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Field advance after lookup

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    Field advance after lookup

    If you select a record in a field lookup list box (lookup created in the field rules), the cursor normally returns to the lookup field after record selection either on a form field or browse field.

    You then have to tab off of it to the next field in the sequence. This is a waste of time for the end user.

    There should be a way to automatically advance the cursor to the next field in sequence either in a form lookup field or a browse box lookup field.

    Consider a POS system which accepts a barcode as a product ID in a orderitems browse. Once the field is loaded with the barcode data, the field should advance to the next field in the browse instead of waiting for the end user to tab off of it.

    Is there some code available to do this for both Form fields and browse fields?

    I've tried putting some activate() code in various field events to no avail. The problem is you are in another window when you make the list box selection. Then the cursor returns to the lookup field and there is no event which detects that the cursor just arrived form the previously opened list box.

    Any help would be appreciated on these items.

    I'm struggling with this.
    Regards,
    Chet Sapino
    President,
    SAPINO Enterprises
    6451 Pheasant Rd
    East Syracuse, NY 13057

    #2
    Re: Field advance after lookup

    Chet,

    I use the OnChange event of the lookup field on the form:

    parentform:field_object_name_goes_here.activate() 'Set focus
    Cheryl
    #1 Designs By Pagecrazy
    http://pagecrazy.com/

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Field advance after lookup

      I tried this and I doesn't work for me. If I put this code in the OnChange event of the lookup field, I get the following error:

      e.g., lookup field is "customerno" and I want to advance the cursor to "shipvia" after selecting the customer.

      Both of these fields are in the same table.

      So the code in "customerno" OnChange is topparent:shipvia.activate()

      The shipvia field is a combobox

      I get this error: "Argument is incorrect data type" How is this possible?
      Regards,
      Chet Sapino
      President,
      SAPINO Enterprises
      6451 Pheasant Rd
      East Syracuse, NY 13057

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Field advance after lookup

        Chet, check the properties of the field object being used to display shipvia. Are you using the Object Name in your script? -- tom

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Field advance after lookup

          The object name IS shipvia. I generated the code with action scripting.
          Regards,
          Chet Sapino
          President,
          SAPINO Enterprises
          6451 Pheasant Rd
          East Syracuse, NY 13057

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Field advance after lookup

            Ok. Can't think of any other explanations for the behavior you're seeing. Consider posting a working copy of the database here, with instructions for us to follow in order to see the problem. Maybe we'll be able to suggest an explanation and / or workaround.

            While I understand the desirability of saving the tab keystroke, I have to say that this has never been an issue with any of my customers.

            -- tom

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Field advance after lookup

              Chet,

              I agree with Tom that you need to post a sample and give us the steps to duplicate the error you are getting. Something else is going on in your form or table field rules that we are missing.

              Tom,

              I agree that in most cases the extra keystroke is not an issue. I have one client where in one of the forms there are three of these lookup fields. They need to make three selections, which was 6 keystrokes. By using the onchange event, I was able to minimize this to 3 keystrokes. To them this was a substantial savings as they had a large number of records to enter through this process and in the end saved then a lot of time.
              Cheryl
              #1 Designs By Pagecrazy
              http://pagecrazy.com/

              Comment


                #8
                Re: Field advance after lookup

                Posting my database up here is not an option.

                You can check this out with Alpha Sports where you get the same error.

                Put your code in the customer id field and activate the delivery_by field. Remove the auto popup lookup first in the customer id field and adjust the tab positions, code in customer_id OnArrive is

                topparent:delivery_by.activate()

                Also, In the case where there is data already in the field such as in an existing invoice, clicking on the customer_no field immediately advances to the delivery_by field thereby inactivating the customer_no field.

                Could you look up your working code and post it up here please?



                TIA
                Regards,
                Chet Sapino
                President,
                SAPINO Enterprises
                6451 Pheasant Rd
                East Syracuse, NY 13057

                Comment


                  #9
                  Re: Field advance after lookup

                  If you notice in a _correctly_designed_ point-of-sale application, when a barcode is scanned into a productID field, the field is automatically completed and the cursor moves immediately to the Quantity field. After the Quantity field is completed, the record is saved and the cursor moves to the next record productID field.

                  In a POS application, time is of the essence. If a customer has about 20 items to check out, the end user will be pressing the tab key after scanning the barcode each time which is completely absurd.

                  That's why it is necessary to make this work - Speed of data entry.

                  If you have a whole bunch of lookups on a form, the concept of pressing the tab key after each lookup is archaic technology in my opinion.
                  Regards,
                  Chet Sapino
                  President,
                  SAPINO Enterprises
                  6451 Pheasant Rd
                  East Syracuse, NY 13057

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Re: Field advance after lookup

                    Chet:
                    Your expectations are legitimate, your assertions are correct, but you were knocking on the wrong door.

                    You cannot do that from field rules, but you could do that very easily from any layout wherein after you made your choice from the lookup table the cursor will advance to the next field without any need for user's intervention.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Re: Field advance after lookup

                      How? What is the code and where do I put it?
                      Regards,
                      Chet Sapino
                      President,
                      SAPINO Enterprises
                      6451 Pheasant Rd
                      East Syracuse, NY 13057

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Re: Field advance after lookup

                        Chet:
                        Put it on OnChange event of field1 (the field with the lookup):

                        field2.activate()

                        That's all.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Re: Field advance after lookup

                          That doesn't work. The event doesn't fire unless the field value changes. When you do a lookup, the field is initially empty and then it fills from the lookup. If you then change that value the OnChange event fires. It doesn't fire however when it goes from blank/null to a value loaded in from the lookup list.

                          Try it and see.

                          If I recollect, I put the activate code in every event on the lookup field to no avail. That is why I posted this question up here.
                          Regards,
                          Chet Sapino
                          President,
                          SAPINO Enterprises
                          6451 Pheasant Rd
                          East Syracuse, NY 13057

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Re: Field advance after lookup

                            Chet,

                            I disagree with you. I am using lookup fields and the OnChange event is firing when the field is blank and a value is added from the lookup table. My original post stated: I use the OnChange event of the lookup field on the form. Sorry if you took 'on the form' to mean in field rules.

                            My lookup fields are auto popup ... so perhaps that is why yours is not working and mine is? You mention to remove the auto popup in alpha sports.
                            Cheryl
                            #1 Designs By Pagecrazy
                            http://pagecrazy.com/

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Re: Field advance after lookup

                              Chet, when push comes to shove remember you can program your own lookup dialog, and design the events there to shift focus in the calling form as needed.

                              BTW, a quick look at AlphaSports led me to trace events in the Invoice form. The trace window does not report any events once focus leaves the field to go to the popup lookup dialog and continuing until I manually moved focus to the next field.

                              -- tom

                              Comment

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