Hi All:
I need to change the order fields are captured in a map. I have this map that has many fields, but the fields have to be captured in a particular order wich is diffrerent than the set up of the fields in the map. I know there is a way, but I just can’t remember.
Does anybody knows how to change the order in an “Input using Map” command?
Thanks,
Oscar
Luisiso@hotmail.com
I know there is a way, but I just can’t remember.
Ah visions of Maurice Chevalier and Hermione Gingold in the movie Gigi.
In this case, Oscar, you are Maurice javascript:emoticon(‘:D’)
The reason you do not remember is that there is no way to change the tab order of fields on a Map (which is what I presume you are trying to change when you refer to the capture order). Never has been. Natural always tabs left to right, top to bottom.
Same holds true for Maps on the PC.
HOWEVER, if you are using dialogs on the PC, you can click on Control Sequence under Dialog and alter the sequence for a dialog.
Back to your problem.
Many years ago, just for fun one day, I wrote code that allowed me to alter the sequence of fields. It was NOT pretty code; it was expensive in terms of resources; and, worst of all, was easily messed up by a user. Basically I used a PF Key for a tab key. I wrote a PF Key processing rule that based on where the user was, did a REINPUT … with a MARK clause to put the cursor at the desired next field.
It does work. HOWEVER, if the user hits tab instead of the PF Key, you are back to geographic tabbing. Not pretty; but possible.
I also wrote a piece of code that is a bit more practical. Suppose I have what is basically a spreadsheet of data on a Map. Each Row is a different year of data, each column is a different product.
Suppose I want to change product data (a column) for every year (all rows). That would be a horrendous amount of tabbing. Ah, you say, suppose I redesigned the Map and made rows into columns and visa versa. Now what happens when I want to change all the products for a given year.
Again, I used PF Key processing rules. Based on the PF Key entered, I would create either a vertical or horizontal window at the cursor position. The user could only tab within the window. A PF Key is also used to get rid of the window. Works just fine. No real way for the user to screw things up. (okay, they could hit the wrong PF keys).
If you are interested in the code, let me know and I will post it at the Inside Natural thread. Or, drop me an e-mail at steve@slr-assoc.com
steve
If this is mainframe, the order of capture doesn’t matter: the data is all sent to the mainframe in a block. The processing program doesn’t respond at each field or keystroke (as Unix systems will do), but only when a function key (PF key, enter, etc) is pressed. At that point, you do not know if the fields were entered a,b,c or c,b,a or whatever - it is simply up to the processing program to step through the validation in whatever order is deemed appropriate there
If you do need to capture a field, validate it, determine what field is to be entered next, then you will indeed need to use a technique similar to what Steve suggests - enter/pfkey, check data, perhaps open/close some fields with protected/unprotected dynamic attributes and/or INPUT/REINPUT MARK to highlight the next field.
Thank you guys for your replays. Maybe the way to do it was in another language. Anyways what I am doing is a map to capture some data and I wanted to simplify the work for the Data Entry. They requested the screen to look like the form, but the form has 2 columns, they wanted to load the left column first and then the other.
I now that I can write the code that would do it using Puffs, but it will be expensive for this little application. I guess that the best option is to teach the Data Entry to load horizontally.
Thanks
Oscar
Thank you guys for your replays. Maybe the way to do it was in another language. Anyways what I am doing is a map to capture some data and I wanted to simplify the work for the Data Entry. They requested the screen to look like the form, but the form has 2 columns, they wanted to load the left column first and then the other.
I now that I can write the code that would do it using Puffs, but it will be expensive for this little application. I guess that the best option is to teach the Data Entry to load horizontally.
Thanks
Oscar
Hi Oscar;
If you will go to the Natural General section, and go down to the last entry, Inside Natural, you will find a posting I just made. Download the article entitled Scrolling through the Park. It will show you a fairly simple means for accomplishing what you want to do.
steve