Where does RB Validate AutoSearch values?

rbuser

Let me describe briefly what I ams trying to do: I want the enduser on the
data tab to be able to enter the words "StartDate" and "StopDate" into the
Value box when setting the search on a report. I want to know in what unit
RB checks whether something is a valid date or not. I also want to put
"StartDate" and "StopDate" back into the Value when the report is done.
There are several reports that might have multiple searches on dates in
different dataview, I want them to be able to Choose the dates just once for
the report & apply to all AS-criteria where StartDate or stopdate is the
value, or have option to enter regular date to bring another date AS-panel
up. I'd also need to change my Dataset.GetFieldsForSQL to ignore any sql
line w/stopdate or startdate on it. In what unit/procedure does RB check for
the valid date. How could I override it or modify it?

-Thanks
Dan Armstrong

digitalmetaphors

RB validates the search values when you close the autosearch dialog based on
type. Then the autosearch fields values are added to the WHERE clause and
then the SQL is submitted to the server.

Instead of modifying the source, what you should do instead is create a
custom autosearch panel to handle the dates. See the custom autosearch
dialog example in the RBuilder demos for an example.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Let me clarify. I already have a custom autosearch dialog. I'm asking
about where the dayes are validated in the End-user RAP in the dataviewQuery
designer wizard. I want the person that is building the report to be able
to put "Startdate" and/or "Stopdate" in the AS-value. Should I be making my
own custom dataviewQuery designer wizard? Any
Examples of that?

-Dan

digitalmetaphors

If you want to do this inside DADE, then you could create a custom dataview
template for them. There are examples of this which also use autosearch on a
custom dataview template in our End User demos directory, maybe that would
be easier for you users to use?


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

That demo is really slick. I'll use that. But in this case that would
limit flexibility. The function I want to override is in
ppUtils.StrtoDateTime. How can I overide just that function? I'm going to
have it change Stopdate to :Stopdate -I have a function in my custom DADE
that check for params in OnBeforeOpen of my Qury components & does the
appropriate stuff. I'm fairly new to programming, so can you give me an
idea of how I can overide that one function for this project? Do I copy
ppUtils, empty all the other procs/funcs of code -replace with 'inherited;'
then include StrtoDateTime with modified code & put a register, unregister
thing in the implementatio/finalization? then put in my uses clause of my
report's form?

digitalmetaphors

Unfortunately, unlike most of RB, ppUtils is not object oriented. It is a
collection of functions modeled after Delphi's "SysUtils style of
programming" years ago. If you want to change the way a function is
implemented, you will have to change it in ppUtils in Rbuilder\Source. Then
change your Delphi Environment Settings | Library Path from RBuilder\Lib to
RBuilder\Source. Search our source for uses of ppUtils.StrToDateTime and
make sure you don't break other RB code. Most likely, this change will break
the other places in RB that use it. A better way to do it is to create a new
function to call instead in our source where you want to change it in stead
of replacing the ppUtils.StrToDateTime internal implementation.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors