but I guess not.

[CALocklin]

First, you're better off putting separate questions in separate threads. You'll often get better answers that way.

1. When you open the Help file from within A5, I don't think there is any way to change the initial size. What I do is put an icon on my Quick Launch toolbar in Windows. This re-opens the Help file to the same size and location as the last time it was closed. It also makes it one click away rather then the horrendous two clicks required within A5. (I sure am lazy!) And, you can open multiple copies of the help file that way if you are so inclined. (Sometimes it does come in handy.)

2. In my experience, every time I manage to get the "table already open" error - and it happens fairly often but I'm getting better - it has turned out to be either my fault directly (i.e., didn't close something properly in my code) or the result of problems that occurred during development. Whenever something goes wrong during development - and it doesn't have to be a full blown A5 crash, there's always a chance that a form or table could get left open in memory even though you can't see it anymore. Sometimes it's just a matter of trial and error to locate the offending action.

On occassion I've been able to close the table by running something like the following in the Interactive Editor but I usually end up rebooting Alpha:
tp = table.get("<tablename>")
tp.close()

If this is happening to regular users, there's something in some code somewhere that is causing it. Since there are a lot of possibilities, it's hard to say where you should start looking; each situation will be different. If it only happens during development, I wouldn't panic over it.

[acceptthis]

maximize local help window and open table when it's not open

Thanks for all three of your ideas.
1) I like the quick launch idea. I must be lazy like you.
2) I figured that was the problem because it doesn't happen when I'm just using the app., only when I'm developing or changing things.
3) I only posted them together because they were two things that weren't that important so I thought I'd put them together. Another good reason to separate them is when people search the posts. It would be easier for them to find an answer than have to read my meaningless title.

[Tim Kiebert]

Re &quot;table already open&quot; error

2. In my experience, every time I manage to get the "table already open" error - and it happens fairly often but I'm getting better - it has turned out to be either my fault directly (i.e., didn't close something properly in my code) or the result of problems that occurred during development. Whenever something goes wrong during development - and it doesn't have to be a full blown A5 crash, there's always a chance that a form or table could get left open in memory even though you can't see it anymore. Sometimes it's just a matter of trial and error to locate the offending action.

Cal,

As someone who idolises you Alpha 5 experts I am surprised that you would ever get that error. Let alone have something go wrong during development. :D It makes me feel a bit better. For you to admit it is like taking a giant leap of the pedestal. :D


Seriously though, Cal and Brad,
I get this quite regularly (during development) and have found the function A5_ForceCloseTables() very useful. I have edited the contol panel system toolbar and added a button that runs that function. When I get the error telling the table is still open I go, 'Doh', and push the button and most times it gets me out of trouble. Because the function acts on tables that don't have open windows it sometimes doesn't work because I have been scripting a form to open as dialog and something has gone awry. (I can quickly see if the form is open and hidden if the form names in the windowbar have extra digits attached.) Then I go to the interactive editor and start typing the name of the what I think is the offending form. If it is still open the name will popup in the autocomplete bubble. I then press enter and add 'close()' to close the form. These procedures get me out of trouble most of the time. However, there are still plenty of times that I stuff up well enough to have to close Alpha.:(