Re: Display array highlist

In-Reply-To: <1992Dec21.175031.11266@informix.com> cortesi@informix.com (David Cortesi) TITLE: Re: Display array highlist In <1992Dec21.175031.11266@informix.com> David Cortesi [Stuff deleted] > How would you want this window defined? Just a bare window, or would > you require a form in it? (Your mention of DISPLAY ARRAY suggests a > form.) So what is the relationship between the number of lines per > "page" and the dimensions of the screen array? > > One big problem you are overlooking is that some reports are > asynchronous -- all the rows you OUTPUT just go in a temp table and > nothing actually comes out until FINISH REPORT is executed. > > Which means that the window you would name in [START] REPORT TO would > have to still exist at FINISH REPORT time. There is no way that 4GL can > ensure that. Not a show-stopper, but it would mean a possibly obscure > error message on FINISH REPORT (window not available). > > In fact this would be a general problem; the program could always CLOSE > WINDOW foo in between any two OUTPUT TO REPORT lines, and in fact the > program could CLOSE the window and then reOPEN the window with > different dimensions -- or DISPLAY a different FORM -- between two > outputs! So basically the report-display logic would have to track > what could be a very dynamic, moving target for line width and page > length. > > That isn't a problem for your specific application I'm sure, but it > illustrates the kind of problems that would have to be dealt with for a > general implementation. I think a better way would be to arrange to have the report generated to a file with the programmer responsible for line and page length. Then Informix need only provide a file viewer in a window. The logic for this could (should?) be very simple. If this idea where implemented along with the dynamic report definitions (variables for output target, line and page length) then reports could be set up in apps to print on 60 line paper pages, in full screen and windowed views. How does that grab you? | I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way -- Jessica Rabbit | |------------------------------------------------------------| | Stuart Hemming | shemminga@cix.compulink.co.uk | | Tudor Labels Ltd | uunet!cix.compulink.co.uk!shemminga | | Roman Bank Bourne | Tel : (+44) 778 426444 | | Lincs PE10 9LQ. UK. | Fax : (+44) 778 421862 | Stuart |8-)