SMALLS()
Short:
------
SMALLS() Lookup tables on dbf with optional hotkeys, code block
Returns:
--------
lReturn => True if CR pressed, False otherwise
Syntax:
-------
Smalls(expDisplayString,[cTitle],[expAlias],[expReturn],;
[expStartRange,expEndRange],[bException],[lForceCaps])
Description:
------------
Popup windowed lookup tables. Many options.
The up/down/home/end/pgup/pgdn keys are active. If
there is an controlling index key and the user types alphanumeric
characters, it is assumed a keysearch is wanted. A read pops up
allowing the user to complete the search key, and a seek is then
done.
Pressing ENTER or ESCAPE exits the lookup and closes
the window.
Depending on values contained in the optional
parameters, values may be KEYBOARDED or ASSIGNED at that time.
Other keys may be assigned actions, depending on the
last parameter, described below.
<expDisplayString> is what appears for each row in
the lookup table.
Think of it as a column definition for Tbrowse.
It can be either:
1. A Characters string like
"LAST+MI+LEFT(FIRST,1)"
In which case it is macro expanded and made
into a code block to display this expression
2. A Codeblock like
{||LAST+MI+LEFT(FIRST,1)}
The resulting codeblock is then used as a
Tbrowse column definition.
[cTitle] is an optional lookup box title string
[expAlias] Determines the area/dbf/ntx to use, can be
(expC) alias name or
(expN) numeric work area or
(expC) dbf/ndx in the format
"%dbfname%ndxname"
If left as nil, the current DBF/NTX are
used and left open when done at the last record
pointer position.
[expReturn] This determines what happens when CR is
pressed. It need not be anything, but it can be:
(expC) a character expression which is
macro expanded and KEYBOARDed. Any valid character
expression will do.
(Bear in mind that it must be
character. If you want to keyboard a value into a DATE
field, for instance, your keyboard expression could be
"DTOC(entrydate)"
(expB) a code block which is simply
evaluated. this can do
anything you wish. It could assign
multiple values
from the lookup file into active
gets, for instance.
[expStartRange-expEndRange]
These are valid for indexed files, and
determine the beginning and ending key ranges. The
values must match the type of the controlling index.
[bException]
If this codeblock is passed, any keys
except up/down/enter/pgup/pgdn/home/end/escape (and
alphanumeric keys if indexed ) will cause the block to be
evaluated like so:
eval(block,lastkey())
Some interesting ideas for this would be
to assign a key to an update routine for updating the
lookup dbf while doing a lookup. (yikes - you didn't hear
that from me!)
[lForceCaps]
Means force capital letters when user is typing in a
lookup key. Allows case-insensitive search when index is on
upper(field)
Examples:
---------
// lookup on "LNAME+' '+FNAME" in current area
smalls("LNAME+' '+FNAME")
// lookup on "LNAME+' '+FNAME" in current area
// use "Name" as box title
smalls("LNAME+' '+FNAME","Name")
// lookup on "LNAME+' '+FNAME" in current area
// use "Name" as box title
// go to area 5 for the lookup
// send LNAME to the keyboard if CR pressed
smalls({||LNAME+''+FNAME},"Name",5,"LNAME")
// lookup on "LNAME+' '+FNAME" in current area
// use "Name" as box title
// go to alias CUSTOMER for the lookup
smalls("LNAME+''+FNAME","Name","CUSTOMER")
// open customer.dbf and do a lookup on it
// lookup on "LNAME+' '+FNAME"
// use "Name" as box title
smalls("LNAME+''+FNAME","Name","%CUSTOMER")
// open customer.dbf and do a lookup on it
// lookup on "LNAME+' '+FNAME"
// use "Name" as box title
// limit lookup to between "SMITH" and "ZEBRA"
smalls("LNAME+''+FNAME","Name","%CUSTOMER%NAME", ;
"SMITH","ZEBRA")
// open CUSTOMER.DBF with ENTRYDATE.NDX and do a lookup
// lookup on "LNAME+' '+FNAME"
// use "Name" as box title
// limit lookup to the last year
smalls("LNAME+''+FNAME","Name", ;
"%CUSTOMER%ENTRYDATE",date()365, date())
Notes:
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see SMALLVALID(), SMALLWHEN() and SMALLKSET() for
various get system interfaces to SMALLS().
Source:
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S_SMAL.PRG
