Rules Question

mattcme

Hi,

I am new to these rules and have been trying to establish a rule for one of my business objects, unsuccessfully.

There are several employees in the company that will have the proper access to add new job (or quote) files. The employees have made it clear that they want to be able to choose the file number for each individual job (I cannot automate the file "number" selection). The format for the files is : "F####-J".

However, I want to prevent duplicate entries. I thought that I could simply make a rule that gives an error message when an employee tries to associate a new job to a job number already in use. I would like that error message to display the name of the file name for which the number is in currently in use along with the name (or initials) of the person who put it in the first time.

Is that asking too much? Could at least get an error message saying that it is already in use?

Thanks, any help would greatly help.

P.S. I have tried to create this new database using both MS Access and OpenOffice.org Base. In both cases, I was told that I would need to do alot of coding (SQL). I know nothing of SQL. However, with Aware IM, it has taken me merely an hour to achieve what took me 2 days with others.

mattcme

Sorry for all the mistakes. I only realised once I submitted and found that I couldn't edit my own previous post.

tford

Mathieu,

Yes, you can include AwareIM attribute info in error messages. You use REPORT ERROR action (see page 17 of Rule Language Reference). It can use an ArithmeticOperation as the message.

For example, if you look at the rule used in the RegularUser BO to notify the user that the requested login is already take, I have modified the rule that AwareIM uses by default to include the login name in the error message:

If EXISTS SystemUser WHERE (SystemUser.LoginName=ThisRegularUser.LoginName AND SystemUser.ID<>ThisRegularUser.ID) Then
REPORT ERROR 'Login name:'+ThisRegularUser.LoginName+' already exists. Please choose again.'

Below is 1 more example of a rule I use to identify attempts to add a duplicate instance of a BO:

If EXISTS CommodityList WHERE (CommodityList.Commodity=ThisCommodityList.Commodity AND CommodityList.ID<>ThisCommodityList.ID) Then
REPORT ERROR ThisCommodityList.Commodity+' already exists.'

Yes, you should be able to also include the name of the persion who put in the first instance of the BO as long as you have included that info as a BO attribute.

Hope this helps.

Tom

Hope this is helpful

mattcme

Thanks! Works Perfectly!

Now in this same form, the employee types in a client abbreviation (ie CL-ShortName). When doing so, I would like the other fields of the form (address, phone number, full corporate company name, etc.) to automatically fill-in.

Sorry, It's just that I have spent the last few days figuring out relations in other DB software. The rules are an excellent, very efficient way to get operations and functions done. I just still don't get all of the syntax yet.

Thanks for all the help

tford

Sounds like you might need to use a dynamic rule -- see https://forum.awareim.com/d/1586>

Does that help?

Not sure if you are also not sure of syntax involved in assigning the values of address, etc.

Tom

mattcme

That's exactly what I was looking for. It doesn't work though, most likely because my rule isn't correct or well written. Here it is:

"If EXISTS JobFile WHERE (ThatClientCompanies.ClientID=ThisJobFile.ClientCompany) Then REPLACE JobFile IN ThisJobFile.CorporateName WITH ThatClientCompanies.CorpName "

I think you can understand the general idea of it by reading it. It just doesn't seem right. Anybody know how I could make it work?

tford

Mathieu,

I'm a bit confused by your use of REPLACE action. Have you read through p294 of the User Guide related to REPLACE action? Seems like you might want to use CREATE ... WITH described on the same page.

REPLACE implies that a reference list is involved.

Does this help?

Tom

PS -- Note that the Rule Language Reference provides more detail on proper usage of both REPLACE and CREATE actions.

aware_support2

Hi Mathieu,

> Now in this same form, the employee types in a client abbreviation (ie CL-ShortName). When doing so, I would like the other fields of the form (address, phone number, full corporate company name, etc.) to automatically fill-in.

Consider making attribute JobFile.ClientCompany a reference attribute to object ClientCompany. You can then add shortcut attributes to object JobFile to show attributes of ClientCompany on JobFile form. For example, you can have attribute JobFile.ClientCompanyName as a shortcut to JobFile.ClientCompany.Name, etc.

Once the user selects a ClientCompany (which you can present on the JobFile form as a dropdown or a little table with buttons for making selection) the shortcut attributes will automatically show the desired ClientCompany values.

There are many advantages in linking objects by reference attributes over duplicating data from unrelated objects. This is the preferred approach when designing applications in Aware IM.

mattcme

Thanks!

Precisely what I was looking to do.

I would simply like to add that the Aware IM support team is very efficient and always finds the solution I am looking for.

mattcme

If I have a field as a shortcut, is it possible to modify the content of the source field without having to leave the form I am presently working on.

In other words, do I always need to stop what I am doing on a form for JobFile, search for the ClientCompany record it refers to, modify the information in this record, search for the JobFile record I was originally working on and finish filling in the form.

I am trying to computerize a database that is presently hand-written. The people who will be using it are foremen and other trade specialists who aren't very fond of computers. I am therefore trying to make it as simple and "dummyproof" as possible. Can I do this with Aware IM?

tford

Mathieu,

Maybe instead of shortcuts to ClientCompany info on the Form where you edit JobFile, try including ClientCompany reference & make the Presentation display as "Table of items" to see if this is what you are trying to accomplish -- either by inline editing or clicking on the Edit button.

If you enable inline editing on the ClientCompany reference element, you can edit ClientCompany info right on the JobFile form. If you decide not to enable inline editing, you will simply click Edit on the ClientCompany line in the JobFile form, make appropriate changes to ClientCompany info, click Save, click Back & you you are back to your original JobFile info.

Tom

PS - If you are new to AwareIM, I would be sure to create a new minor version before doing this so you can revert back to the prior configutation very easily.