Always Required data entry filed rule

[DRW]

Some help with 'always required' filed rule. Define data entry field rules to 'always require' certain fields. In a form, when using the tab key to move between fields or when saving a record A5 traps that a required field has not been completed. But I have two questions:

1) When saving a record that may have multiple required fields that have not been completed what is the logical sequence by which A5 traps these? I presumed it would do so either in forward or reverse defined tab order of the form. But in some cases I find that neither is the case. Does anyone know what the A5 trap sequence logic for 'always required' is?

2) How does one go about getting A5 to trap 'always required' fields when the user is moving between fields on a form using the mouse? For example, place some fields on a form, each with an 'always required' rule attached. Keyboard tab from field to field and A5 traps the 'always required' rule. But, instead use the mouse to move between/across fields. A5 will not trap the 'always required' field rule for individual fields that don�t actually get clicked on by the mouse. Is there a way to trap this for this situation?

[DRW]

Re: Always Required data entry filed rule

A follow up on my question. I just realized that whereas A5 traps the 'always required' rule when tabbing between fields on a form it does not do so when tabbing between columns of a browse. In a browse it only traps the rule on a save. Why? Shouldn't the rule be trapped in a browse in the same manner?

[Bob Arbuthnot]

Re: Always Required data entry filed rule

Doug,

Just speaking for myself here, but I've quit trying to use the field rule "Always Required Data Entry." It gets real annoying during application development, and seems to sometimes lock you in a loop that you can't get out of without rebooting.

I just do all my data entry verification with the Save Record button that I put on the form. Seems to work a whole lot better and has the added advantage of being able to customize the message box that appears.

Others may be using the field rule satisfactorily, but that hasn't been my experience.

Bob Arbuthnot

[jkletrovets]

Re: Always Required data entry filed rule

I agree with Bob......

[DRW]

Re: Always Required data entry field rule

Thanks for your observations. Using the save events would probably be fine for many data entry tasks, but it so far poses challenges with certain designs I am trying to deploy.

For example, on a form with a field with 'must exist' rules and a lookup, which is itself explicitly conditioned upon the value(s) of another field, not trapping 'always required', such as when the mouse is used to move across the form, leads to bad stuff happening.

Attached is a simple example to illustrate what I've encountered. In the attached Test.zip open the form called 'Names_test' and play around with it. This form is bound to the table called 'Names'. There are five fields in the table each with an 'always required' rule. The very first field called 'Type' also has a simple lookup to choose between two allowed values - either Owner or Vendor. The second field, 'Entity_id' also has : 1) a cross validation that requires the 'Entity_id' value must exist in either table named 'Owners' or table named 'Vendors' based on what value is contained in the 'Type' field - if the 'Type' value is Owner then it must exist in Owners, if it is Vendor it must exist in Vendors, and 2) a conditional lookup that users either the 'Owners' or 'Vendors' tables, again dependent on the value in 'Type', to allow picking a valid value for 'Entity-id'.

The form and data entry nominally work as expected as long as a value is actually inputted into the 'Type' field. Enter or pick the value Owner or Vendor and then try: A) typing an entry into the 'Entity_id' field - if it isn't found in the related table it correctly gets trapped, or b) use the 'Entity_id' lookup and a default browse to pick a valid selection will be opened. Cool. But.... and here's where it starts to get messy.

Try to create a new record, but don't enter anything in 'Type' (leave it empty). Instead skip it by using the mouse and clicking into the 'Entity_id' field. Notice that an 'always required' error trap is not generated. Oops. Keep going. Try using the 'Entity-id' lookup and see the nifty error that gets generated. Not exactly what I'd call an end user friendly error message; but hey at least it is trapping that it can't do the lookup (since there is no valid value in 'Type'). So, forget doing the 'Entity_id' lookup and just try entering a value using the keyboard that you know doesn't exist as an ID in either the 'Owners' or 'Vendors' tables. Now since there is no value in 'Type' then there also A5 doesn't trap for 'must exist' in either of the two tables. Uh oh. So keep going. Leave the entry just made to 'Entity-id' in place and go back and put either value Owner or value Vendor into the 'Type' field. The form now shows a valid value for 'Type' but we know the value still contained in 'Entity-id' can't be correct. Yet in this sequence A5 will not attempt to trap what is indeed known to be an invalid entry in 'Entity-Id' and A5 will permit this record to be saved with the data mismatch as long as any other required data entry is performed first. This problem can get real ugly on a much more complicated form.

[jkletrovets]

Re: Always Required data entry filed rule

Douglas,

I did not open your example but I see your issue. Below is the custom required field checking function I wrote. If you fill in your field rules for the descriptive name of the fields then this function will pop up a custom message like:

"The Customer ID Field is Required"

instead of the standard non descript one Alpha throws out there. Although the instructions for implementing this in the header of the function talk about putting it in the on save event you could put it on the onchange or on depart event of each field you want to check. You could also put it in the save button push just to make sure of everything. What I do when I have more than one required field on a form then I just use this function multiple times in the order I want the fields checked. This function also positions the cursor at the problem field if it finds a problem.

In any case, I think you could modify this to work how you might want since it seems you are doing some dependent type stuff based on data entered in previous fields. Just use this function in the proper events that make sense to get you where you want to go.

Regards,

Jeff

'Date Created: 29-Aug-2006 02:14:11 PM
'Last Updated: 04-Jan-2009 03:54:44 PM
'Created By  : Jeff
'Updated By  : Jeff

FUNCTION Reqd_Fld_Check as L (FldToCheck as C)
	'****** Place this function in the OnPush event of the Save Button ************
' ****** Sample Required Field Checking - OnPush event of Save Button
'IF Reqd_Fld_Check("empidf")=.F. then
'	topparent:empidf.activate()
'stop
'end if
' ***** End of Sample Code for Required Field Checking
	DIM TblReqd as P
	DIM FldReqd as P
	TblReqd = table.current()
	fldreqd = TblReqd.field_get(fldtocheck)

	' If table is in Enter Mode then we need to perform the check for an empty field.

	SELECT
		CASE tblreqd.mode_get() = 2
			' ************* ENTER MODE *********** Enter Mode = 2
			IF fldreqd.is_blank() THEN
				' ********  Now get the Default Descrptive Name to display in the message box.
				'This will make this function dynamic by displaying the default descriptive name in
				'the message box.
				'Getting field name here
				fldlong = tblreqd.field_get(fldtocheck)

				'If the table has rules get the default descriptive name which is long_name
				IF fldlong.has_rules() THEN
					rules = fldlong.rules_get()
					long_name = rules.Long_Name
				ELSE
					long_name = "Data Entry"  'use this as default text in message box if no rules
				END IF

				' *********** End of Get Default Descriptive Name *********
				' ***********  Now show error message box ***************
				ui_msg_box("Required Field","The "+long_name+" field must be filled in!",UI_STOP_SYMBOL)
				Reqd_Fld_Check = .F.
				
'					vcommand = "parentform:"+alltrim(FldToCheck)+".activate()"
'				ui_msg_box("dd",vcommand)
'				evaluate_template(vcommand)
'				return
'				vcommand=eval("fldtocheck+'.activate()'")
'				evaluate_template(vcommand)
'				return						
'				end
			ELSE
				'Field has data entered so it is ok to move on
				Reqd_Fld_Check = .T.

			END IF

		CASE tblreqd.mode_get() = 1
			' ************* EDIT MODE *********** Edit Mode = 2
			IF fldreqd.is_blank() THEN
				' ********  Now get the Default Descrptive Name to display in the message box.
				'This will make this function dynamic by displaying the default descriptive name in
				'the message box.
				fldlong = tblreqd.field_get(fldtocheck)

				'If the table has rules get the default descriptive name which is long_name
				IF fldlong.has_rules() THEN
					rules = fldlong.rules_get()
					long_name = rules.Long_Name
				ELSE
					long_name = "Data Entry"
				END IF

				' *********** End of Get Default Descriptive Name *********
				' ***********  Now show error message box ***************
				ui_msg_box("Required Field","The "+long_name+" field must be filled in!",UI_STOP_SYMBOL)
				Reqd_Fld_Check = .F.
'				vcommand = "parentform."+alltrim(FldToCheck)+".activate"
'				ui_msg_box("dd",vcommand)
'				evaluate_template(vcommand)
'				end
'				vcommand=eval("fldtocheck+'.activate()'")
'				evaluate_template(vcommand)
'				return
'				end
			ELSE
				'Field has data so it is ok to move on
				Reqd_Fld_Check = .T.

			END IF

	END SELECT
	

END FUNCTION

[DRW]

Re: Always Required data entry filed rule

Thanks for sharing your code snippet. I will peruse it carefully for applicability to my needs when I get some time. I really appreciate your assistance. Thanks again.