Irrational subfile behavior

[Al Karman]

Matt,

Thanks for the insight...I've been a user since (jeez...!) your CO. went by 
the name of Quasar, and v. 1.04 was all the rage!!!




>From: "Ohmes, Matt" <Matt.Ohmes@COGNOS.com>
>To: 'Al Karman' <alkarman@hotmail.com>, "Ohmes, Matt" 
><Matt.Ohmes@COGNOS.com>, powerh-l@lists.swau.edu
>Subject: RE: Irrational subfile behavior
>Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 17:58:51 -0400
>
>Hi Al,
>
>It all goes back to history.  Quiz was written first, and for "end users".
>If you say "X subtotal" in the Report statement, a Footing At, and the 
>Final
>Footing, then Quiz must create 3 new items on the fly in order to keep the
>subtotaling and resetting of initial values all separate from one another.
>If you want to do that in QTP (assumed to be a "programmers" tool), you'd
>have to create different temporary items for each sort break level.
>
>That is why Quiz creates summary items instead of just using yours.  As for
>why it "changes" the characteristics of your element, it only does that if
>you perform a calculation on the item (like a subtotal).  It could be 
>argued
>that subtotaling and counting don't require (or even benefit from being
>stored in) a floating point storage, but that was the choice they made, 
>back
>in the olden times.
>
>With QTP (which was written later than Quiz), they figured out they really
>needed a storage area that could be defined and used at the programmer's
>discretion.  Thus, the Temporary Item was created.  And it was decreed from
>on high, that summary operation results (in QTP) should be stored therein.
>Thus:
>
>Temporary T-X Zoned*2
>Item T-X SUBTOTAL X
>
>Will add X into T-X on each processing cycle. And, BTW, it will be written
>out to a subfile as a Zoned size 2 item.
>
>One of the many reasons I'm a big fan of QTP. ;-)
>
>Hope that answered your questions.. because I'm outta here! (For today, at
>least.)
>(And thanks for the kind comment on my tag line.) ;-)
>Matt
>
>Matt.Ohmes@Cognos.Com
>Cognos Corporation
>909 E. Las Colinas Blvd.
>Suite 1900
>Irving, TX  75039
>214-259-6200
>"Matt doesn't really know anything.  He just likes to pontificate a lot.
>We refuse to acknowledge that he works for Cognos or that we have ever
>met him or anyone with whom he's ever been associated.  Don't lend him
>money and don't let him talk to your sister!" ;-)
>
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Al Karman [mailto:alkarman@hotmail.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 1999 4:41 PM
>To: Matt.Ohmes@COGNOS.com; alkarman@hotmail.com; powerh-l@lists.swau.edu
>Subject: RE: Irrational subfile behavior
>
>
>Matt,
>
>2nd ?, 1st...
>Auto-redefine - bad syntax, but the thought was that QTP doesn't do
>this...would QTP change an elements characteristics solely due to it's 
>being
>
>processed more than 1nce, hmmmmmm????
>
>1st ?,...
>If we want to split hairs (quick, gimme an axe...), QUIZ is in fact
>re-defining my element...
>Some would think sub-totalling a numeric field shouldn't change it's
>physical characteristics.  Your point is well taken, but I'm curious on 
>your
>
>thoughts of the above...
>
>PS - love the tag on your signature....
>
>Yours in MPE/iX,
>
>
>
> >From: "Ohmes, Matt" <Matt.Ohmes@COGNOS.com>
> >To: 'Al Karman' <alkarman@hotmail.com>, powerh-l@lists.swau.edu
> >Subject: RE: Irrational subfile behavior
> >Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 17:25:13 -0400
> >
> >Al, a reporter from the back of the room asks...
> >
> >"Funny you mention subtotalling - I do invoke that arcane function....
> >Why does Quiz insist on redefining, on its own, my fine work??
> >And a follow-up, Mr. President....why DOESN'T QTP do auto-redefine??"
> >
> >Hmmm.... First question first. Well, actually Quiz didn't redefine your
> >work. ;-)  You created a defined item of Zoned size 2, but you REPORTED a
> >summary result, not the defined item.  To illustrate:
> >
> >Define X Zone*2 size 2 = 1 ; I hope I got that syntax right
> >Report &
> >   X pic "^^^" Heading "Defined^Item X" &
> >   X SUBTOTAL pic "^^^^^^" Heading "Summary^Item X"
> >
> >I just reported 2 items, the first was a defined item, zoned size 2.  The
> >second was a floating point calculation result that happens to also have
> >the
> >name X.  You'll notice the Picture and heading clauses follow the word
> >SUBTOTAL because the report item is X SUBTOTAL, not just X.
> >
> >Now, as to the second question...
> >Huh?  What do you mean "auto-redefine"?
> >
> >Matt
> >
> >Matt.Ohmes@Cognos.Com
> >Cognos Corporation
> >909 E. Las Colinas Blvd.
> >Suite 1900
> >Irving, TX  75039
> >214-259-6200
> >"Matt doesn't really know anything.  He just likes to pontificate a lot.
> >We refuse to acknowledge that he works for Cognos or that we have ever
> >met him or anyone with whom he's ever been associated.  Don't lend him
> >money and don't let him talk to your sister!" ;-)
>
>
>            '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
>            '             Al Karman               '
>            '  Information Technology Consulting  '
>            '   Internet:  alkarman@hotmail.com   '
>            '        FAX:  248.671.5035           '
>            '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
>
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com


           '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
           '             Al Karman               '
           '  Information Technology Consulting  '
           '   Internet:  alkarman@hotmail.com   '
           '        FAX:  248.671.5035           '
           '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

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