DataWindow Script Techniques

How do I set a property for an entire column?

Modify(”shft_id.visible = 0″)

Modify(”shft_desc.protect = 1″)

How many rows selected?

Li_select_count = integer(dw_1.Describe(“Evaluate(‘Sum(if(IsSelected (), 1, 0))’, 0)”))

How do I check the name of the DataWindow?

adw_current.ClassName() = ‘dw_handwork_finishing’

Putting a Help button on a DataWindow dialog box

DataWindow dialog boxes, such as the ones which may come up for Sort( ) and Filter( ) after the Setxxx is passed a string variable with a Null value, can have a Help button appear. For details see 14-8 of the Mastering DataWindows 6.0 book.

How do I dynamically create and destroy bit maps in a datawindow?

You can dynamically create and destroy objects (such as text, bitmaps, and graphic objects) in a DataWindow object using CREATE and DESTROY requests as part of the Modify() function

This statement adds a bitmap named Logo to the header area for group level 1 in the DataWindow object:

Dw_1.Modify(“CREATE bitmap(band=header.1 “ &
+ “x=’1985’ y=‘4’ height=’128’ width=’146’ “ &

+ “filename=’C: \PICS\LOGO.BMP’ name=logo “))

The following statement destroys a bitmap object named logo:

Dw_Modify(“DESTROY log”)

Smart Filter (way cool)

Outside the datawindow, a sle exists. Whatever the user enters into this field will filter the datawindow . Any columns which do not include the entered string are excluded.

1) Create a computed column on the datawindow called c_key. This will contain a string of all the columns you wish to include in the filter. Any numbers or dates need to be converted to strings.

2) Do whatever you need to do to make this computed column not visible to the user

3) Add a single line edit with the following user event mapped to pbm_keyup

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Event: sle_filter:ue_keyup  (pbm_keyup)
//
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

string ls_Filter, ls_text

ls_text = Upper(this.text)
if ls_text = "" then
   ls_filter = ""
else
   ls_filter = 'match (c_key, "' + ls_text + '")'
end if

dw_1.SetFilter(ls_filter)
dw_1.Filter()

In a datawindow, how do I have the “Enter” key work like a tab?

You will need to declare a user event

ue_ReturnAsTab pbm_dwnprocessenter

In the ue_returnastab event code;

Send(Handle(this),256,9,Long(0,0)

Return 1

This is now part of the pfd_u_dw and the functionality is turned on by adding the following to the constructor event:

ib_enterastab = True

SetItem is too slow

When you have a need for speed:

Traditional method

Dw_example.InsertRow(0)
Dw_example.SetItem(1, “StringCol1”, “Hello, There”)
Dw_example.SetItem(1, “NumberCol1”, 100)
Dw_example.SetItem(1, “NumberCol2”, 200)
Dw_example.SetItem(1, “StringCol2”, “Hello, Again”)

Faster method

Dw_example.ImportString(“Hello, theres~t100~t200~tHello, Again”)

How do I make a datawindow read only?

Dw_1.object.DataWindow.ReadOnly = ‘yes’

Can you create an html form for a datawindow and datastore?

Yes, by using the GenerateHtmlForm function.

How do I coordinate the update of multiple DataWindows?

Update( ) will accept two parameters, AcceptText and ResetFlags. The default is True, True

Accept text True means that the edit control is sent to the DataWindow. DataWindow validation is performed.

ResetFlag = False will not reset the status flags. This must be done with the ResetUpdate( ) function.

Example:

IF dw_1.Update(True, False) = 1 THEN
    IF dw_2.Updte( ) = 1 THE
       COMMIT USING SQLCA
       Dw_2.ResetUpdate( )
    ELSE
       ROLLBACK USING SQLCA
    END IF
 ELSE
    ROLLBACK USING SQLCA
 END IF

When a data entry fills an entire field, how do I make the cursor skip to the next field?

1. Auto Skip property of Edit Mask

When this box is checked on the Mask property sheet of the EditMask control, the user’s cursor will automatically skip to the next control in the tabbing order after entering all the characters allowed by the mask. If this box is not checked, the cursor will not skip automatically to the next control.

The AutoSkip property is a boolean value. This example enables automatic skipping to the next control.

em_1.AutoSkip = TRUE

2. The EditChanged Event

integer li_max_col_size, li_rc
string  ls_col_name, ls_nextcol, ls_coldata

CHOOSE CASE dwo.name
   CASE "system_no"
      li_max_col_size = 3
      ls_nextcol = "acct_code"
    CASE "acct_code"
       li_max_col_size = 3
       ls_nextcol = "application_name"
     CASE "dev_year"
        li_max_col_size = 4
        ls_nextcol = "last_application_upgrade_date"
     CASE "app_fail_year"
        li_max_col_size = 4
        ls_nextcol = "shared_data_desc"
//   CASE "last_application_upgrade_date"
//      li_max_col_size =
     CASE ELSE
        Return 0
 END CHOOSE

ls_col_name = dwo.name
GetItemString(row, ls_col_name)

IF Len(GetItemString(row, ls_col_name)) > 0 THEN Return 

IF Len(data) >= li_max_col_size THEN
    li_rc = this.AcceptText( )
    IF li_rc = 1 THEN
       li_rc = this.SetColumn(ls_nextcol)
       IF li_rc = -1 THEN
          MessageBox("edit changed event”, “Unknown column ~"" + ls_nextcol + "~"")
       END IF
    ELSE
       Return 0
    END IF
 END IF

I get the following Run Time Error: A PowerBuilder message box “Datawindow Error”, “Value Required For This Item”

I got this from doing a describe (Evaluate (’LookUpDisplay(pos_cd)’,1)). In my case the datawindow column name in the Column Specification panel shows that the actual column name is different than the DB Name.

I have a hh:mm editmask on a a datetime field, when I update the time, it sets the Date part to 01/01/2000

You need to find the correct date value through some other means, parse the new time from the data argument and glue the two together.