Header detail coding in filePro (was Re: Using filePro - Was Associated Fields and @AF)

[Nancy Palmquist]

Jay R. Ashworth wrote:
> On Fri, Jul 01, 2005 at 09:37:50AM -0400, Nancy Palmquist wrote:
> 
>>I write filePro applications.  I have for over 20 years (as long as 
>>there has been filePro).  I do it for a living, full time.
>>
>>I have designed many,many applications over the years and I have yet to 
>>see any other database that can offer the same flexibility, and ease of 
>>development.
> 
> 
> So, given that, Nancy -- and I'm not rousing rabble, here; I really
> wanna know:
> 
> what percentage of those apps have necessitated header-detail U/I, and
> how did you deal with it? Your own toolkit? Someone elses? Write it from
> scratch every time? Fake it? Or redesign to avoid it, at the cost of
> trainability?
> 
> Cheers,
> -- jra

Many of the apps have header/detail file structures.  Not all require
it.  Once I learned how to do it, it is not hard to do.  I have
developed a style that works for me and just repeat with the variations
required.

I have found that using old code for that part of the programming
(header/detail) is not effective.  The reason is that each application
is unique and I find that modifing existing code is slower than starting
from scratch.

I do have many toolkit chunks that provide logic for listbox selections,
printer selections, scan/select tables, writing exports, creating menus
and stuff like that.  I use those when I can to save time.

I have seen many styles and solutions to the header/detail logic.  I
prefer having a common start place, like the customer record or an order
record.  Then make everything happen from there.  I just add @key logic
for each new function.

I is just such a central part of developing an application that I would
find it difficult not to set it up that way.  In my experience, if the
customer gives a limit to detail lines of any kind, they are always
wrong and will need more later.  So the design that allows 5 detail
lines on the invoice record using associated fields, like the tutorial
will fail because they will want more lines very soon and in the long
run it makes reports more difficult to create based on the detail.  Just
adding the extra programming for a header/detail design will save much
work on report and output design later, the real point of collecting the
data in the first place.

I should put together a class for my web training on designing a
header/detail structure and how it is done.  Maybe some out there would
be interested.  I could easily do it, it is a class I have done live in
the past.

Well, I can see it would require more work for a developer that does not
do this for a living or is learning as they go.  It does not require
very difficult filePro logic, just a little code.  Basic tools require,
BROWSE, arrays, dummy fields, popup update and such.


Nancy
-- 
Nancy Palmquist 		MOS & filePro Training Available
Virtual Software Systems	Web Based Training and Consulting	
PHONE: (412) 835-9417		   Web site:  http://www.vss3.com