Re: Forms 4.5: ques. about multi-record blocks

On Wed, 3 Dec 1997 21:24:42 -0000, "Peter Staunton" <pjs_at_iol.ie.spoof> wrote:

>I have a multi-record block with the current record selected.
>
>During a validation trigger, I want to make a calculation using the value in
>an item in the previous record. I know I can get this value by doing a
>previous_record, referencing the item, followed by a next_record. Is there
>an easier way? I'd like to be able to reference columns in the multi-record
>block as an array, but haven't found any examples of this.
>

You could try using record groups. They are the nearest thing FORMS 4.5 has to arrays.

If you want to be able to access values from any row, even if not yet displayed, then initial population of the record group should be by a query performed in the PRE-QUERY of the block, which exactly matches the WHERE and ORDER_BY clauses of the block.

If you only want to access rows already displayed, then the group should be cleared in the PRE-QUERY, and the next row populated each time the POST-QUERY trigger fires.

Either method of population gives row numbers in the record group matching record numbers in the block, so the group rows can be modified as you modify the matching data, then referenced from anywhere.

--

Alex Heney,  Global Villager

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