Web application help

[djtreble]

Hi

I am new to Alpha five and am busy creating a database solution for a client.

The "application" has a step by step process of taking details from the user and inputing it into the database/table. Now how do I get a step by step process working with populating one table.

eg.

Table contains these fields:
-name
-surname
-DOB
-Address
-childs name
-childs age
-school or nursery
-sport

Now the two steps need to be as follows:
Page 1: enter persons details (name, surname, DOB, address)
Page 2: Enter child's details (childs name, childs dob, school or nursery, sport)

after clicking submit on page two it needs to populate the table with the two page's details as one record.

There is a good reason for the stepped process so can't look at seperating the tables.

Can anyone give me a rough idea of what is needed code wise, etc?

Thanks
Dylan

[Steve Wood]

Re: Web application help

I just walked someone else through this, so here is what I said:

for a two page input process you need one dialog and two Grids, each on separate A5W pages. And probably a final page saying Thanks.

First page has a dialog with one purpose, to create a new table record and establish the "survey id". The survey id is the unique value for this survey and allows grid 1 and 2 to point to the correct record.

You need to add a 32 character field to your table named ID.

The dialog needs at least one field, so you might ask their name. Then in AfterValidate you have:

dim tbl as p
tbl=table.open("[PathAlias.ADB_Path]\mytable")
tbl.enter_begin()
tbl.id = remspecial(api_uuidcreate())
tbl.name = currentform.controls.name.value
tbl.enter_end()
session.__protected__surveyid= tbl.id
tbl.close()
currentform.redirecttable="mypage1.a5w" ' page with the first grid

That creates a record and puts the unique id in a session var and sends them to the next page with the first grid.

On both grids, filter them to show only that one record based on session variable.

On each grid, use the Target in Properties to send them the 'next' page after each Submit.

When they complete the last page, they are done. To complete the process, you do need code to ensure they don't answer the same survey a second time, if that is important.

[djtreble]

Re: Web application help

I just walked someone else through this, so here is what I said:

for a two page input process you need one dialog and two Grids, each on separate A5W pages. And probably a final page saying Thanks.

First page has a dialog with one purpose, to create a new table record and establish the "survey id". The survey id is the unique value for this survey and allows grid 1 and 2 to point to the correct record.

You need to add a 32 character field to your table named ID.

The dialog needs at least one field, so you might ask their name. Then in AfterValidate you have:

dim tbl as p
tbl=table.open("[PathAlias.ADB_Path]\mytable")
tbl.enter_begin()
tbl.id = remspecial(api_uuidcreate())
tbl.name = currentform.controls.name.value
tbl.enter_end()
session.__protected__surveyid= tbl.id
tbl.close()
currentform.redirecttable="mypage1.a5w" ' page with the first grid

That creates a record and puts the unique id in a session var and sends them to the next page with the first grid.

On both grids, filter them to show only that one record based on session variable.

On each grid, use the Target in Properties to send them the 'next' page after each Submit.

When they complete the last page, they are done. To complete the process, you do need code to ensure they don't answer the same survey a second time, if that is important.

Hi Steve and thanks for the reply

I do not quite understand as it seems you have given me the exact quote from when you dealt with the other person. So I'm battling to understand how it works.

Just another note, my step by step process will have more than one page.
Oh and I don't want any grids to be vsisble.
Imagine you are registering on a website and you go through a step by step process.....that is what I need but all the details to go into one table as a single record

[Steve Wood]

Re: Web application help

I tailored it to what I thought you needed. Once you run the first step that creates a record, you can have as many steps as you need, following the same method. Which part do you need help understanding? There are other ways to do this, I just happen to like this method.

[djtreble]

Re: Web application help

I tailored it to what I thought you needed. Once you run the first step that creates a record, you can have as many steps as you need, following the same method. Which part do you need help understanding? There are other ways to do this, I just happen to like this method.

Ok sorry if this is going to seem long winded

Screen shots to help are included.
Page 1:


Select a service, click next. This will create the record with the unique ID automatically (all records will have a unique id) and fill in service_type field.
So far this is what I have in AfterValidate:
t = table.open("[pathalias.adb_path]\main")
t.enter_begin()
t.Service_type = alltrim(CurrentForm.Controls.Service.value)

CurrentForm.RedirectTarget = "new_refferal_2.a5w"

Page 2:


Enter in the details then click next. This will then populate the record that was created on page 1 with the corresponding fields, then move on to page 3, etc, etc.

So I need to know what code needs to be in each page's AfterValidate/elsewhere and what code to use on the final page where they will finish populating the new record.

[djtreble]

Re: Web application help

Sorry, ignore the second "service" field in page 2, that isn't meant to be there

[Steve Wood]

Re: Web application help

In my design, the first page is a dialog like you have it, the rest of the pages are grids filtered to show the record created in page one. You can use Dialogs everywhere, but its a pain.

You left out the later half of the code for dialog 1. On the very last grid you can include a hidden field that flags the survey as done. (Misspelled referral.)

[djtreble]

Re: Web application help

In my design, the first page is a dialog like you have it, the rest of the pages are grids filtered to show the record created in page one. You can use Dialogs everywhere, but its a pain.

You left out the later half of the code for dialog 1. On the very last grid you can include a hidden field that flags the survey as done. (Misspelled referral.)

Ah ha.....now I understand how you have yours working

No I need to make my application fully idiot proof...hence using just the dialogs.

I can understand it may be a pain but I will go through the pain of making it work as long as the end product is VERY easy to use.

Can you help?

[Steve Wood]

Re: Web application help

Using grids will be just as idiot proof and a lot easier on your part. Using dialogs you have to deal with field types while grids do that internally. With a dialog you have to write 10-30 lines of code per dialog, zero with a grid. You just set your filter on the grid to match the surveyid and to show only one record, only allow update, not insert or delete and turn off a lot of the nifty things that are defaults in a V10 grid, but dont apply to a one-record grid.

But if you want to use dialogs you need to know how to open a table, set the primary filter, set the index value, see if there is a matching record, update if so, deal with it if not, close table...

[djtreble]

Re: Web application help

Using grids will be just as idiot proof and a lot easier on your part. Using dialogs you have to deal with field types while grids do that internally. With a dialog you have to write 10-30 lines of code per dialog, zero with a grid. You just set your filter on the grid to match the surveyid and to show only one record, only allow update, not insert or delete and turn off a lot of the nifty things that are defaults in a V10 grid, but dont apply to a one-record grid.

But if you want to use dialogs you need to know how to open a table, set the primary filter, set the index value, see if there is a matching record, update if so, deal with it if not, close table...

Ok, I am going to try what you suggest then.

Where in the grid in properties is "target"?

Also how do you take the session variable to filter the records shown?

[Steve Wood]

Re: Web application help

Using session vars to filter records uses Arguments in the Grid. The Target is under Customization under Update Properties, only visible if you have one or more fields set as updateable.

[djtreble]

Re: Web application help

Using session vars to filter records uses Arguments in the Grid. The Target is under Customization under Update Properties, only visible if you have one or more fields set as updateable.

Brilliant, got it working!

How easy was that!!!

Thanks alot for your help!

[djtreble]

Re: Web application help

To further my application, during the step by step process, I now need to add details to a different table called "child" and use the "session id" created by the dialog on page 1 to populate a field called "cross_ref" in the "child" table before it brings up the grid.

So after clicking next on the second page:


It will then populate the fields filled there (which it does already) and then populate the field "cross_ref" in the table "child" with the session variable. The reason it needs to do this after the "next" button is it will go to a third page to bring up the "child" grid filtered by the session variable. And it's used to link children's details to a client.

Can you help again?

Please let me know if you don't understand

[djtreble]

Re: Web application help

Also how do i populate a field with the user's name when using grids?
I'm using the built in security system of Alpha 5

And how do you end a session variable?

[Pat Bremkamp]

Re: Web application help

Dylan,

It takes a lot of courage to contract with a client to create an application with a product you don't know how to use...

If you look in the "Announcements" section of this board, you'll see that Alpha is offering training in February. Day one looks like it would be perfect for you because that stuff is the same for V9 and V10.

Otherwise, I think those of us who help out on the board may get tired of writing your application for you (for free).

Pat