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Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field

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On 2018-10-27 02:02:11 +0000, Charles H. Sampson said:

> Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> wrote:
> 
>> On 2018-10-23 00:23:14 +0000, Charles H. Sampson said:
>>> Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> wrote:
>>>> On 2018-10-21 21:20:36 +0000, Charles H. Sampson said:
>>>>> 
>>>>> In a script, how do I remember a field and later put the cursor into
>>>>> that field and make it the active field? I've experimented with Go To
>>>>> Object and Set Field by Name (in this case setting it to its saved
>>>>> initial contents). In spite of what the online documentation seems to
>>>>> say, neither of these leaves the cursor in the field/object, instead
>>>>> putting it into the next field in tab order.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Am I misreading? Am I doing something else wrong?
>>>>> 
>>>>> FMP 16.
>>>> 
>>>> Each new re-worked version of FileMaker Pro just gets messier and
>>>> messier. Even the Script "Workspace" (the stupid name for the Script
>>>> Editor) is unnecessarily over-complicated.   :o(
>>>> 
>>>> This function used to be very easy, but now it seems to be somewhat
>>>> more complicated. I managed to get it to work using this technique ...
>>>> 
>>>> 1.  In Layout Mode, click in each Field on the Layout one at a time
>>>> and give each a unique Object Name in the silly Inspector palette
>>>> (for the sake of ease of use and understanding, it's probably best
>>>> to simply use an Object Name which is the as the Field's name in
>>>> the Define Fields window).
>>>> 
>>>> 2.  Create a new Global Text Field called g_ActiveField which the Scripts
>>>> can use to store the currently active Field's Object Name (you can
>>>> probably use a Variable if you prefer).
>>>> 
>>>> 3.  Now you can use two commands in your Scripts:
>>>> - to store the Object Name of the currently active field use
>>>> Set Field [g_ActiveField; Get(ActiveLayoutObjectName)]
>>>> 
>>>> - to go to the Field stored in g_ActiveField
>>>> Go To Object [Object Name: g_ActiveField]
>>> 
>>> I've tried this, using both the global field and the variable, and I
>>> can't get it to work. Here's what I've discovered: My script is
>>> triggered by exit the field (the field object). I hoped that this would
>>> activate as I tried to exit the field but before the field is actually
>>> left. That seems to be the case. I begin by capturing three pieces of
>>> data: the field's name, using both techniques, and the contents of the
>>> field. Much later I use a custom dialog to display these data and they
>>> are what they should be.
>>> 
>>> I exit the field in question by clicking in another field, including
>>> another field of a different record. After the script executes the Go To
>>> Object or Set Field by Name step, that field is where the cursor is
>>> placed.
>>> 
>>> I've tried all four combinations of Set Variable/Set Field and Go To
>>> Object/Set Field by Name.
>>> 
>>> And here's the latest word: I've just discovered that Set Field By Name
>>> isn't working at all. Instead of setting the field to its previously
>>> saved initial value, I tried to set it to a different value. The initial
>>> value is what showed up.
>> 
>> When you run the 'Go To' Script it causes the database to exit the
>> second field (even though it doesn't deactivate) causing the 'Exit'
>> Script to be run first, which of course changes the data for the Field
>> it will return to.
>> 
>> It's a clumsy approach, but what you can do is capture the Previous
>> Field's Object Name separately:
>> 
>> - Create another Global Text Field (or variable) called
>> g_PreviousActiveField
>> (You will also need another Field to similarly capture
>> the field data)
>> 
>> - Create a new Script with the command:
>> Set Field [g_PreviousActiveField; g_ActiveField]
>> 
>> - In Layout Mode, set all the necessary Fields to also
>> have an OnObjectEnter trigger using the above Script
>> 
>> - Change the 'Go To' Script to use the g_PreviousActiveField
>> Field:
>> Go To Object [Object Name: g_PreviousActiveField]
>> 
>> 
>> What now happens is:
>> - Exiting a Field triggers the Exit Script, so stores that Field's
>> Object Name in the g_ActiveField.
>> 
>> - If you have clicked in another Field, it will trigger the
>> Enter Script, which copies the current contents of g_ActiveField
>> to g_PreviousActiveField.
>> 
>> - When you run the 'Go To' Script, it goes to the correct field
>> because it's ignoring the change to g_ActiveField occuring due to
>> the 'Go To' Script first triggering the Exit Script from the
>> second Field.
>> 
>> All clear as mud??  :o)
>> 
>> 
>> This works in some quick tests, but there are three problems though.
>> 
>> 1.  If you exit the first Field by clicking anywhere that isn't another
>> Field (i.e. a blank space on the layout, a button, etc.), then the
>> Enter Script won't be run. You might be able to workaround this by
>> including a test in the 'Go To' Script, but it would depend on how
>> the second problem can be solved ...
>> 
>> 2.  You'll need some way to clear the data from both g_ActiveField and
>> g_PreviousActiveField.
>> 
>> 3.  If you're using a Layout in List View, then you will also need to
>> capture the Record Number when exiting the Field and alter the
>> 'Go To' Script to go back to the original Record as well as the
>> original Field - otherwise when you click on another record to exit
>> the Field, the 'Go To' will go to the correct Field, but incorrectly
>> in the current Record.
>> 
>> 
>> Perhaps it would help if you explain why you're trying to achieve this.
>> There might be a better approach to doing what you want.
> 
> Thanks again, Harry. It's going to take me a while to digest all this.
> 
> What I'm trying to do: I have a script that validates input that's
> supposed to be money. It catches every error I could think of and
> informs the user, using a custom dialog. At present, the custom dialog
> has only an OK button. After clicking on this button, the user has to
> click in the field again to fix the error(s). I'd like to modify this so
> the custom dialog has Fix and Accept buttons, with clicking on the Fix
> button resulting in the cursor being in the erroneous field.
> 
> One problem with my current script, which I consider better than
> nothing, is that upon exiting the money field, which is just a number
> field to FM, FM displays the erroneous data using its wildly lax
> interpretation of the input. The result is that no particular error is
> obvious, unless the user notices that the value in the field is not what
> he wanted.
> 
> The reason for wanting an Accept button is another story.
> 
> Charlie

You could highlight the field that has the error, by putting a 
Calculation Container field behind it on the Layout which "lights up" 
when there's an error in the main field's data.

Should be easier and more noticeable.

Helpful Harry  :o)

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Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-10-21 14:20 -0700
  Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-10-22 13:39 +1300
    Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-10-22 17:23 -0700
      Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-10-23 19:17 +1300
        Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-10-26 19:02 -0700
          Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field none@gmail.com - 2018-10-27 16:38 +0200
            Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-10-28 18:13 +1300
              Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-11-07 20:09 -0800
            Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-11-07 19:32 -0800
          Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-10-28 18:15 +1300
            Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-11-07 20:09 -0800
  Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field Howard Schlossberg <howard@nospam.fmprosolutions.com> - 2018-10-21 18:15 -0700
    Re: Scripting: Putting the Cursor into a Specific Field csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-10-22 17:23 -0700

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