Quick screen auto-find

[pickerij@norbord.com]

Chris

I've often wanted to do this and sometimes have done this. Each time that   
I've actually done this I cringe and write my own path and find   
procedures as I've found no other suitable way with just the access   
statement.

But please *do* make an enhancement request to Cognos for the addition of   
a text string or item to what the syntax calls   
"conditional-command-list". This would make it possible to push a key   
value onto the command stack via the push verb itself, by the pre and   
postcommand options of designer procedures and to have a dfk send text. I   
think my first request for this enhancement was about 10 years ago -   
definitely before the PEP program but I resubmitted it during that long   
forgotten era and regularly ever since. Maybe it needs the support of the   
rest of you :-)

Regards,
John "feeling old sometimes" Pickering
Toronto

 -----Original Message-----
From: Chris.Sharman@ccagroup.co.uk
Sent: Friday, December 11, 1998 12:08 PM
To: powerh-l@lists.swau.edu
Cc: Chris.Sharman@ccagroup.co.uk
Subject: Quick screen auto-find

A fairly common requirement here is that we have a lookup screen (various
keys), which users use to find data in the normal way; and we'd also like   
to
call it from a parent screen, passing in the key/record to display   
(either with
the passing mechanism or using systemvalues).

I've found no way of implementing a screen that works both ways.
I can default the access statements (or specify them to request keys),
and that always prompts the user.
I can specify an access statement that uses passed in values, and that
will never prompt the user.

What I need is an IF clause on the access statement, or a facility to   
push
characters into the PSIB; so that I can lookup on passed in values (if   
any),
otherwise find normally.

Eg
SCREEN mine

TEMP lookupby char*10 = getsystemval("LOOKUPBY")
FILE myfile PRIMARY
 ACCESS VIA key1 USING lookupby IF (lookupby<>"")
 ACCESS VIA key1 USING key1 REQUEST key1
 ACCESS VIA key2 USING key2 REQUEST key2
 etc ...

Failing that, I suppose I have to write my own PATH & FIND procedures: a
hateful practice I prefer to avoid. Any better suggestions anyone ?
______________________________________________________________________
Chris Sharman   Chris.SharmanÉCCAgroup.co.uk
CCA Stationery Ltd, Eastway, Fulwood, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9WS.

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