Pulling another objects value

Mark HHP

So I have a Writer object. This writer gets paid by word. So I have a RatePerWord attribute which you can type in but I also have a checkbox for StandardRate. If this is turned on, it needs to pull in the rate from my StandardRate BO which has one attribute, Rate. So far the only way I can get it to do that is to link the StandardRate BO to the Writer BO then have Writer.RatePerWord = Writer.StandardRate.Rate which kind of defeats the object. You may as well just type in the value each time. Am I missing something? Is there an easier way to link to an external object?

So if:

Writer.StandardRate='Yes' Then Writer.RatePerWord=StandardRate.Rate or something. I tried that but it didn't seem to work.

customaware

Is there only a single Standard Rate or is it one of a number of rate records?

If it is only a single Standard Rate...... store it in SystemSettings

Mark HHP

Thanks, Mark, this worked 95%. Now if I go to the table of my Writers, it shows up as the old standard rate despite me changing the value in SystemSettings. But if I go in and save, it changes. Is there a way to force it to change?

customaware

No.... I meant....

Writer.RatePerWord=SystemSettings.DefaultRatePerWord.

Mark HHP

Yeah, that's the rule I used. But it doesn't refresh until I actually save and it initializes the rule. So if I'm looking at the table of writers, their rates won't change until I physically open each one and save. I tried scheduling a process but that didn't seem to work either.

customaware

Make the Rule Dynamic....from the Advanced Tab of the Rule

CONDITION1: StandardRate = 'Yes'

ACTION 1: Writer.RatePerWord=SystemSettings.DefaultRatePerWord

Mark HHP

Yeah, mine was set to dynamic from the beginning. But its more if I go into SystemSettings and change the value there, it doesn't reflect until I save the Writer objects. Maybe if I set up a process to UPDATE Writers (like FIND ALL Writers UPDATE Writers) and then on the very odd chance that our rate changes, you just hit the update button.

tford

Maybe if I set up a process to UPDATE Writers (like FIND ALL Writers UPDATE Writers) and then on the very odd chance that our rate changes, you just hit the update button.

That process can run automatically. Just put a rule in SystemSettings:

IF SystemSettings.DefaultRatePerWord WAS CHANGED THEN
ProcessNameToFindAndUpdateAllWriters

Mark HHP

Ah that just occurred to me a few minutes ago. Thanks for the help, guys.

pureist

or.. you could do it without the requirement for a Process by making Rate a Reference Attribute in Writer and having a Shortcut Attribute pointing to Rate.Amount it in the Writer Object, and include the Shortcut Attribute in Queries/Reports for Writer.
In this scenario you would of course have to select the rate via a dropdown or enter a new one, which would build a "rate table", having the advantage of extra flexibility in that you could say that Writer 'Bob' is on the same rate as Writer 'Sam'.
Or, more practically, it would allow you to setup different types of rate 'tiers'/groups to select from.. eg. 'Default', 'Tier 1 Skilled Writers', 'Novice Writers'.

Mark HHP

Pureist, that's a really good idea. My boss has gone away so I'm not actually sure which functionality he'd prefer but it's more impressive when I can present him with different options. I did like the fact that you could have a list of all writers on the standard rate.

pureist

Mark HHP wrote
Pureist, that's a really good idea. My boss has gone away so I'm not actually sure which functionality he'd prefer but it's more impressive when I can present him with different options. I did like the fact that you could have a list of all writers on the standard rate.

and you would be able to identify which writer is on a rate of $50 because he is on the default rate and $50 is the default rate, and which writer is on a rate of $50 just because that happens to be his 'Custom' rate, which coincidentally is the same as the default rate.