Dynamic length Xdialog

[Mike Wilson]

Good morning,

I spent most of yesterday reviewing the Xdialog docs and haven't found reference for this (found other good stuff but not the answer to this, which may be the answer).

I have created a function that produces two, sorted crlf() lists, presents them both side-by-side in an Xdialog and then subtracts the two lists and presents those list items that are not common in a second Xdialog. The number of lines in the Xdialog could be 1 -50 lines. Is there a method to use a temp list count as a variable to assign the number of lines presented in the Xdialog? It seems the line number for the Xdialog is hard coded (red highlight in code below) and cannot be driven by a variable.

DELETE a_vLone
DELETE a_vLtwo
DIM a_vLone[temp_count] as c
Dim a_vLtwo[temp_count] as C
a_vLone.initialize(auto_list_vLone)
a_vLtwo.initialize(auto_list_vLtwo)
ok_button_label = "&OK"
cancel_button_label = "&Cancel"
varC_result = ui_dlg_box("ListCompare",<<%dlg%
{Font = Arial,8,""}
{region}
Which:|[.40,[COLOR="Red"]40[/COLOR]vLone^#a_vLone]|{sp}|[.40,[COLOR="red"]40[/COLOR]vLtwo^#a_vLtwo] ;
{endregion};
{line=2,2;
{region}
<*15=ok_button_label!OK> <15=cancel_button_label!CANCEL>
{endregion};
%dlg%)

Thanks

[JerryBrightbill]

Re: Dynamic length Xdialog

Try this link

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: Dynamic length Xdialog

Hi Mike,

There are a couple of ways that I have discovered and/or gleaned from the forum.

One is the ' {include} ' command. It is used to include the contents of a variable in the dialog definition. The help file is a little confusing on this as it refers to this command as a way to include reference to a help file and seems to imply that it automatically changes the variable to a form of 'Help= ....'. However I think that there are bits of example code missing in this help section because if you follow the link on that page to {Help} it gives a much better example of how {include} works.

The key thing to remember when working with xdialog is that the dialog definition is just text. So you can manipulate that text any way you want before it is actually used in the definition.

A couple of examples: 'your array initialistion is assumed in all the examples. And i removed the OK and Cancel button assignments and put them in direct.

Using the {include} command

Dim Shared vListsDef as C
'the  next line builds the string to be included in the dialog definition
'the [COLOR=Red](""+temp_count)[COLOR=Black] converts temp_count to a character value[/COLOR][/COLOR]
vListsDef = "[.40," + [COLOR=Red](""+temp_count) [COLOR=Black]+ "[/COLOR][/COLOR]vLone^#a_vLone]|{sp}|[.40," + [COLOR=Red](""+temp_count)[/COLOR] + "vLtwo^#a_vLtwo]"

varC_result = ui_dlg_box("ListCompare",<<%dlg%
{Font = Arial,8,""}
{region}
Which:|[COLOR=Red]
{include=vListsDef}[/COLOR] ;
{endregion};
{line=2,2;
{region}
<*15&OK!OK> <15&Cancel!CANCEL>
{endregion};
%dlg%)

Building the definition in three parts, then assigning to a variable which gets used in the ui_dlg_box function

[COLOR=Red]
[COLOR=Black]vdlg1 = [/COLOR][/COLOR]<<%dlg%
{Font = Arial,8,""}
{region}
Which:|[.40,%dlg%[COLOR=Red][COLOR=Black]

vdlg2 = [/COLOR][/COLOR]<<%dlg%[COLOR=Red]
[/COLOR]vLone^#a_vLone]|{sp}|[.40,%dlg%[COLOR=Black]

vdlg3 = [/COLOR]<<%dlg%
vLtwo^#a_vLtwo] ;
{endregion};
{line=2,2;
{region}
<*15&OK!OK> <15&Cancel!CANCEL>
{endregion};%dlg%[COLOR=Black]

vdlg = vdlg1 + (""+temp_count) + vdlg2 + (""+temp_count) + vdlg3

[/COLOR]varC_result = ui_dlg_box("ListCompare",vdlg)

Building the definition in one lot but including a place holder for the size. Then use strtran() to insert the temp_count value

vdlg = <<%dlg%
{Font = Arial,8,""}
{region}
Which:|[.40,[COLOR=Red]~PlaceHolder~[/COLOR]vLone^#a_vLone]|{sp}|[.40,[COLOR=red]~PlaceHolder~[/COLOR]vLtwo^#a_vLtwo] ;
{endregion};
{line=2,2;
{region}
<*15&OK!OK> <15&Cancel!CANCEL>
{endregion};
%dlg%

vdlg = strtran(vdlg,"[COLOR=Red]~PlaceHolder~[/COLOR]",(""+temp_count))

varC_result = ui_dlg_box("ListCompare",vdlg)

I prefer this last one.

EDIT:
I was just testing my examples when Jerry posted his link. I could have saved some typing :p Also, from the code on that link I deduce that I didn't need (""+temp_count) to convert to character when constructing the string since temp_count is being concatenated to string already.

[Mike Wilson]

Re: Dynamic length Xdialog

Jerry,Tim,
Thank you very much!! The list of question this answers for me is huge! I am geeked! The examples you gave Tim are great. To try them all now and see which one mentally sticks. I'm thinking the last one, too.

I searched and search for this and have learned once again how finicky the search words are, having searched using the plural 'variables' and not variable. Lesson learned, in case others do the same:

Variables with Xdialog, variables in Xdialog, xdialog using variables, xdialog with variables, Xdialog variables, variables xdialog, Xdialog haing variables, Xdialog containing variables, variables within Xdialog.

[MikeC]

Re: Dynamic length Xdialog

Mike,

Off actual topic but...

Along with your last statement concerning searches...and applies to virtually any search site as most do not use "fuzzy logic" (words close in spelling are included) for search words---if you are searching for something that is relatively obscure and have exhausted every search word(s) you can think of, try searching with the word(s) misspelled! I have used this many times and works.
And it looks like you did use word positioning which is very important when searching as most search engines will list relevance in the word order you use.
I also use quotes ( " " ) around the word or phrase to narrow down the search criteria which tells most search engines that the results have to have that word or phrase in it.
There are other parameters for searching but I think these are what I consider most useful when trying to find things.


Also, along with what Tim had to say. Many times in Alpha's help you can find what you are looking for by using the other links within the results especially for getting more examples of what you are seeking

Mike