had to adjust buttons creation
when there is no image corresponding to button name.jpg, i use a standard button (grey)
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Now working on the datebase creation part
It was done in script.VBS but not adjusted to vb.net 2010
I will start with MDB creation, then move on to MDB editor, then adjust to SQL editor (skipping creator)
This will be just like UTE (universal table editor, that was done in ASP, no code from UTE was used :P)
It was done in script.VBS but not adjusted to vb.net 2010
I will start with MDB creation, then move on to MDB editor, then adjust to SQL editor (skipping creator)
This will be just like UTE (universal table editor, that was done in ASP, no code from UTE was used :P)
Saturday, September 24, 2011
i programmed an event on all html page buttons
to manage them in my program
i had a button to call the window print (javascript print)
the button id was "print"
now when this button was pressed, i was simply returning the event to window
not working, you know why? because you cannot call a button using javascript print, id="print"
i called it "print2" and everything worked... strange
to manage them in my program
i had a button to call the window print (javascript print)
the button id was "print"
now when this button was pressed, i was simply returning the event to window
not working, you know why? because you cannot call a button using javascript print, id="print"
i called it "print2" and everything worked... strange
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
sql query building
first the user will enter many words to search, we will have to split them:
Function SPLIT2(ByVal AA, ByVal SS)
Dim cc As String
bb = Nothing
bb = Split(AA, SS)
aa2 = Nothing
aa2 = {"newsplittedarray"}
ii = 0
For Each cc In bb
If cc <> "" Then
ReDim Preserve aa2(ii)
aa2(ii) = cc
ii = ii + 1
End If
Next
SPLIT2 = aa2
End Function
then with a few array that contain the column name for every database used in the program:
'=== ssea = search string
'=== tab 0 symptoms
'=== tab 1 components
'=== tab 2 diagnostics
'=== tab 3 causes
'=== ttyp 0 search
'=== ttyp 1 fast results
'=== ttyp 2 detail results
'=== ssufix = order by or something at the end of query - order and %
Function makque( _
ByVal ssea As String, _
ByVal ttab As Integer, _
ByVal sselect As Integer, _
ByVal wwhere As Integer, _
ByVal ssufix As String, _
ByVal ooper As String, _
ByVal wwild As String)
Dim ss As String
Dim aa As String
ssea = Replace(ssea, "'", "''")
ssea = Trim(ssea)
sseaara = Split(ssea, " ") '=== array of all words for search
ss = "select "
ii = 0
'=== columns to search in
For Each aa In allara(ttab, sselect)
ss = ss & aa
If ii <> UBound(allara(ttab, 1), sselect) Then ss = ss & ","
ii = ii + 1
Next
'=== from table
ss = ss & " from [" & alltab(ttab) & "] "
If Len(ssea) <> 0 Then
ss = ss & "where ("
'=== search word(S) in table, AND operator
ii = 0
For Each ss2 In sseaara
ii2 = 0
For Each aa In allara(ttab, wwhere)
If wwild = "" Then
ss = ss & "[" & aa & "] " & ooper & " " & wwild & ss2 & wwild
Else
ss = ss & "[" & aa & "] " & ooper & " '" & wwild & ss2 & wwild & "'"
End If
If ii2 <> UBound(allara(ttab, wwhere), 1) Then ss = ss & " or "
ii2 = ii2 + 1
Next
If ii <> UBound(sseaara, 1) Then ss = ss & ") and ("
ii = ii + 1
Next
'=== order by a column name
ss = ss & ")" & ssufix
Else
ss = ss & ssufix
End If
makque = ss
End Function
This will result in building a query, with all column name, where all words are searched for
a "dumb google" (not searching for most found etc, just the words in all columns we want to search in)
Just before, we call all thoses subs with a value we get from a html box, in form1 web object:
'=== symptom words to search (separated by a space)
TAB = 0 '=== table to seach in (alltab)
sel = 1 '=== columns to list (allara)
whe = 0 '=== columns to search in (Allara)
sql01 = makque(strsea, TAB, sel, whe, " order by [probabilité] DESC", "LIKE", "%")
If logall = 1 Then fil02.writeline(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " before executing query")
tag = exesql(objcon, dummy, sql01)
as you can see (and i saw it too!) i do not split the search string for symptom
because i search for all words, all together
objcon is my sql or mdb connection
dummy is a dummy :P
sql01 is the query text
strsea is the text to search for in all columns
% is the caracter used to start and end a chain to search for the words anywhere in the chain of text in the column
i numbered my array for each table, it look complicated but is so more simple to program
again, theses numbers allow me to add an array containing all columns name anytime
thus, adding a table in the database dynamically in my program, and manually in the database :)
thoses are specials arrays containing only the column names i want to search in
'=== search columns
allara(0, 0) = {"symptôme", "problème"}
'=== fast results (for table)
I am not going into details right now because the goal in this post is to show a dynamic query building
Dynamic entry!
Dynamic programming, is the base of all code evolution
It is what made us the best programmers on the planet
Sometime, Dynamic programming take a big leap in evolution...
But you have to use it first!
So to create our control button in internet explorer, in left frame, we use dynamic programming
Is it a new science? Not at all. Simply a good organisation of variable
first we create the arrays:
Public ARABUTNAM(0) As String
Public ARABUTDES(0) As String
Public ARADEPNAM(0) As String
Public ARADEPCOL(0) As String
Then we fill them dynamically (that can be expanded to infinite)
X = 0
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "symptomssearch"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Problem search"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "SEARCH"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "causessearch"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Causes search"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "SEARCH"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "componentssearch"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Components Search"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "SEARCH"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "clrframes"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Clear Frames"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "OTHER"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "info"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Information/Help"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "OTHER"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "quit01"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Quit"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "All"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
as all arrays are expanded everytime we add an element, it's dynamic
If you copy past a group of lines that define a button and change the name and description you can add a control button in my web interface
the add the condition to execute the code
adding:
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "test"
ARABUTDES(X) = "test multiple buttons"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "test"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
'=== sub to draw html buttons in left frame
'=== sub to open internet explorer, define 3 frame and define event for quit, and button press to call subs to 'change a public variable button called differently for each frame
'=== main loop
Do
If resbutlefstr = "test" Then
msgbox("test"
end if
Loop Until bReady Or resbutlefstr = "quit01"
Of course we have a web event that will execute code to change the value of resbutlef when a button is pressed in internet explorer frame
bready was there if the user close internet explorer
but i changed it to an event that execute this sub if internet explorer is closed:
Private Sub oIE_onQuit()
'bReady = True
'=== if internet explorer is closed, we exit the program
End '(end program)
End Sub
If you fix all array length and define buttons name, you could not add buttons
The frame number is a fixed number
the elements in the frame can be infinite (big database)
so we will display them 15 at one time, with a next button and previous
Also a search button
That will lead us to dymanic sql query building
It is what made us the best programmers on the planet
Sometime, Dynamic programming take a big leap in evolution...
But you have to use it first!
So to create our control button in internet explorer, in left frame, we use dynamic programming
Is it a new science? Not at all. Simply a good organisation of variable
first we create the arrays:
Public ARABUTNAM(0) As String
Public ARABUTDES(0) As String
Public ARADEPNAM(0) As String
Public ARADEPCOL(0) As String
Then we fill them dynamically (that can be expanded to infinite)
X = 0
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "symptomssearch"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Problem search"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "SEARCH"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "causessearch"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Causes search"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "SEARCH"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "componentssearch"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Components Search"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "SEARCH"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "clrframes"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Clear Frames"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "OTHER"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "info"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Information/Help"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "OTHER"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "quit01"
ARABUTDES(X) = "Quit"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "All"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
So, we have:
the button name (sub to be called when button is pressed)
the description (text inside button)
the category or departement (simply to group button of same kind)
the departement color (category color)
as all arrays are expanded everytime we add an element, it's dynamic
If you copy past a group of lines that define a button and change the name and description you can add a control button in my web interface
the add the condition to execute the code
adding:
X = X + 1
ReDim Preserve ARABUTNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARABUTDES(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPNAM(X) : ReDim Preserve ARADEPCOL(X)
ARABUTNAM(X) = "test"
ARABUTDES(X) = "test multiple buttons"
ARADEPNAM(X) = "test"
ARADEPCOL(X) = "cccccc"
'=== sub to draw html buttons in left frame
'=== sub to open internet explorer, define 3 frame and define event for quit, and button press to call subs to 'change a public variable button called differently for each frame
'=== main loop
Do
If resbutlefstr = "test" Then
msgbox("test"
end if
Loop Until bReady Or resbutlefstr = "quit01"
Of course we have a web event that will execute code to change the value of resbutlef when a button is pressed in internet explorer frame
bready was there if the user close internet explorer
but i changed it to an event that execute this sub if internet explorer is closed:
Private Sub oIE_onQuit()
'bReady = True
'=== if internet explorer is closed, we exit the program
End '(end program)
End Sub
If you fix all array length and define buttons name, you could not add buttons
The frame number is a fixed number
the elements in the frame can be infinite (big database)
so we will display them 15 at one time, with a next button and previous
Also a search button
That will lead us to dymanic sql query building
internet explorer bypass for ready state
Hello again!
The event technique to see if internet explorer was ready did not work out at all
The event check were taking lots of cpu (on my i7!!!)
So i simply made a do loop with a try inside, to try every 1/10th of a second to access internet explorer (write in frame) for 1 sec. That was enough to remove any crash in windows xp
Futur: i'll need to manage every writing in internet explorer or any interacting with it, with the same do loop and try.
So here is the code, before i write in internet explorer, i put all my html in htmtab.
try01 = 0
err01 = 0
Do
Try
ffra = oIE.Document.frames.item("f" & ffranam.ToString).document
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100)
Catch ex As Exception
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " crash creating frame again " & ex.Message)
err01 = err01 + 1
End Try
If err01 = 0 Then Exit Do
Loop Until err01 > 10
If err01 > 10 Then
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " error trying to recreate frame: " & err01)
End
End If
The event technique to see if internet explorer was ready did not work out at all
The event check were taking lots of cpu (on my i7!!!)
So i simply made a do loop with a try inside, to try every 1/10th of a second to access internet explorer (write in frame) for 1 sec. That was enough to remove any crash in windows xp
Futur: i'll need to manage every writing in internet explorer or any interacting with it, with the same do loop and try.
So here is the code, before i write in internet explorer, i put all my html in htmtab.
try01 = 0
err01 = 0
Do
Try
ffra = oIE.Document.frames.item("f" & ffranam.ToString).document
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100)
Catch ex As Exception
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " crash creating frame again " & ex.Message)
err01 = err01 + 1
End Try
If err01 = 0 Then Exit Do
Loop Until err01 > 10
If err01 > 10 Then
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " error trying to recreate frame: " & err01)
End
End If
Sunday, September 11, 2011
internet explorer is ready, is it?
still working in visual studio 2010, vb
with internet explorer interface
i need to know if internet explorer object is ready to receive data
many time in the past my interface was crashing because it was not ready to receive data
i changed the ready management
i used VB events to manage the value of a global (public) variable
it is said that the document download event will trigger everytime a frame load too
that would explain why the downloadbegin and downloadcomplete event does not exist for a frame object
so i will have to identify the frame that triggered the event in the sub (begin and complete)
one for OIE (object internet explorer)
and one for each frame (flef, fmif, fbot)
Public oieready01 As Integer = 1
Public flefready As Integer = 1
Public fmidready As Integer = 1
Public fbotready As Integer = 1
event management after oie was created:
oIE = New SHDocVw.InternetExplorer
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " AddHandler oIE.onQuit, AddressOf oIE_onQuit")
AddHandler oIE.onQuit, AddressOf oIE_onQuit
AddHandler oIE.DocumentComplete, AddressOf oIE_onDocumentComplete
AddHandler oIE.DownloadBegin, AddressOf oIE_onDownloadBegin
event for each frame:
'AddHandler flef.DownloadBegin, AddressOf oIE_onflefDownloadBegin
'AddHandler flef.DocumentComplete, AddressOf oIE_onflefComplete
'AddHandler fmid.DownloadBegin, AddressOf oIE_onfmidDownloadBegin
'AddHandler fmid.DocumentComplete, AddressOf oIE_onfmidComplete
'AddHandler fbot.DownloadBegin, AddressOf oIE_onfbotDownloadBegin
'AddHandler fbot.DocumentComplete, AddressOf oIE_onfbotcomplete
note: that is not working for frames, thus, the comment marks --> '
apparently, a document object from a frame does not have the downloadbegin property
'=== OIE internet explorer
Private Sub oIE_onDownloadBegin()
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " oie download begin was called")
oieready01 = 0
End Sub
Private Sub oIE_onflefDownloadBegin()
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " flef download begin was called")
flefready = 0
End Sub
Private Sub oIE_onfmidDownloadBegin()
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " fmid download begin was called")
fmidready = 0
End Sub
Private Sub oIE_onfbotDownloadBegin()
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " fbot download begin was called")
fbotready = 0
End Sub
'=== navigation is completed
'=== caca
Private Sub oIE_onDocumentComplete(ByVal pdisp As Object, ByRef url As Object)
Dim stra As String
stra = LCase(TypeName(pdisp))
If stra <> "iwebbrowser2" Then
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " type of pdisp: " & stra)
'stra = pdisp.getattribute("name")
'MsgBox(stra)
End If
oieready01 = 1
End Sub
'=== FRAMES
Private Sub oIE_onflefComplete()
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " oie flef complete")
flefready = 1
End Sub
Private Sub oIE_onfmidComplete()
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " oie fmid complete")
fmidready = 1
End Sub
Private Sub oIE_onfbotcomplete()
If logall = 1 Then fil02.WriteLine(DateValue(Now) & " " & TimeValue(Now) & " oie fbot complete")
fbotready = 1
End Sub
Sub oieready()
Dim maxwai As Integer = 50
Do
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(50)
Loop Until oieready01 <> 0
'And flefready <> 0 And fmidready <> 0 And fbotready <> 0
End Sub
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
array discussion
Now let's discuss about arrays
An array is a group of elements
It can have many dimensions
It can be displayed in a table, that is limited to 2 dimensions
The problem when you generate a table from an array is you don't know if there is 1 or 2 dimension(s)
An array with one line will have 1 dimension (one y (line) with many x (columns))
An array with 2 line, with 5 columns each will have 2 dimensions (the y and the x)
Y is the line (vertical dimension)
X is the column (horizontal dimension)
example:
Because we do not know how many dimension the array have
We do not decide how many dimensions we have, because we will fill the array with data from a table, and the table might have only one line...
Since our data is not know, it can have one line or many, one dimension or many
If we ask how many elements there is in the second dimension and there is only one dimension, the script will generate an error
NEXT:
We will see how to generate an html table with an array that can have 1 or 2 dimension(s)
Because it's late and i'll go to bed, good night!
An array is a group of elements
It can have many dimensions
It can be displayed in a table, that is limited to 2 dimensions
The problem when you generate a table from an array is you don't know if there is 1 or 2 dimension(s)
An array with one line will have 1 dimension (one y (line) with many x (columns))
An array with 2 line, with 5 columns each will have 2 dimensions (the y and the x)
Y is the line (vertical dimension)
X is the column (horizontal dimension)
example:
Because we do not know how many dimension the array have
We do not decide how many dimensions we have, because we will fill the array with data from a table, and the table might have only one line...
Since our data is not know, it can have one line or many, one dimension or many
If we ask how many elements there is in the second dimension and there is only one dimension, the script will generate an error
NEXT:
We will see how to generate an html table with an array that can have 1 or 2 dimension(s)
Because it's late and i'll go to bed, good night!
STEP 004 html table to display array
Now let's make it a little more complicated
We will display our results in internet explorer, but in an html table
note: we do not check the ready state of internet explorer yet, so the script can crash if it write to internet explorer, and the object is not ready to receive data from the script (slow computers)
first part:
'=== initialize the table in html
htmtab=""
htmtab = htmtab & "<b><table width=""100%"" BORDERCOLOR=""black"" class=MsoTableGrid border=1 CELLSPACING=0 cellpadding=2 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:none'>"
htmtab = htmtab & "<CAPTION></CAPTION><span style='color:purple'>"
htmtab = htmtab & "<TR>"
It's the html code to generate a table in internet explorer
We put the string in HTMTAB, because we want to accumulate all the data we want to send to internet explorer in a variable
Now, i was stating in precedents post how 100% of width in a table will facilitate printing
When you press print, a table with 100% width will adjust to the paper you print on
If the paper is not large enough, try go landscape or 11x17 inches landscape
Eventually, if it's really too big, work on screen only and do not print anything :P
Then the loop for each column:
'=== put each element in a cell
for each stra in ara01
htmtab = htmtab & "<td><p>" & stra & "</td>"
next
Then we close the table:
'=== close the html table
htmtab = htmtab & "</tr>"
htmtab = htmtab & "</table></span></b><br>"
Later we will use a two dimension array, to display more than one line
But as we will see, it's more complicated than it seem
We need to determine how many dimensions the array have before deciding if our table will have only one line or many lines
Here is the code for our first table in internet explorer:
(copy in notepad, save on desktop as .VBS, double click to execute)
'===== start of test4.VBS ===============
'=== object for files and filenames
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'=== object to rerun the script in 32 bits
Set objshe = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'=== actual drive, actual directory, and "\"
thepath=WScript.ScriptFullName
p = instrRev(thepath,"\")
basedir = left(thepath,p)
'=== script name to rerun it in 32 bits
filnam = right(thepath,len(thepath)-p)
'=== windows dir
WinDir = objfso.GetSpecialFolder(0)
'=== restart the script in 32 bits if we are on a 64 bits system
'=== (databases drivers issues)
a64 = windir & "\syswow64\wscript.exe"
if objFSO.fileEXISTS(a64) and instr(lcase(wscript.fullname),"syswow64")=0 then
'=== 64 bits system
a = """" & a64 & """ """ & basedir & filnam & """"
objshe.Run a,0, false
wscript.quit
end if
'=== create an internet explorer object to display stuff
set oIE = wscript.CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application", "IE_")
oie.FullScreen = False
oIE.left=0 ' window position
oIE.top = 0 ' and other properties
oIE.height = 500
oIE.width = 500
oIE.menubar = 1 '=== no menu
oIE.toolbar = 1
oIE.statusbar = 1
oIE.RegisterAsDropTarget = True
oie.Navigate("about:blank")
oie.document.title = doctit
oiewid = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.width
oiehei = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.height
'=== we generate a size in % of the screen height and width for the internet explorer window
sizwidpercent = 100
sizheipercent = 95
loswid = 100-sizwidpercent
loshei = 100-sizheipercent
newwid = oiewid*sizwidpercent*.01
newhei = oiehei*sizheipercent*.01
oie.document.parentwindow.resizeto newwid,newhei
newx = oiewid * loswid * .01 /2
newy = oiehei * (loshei/2) * .01 /2
oie.document.parentwindow.moveto newx, newy
oIE.visible = 1 '=== visible on
oie.addressbar=false
'====== main program, or loop
ara01 = array( _
"Hello,", _
"how", _
"are", _
"you?")
'=== initialize the table in html
htmtab=""
htmtab = htmtab & "<b><table width=""100%"" BORDERCOLOR=""black"" class=MsoTableGrid border=1 CELLSPACING=0 cellpadding=2 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:none'>"
htmtab = htmtab & "<CAPTION></CAPTION><span style='color:purple'>"
htmtab = htmtab & "<TR>"
'=== put each element in a cell
for each stra in ara01
htmtab = htmtab & "<td><p>" & stra & "</td>"
next
'=== close the html table
htmtab = htmtab & "</tr>"
htmtab = htmtab & "</table></span></b><br>"
'=== send the result in internet explorer all at one time
oie.document.WriteLn(htmtab)
'=== end of program
wscript.quit
'=== at the end of the program, we have the sub and functions
'=== if internet explorer is closed, we leave script
sub IE_onQuit()
wscript.quit
end sub
'=========== end of script .VBS =================
We will display our results in internet explorer, but in an html table
note: we do not check the ready state of internet explorer yet, so the script can crash if it write to internet explorer, and the object is not ready to receive data from the script (slow computers)
first part:
'=== initialize the table in html
htmtab=""
htmtab = htmtab & "<b><table width=""100%"" BORDERCOLOR=""black"" class=MsoTableGrid border=1 CELLSPACING=0 cellpadding=2 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:none'>"
htmtab = htmtab & "<CAPTION></CAPTION><span style='color:purple'>"
htmtab = htmtab & "<TR>"
It's the html code to generate a table in internet explorer
We put the string in HTMTAB, because we want to accumulate all the data we want to send to internet explorer in a variable
Now, i was stating in precedents post how 100% of width in a table will facilitate printing
When you press print, a table with 100% width will adjust to the paper you print on
If the paper is not large enough, try go landscape or 11x17 inches landscape
Eventually, if it's really too big, work on screen only and do not print anything :P
Then the loop for each column:
'=== put each element in a cell
for each stra in ara01
htmtab = htmtab & "<td><p>" & stra & "</td>"
next
Then we close the table:
'=== close the html table
htmtab = htmtab & "</tr>"
htmtab = htmtab & "</table></span></b><br>"
Later we will use a two dimension array, to display more than one line
But as we will see, it's more complicated than it seem
We need to determine how many dimensions the array have before deciding if our table will have only one line or many lines
Here is the code for our first table in internet explorer:
(copy in notepad, save on desktop as .VBS, double click to execute)
'===== start of test4.VBS ===============
'=== object for files and filenames
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'=== object to rerun the script in 32 bits
Set objshe = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'=== actual drive, actual directory, and "\"
thepath=WScript.ScriptFullName
p = instrRev(thepath,"\")
basedir = left(thepath,p)
'=== script name to rerun it in 32 bits
filnam = right(thepath,len(thepath)-p)
'=== windows dir
WinDir = objfso.GetSpecialFolder(0)
'=== restart the script in 32 bits if we are on a 64 bits system
'=== (databases drivers issues)
a64 = windir & "\syswow64\wscript.exe"
if objFSO.fileEXISTS(a64) and instr(lcase(wscript.fullname),"syswow64")=0 then
'=== 64 bits system
a = """" & a64 & """ """ & basedir & filnam & """"
objshe.Run a,0, false
wscript.quit
end if
'=== create an internet explorer object to display stuff
set oIE = wscript.CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application", "IE_")
oie.FullScreen = False
oIE.left=0 ' window position
oIE.top = 0 ' and other properties
oIE.height = 500
oIE.width = 500
oIE.menubar = 1 '=== no menu
oIE.toolbar = 1
oIE.statusbar = 1
oIE.RegisterAsDropTarget = True
oie.Navigate("about:blank")
oie.document.title = doctit
oiewid = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.width
oiehei = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.height
'=== we generate a size in % of the screen height and width for the internet explorer window
sizwidpercent = 100
sizheipercent = 95
loswid = 100-sizwidpercent
loshei = 100-sizheipercent
newwid = oiewid*sizwidpercent*.01
newhei = oiehei*sizheipercent*.01
oie.document.parentwindow.resizeto newwid,newhei
newx = oiewid * loswid * .01 /2
newy = oiehei * (loshei/2) * .01 /2
oie.document.parentwindow.moveto newx, newy
oIE.visible = 1 '=== visible on
oie.addressbar=false
'====== main program, or loop
ara01 = array( _
"Hello,", _
"how", _
"are", _
"you?")
'=== initialize the table in html
htmtab=""
htmtab = htmtab & "<b><table width=""100%"" BORDERCOLOR=""black"" class=MsoTableGrid border=1 CELLSPACING=0 cellpadding=2 style='border-collapse:collapse;border:none'>"
htmtab = htmtab & "<CAPTION></CAPTION><span style='color:purple'>"
htmtab = htmtab & "<TR>"
'=== put each element in a cell
for each stra in ara01
htmtab = htmtab & "<td><p>" & stra & "</td>"
next
'=== close the html table
htmtab = htmtab & "</tr>"
htmtab = htmtab & "</table></span></b><br>"
'=== send the result in internet explorer all at one time
oie.document.WriteLn(htmtab)
'=== end of program
wscript.quit
'=== at the end of the program, we have the sub and functions
'=== if internet explorer is closed, we leave script
sub IE_onQuit()
wscript.quit
end sub
'=========== end of script .VBS =================
STEP 003 dynamic variable for futur tables
Now to output something and think about the futur of the output
Most programmer use fixed variables or array
(fixed table of data)
We are better than that, so we use dynamic programming
If there is more columns, we display more columns
If there is more lines, we display more lines
(later we will learn to display them 15 at one time not to overload an internet explorer page with 1 millions lines that would take minutes to generate)
We will not open a database right now
So we will put the data in an array that we will build dynamically to be able to expand it later with more data
Let us display a few lines of data in internet explorer
Now let's explain the main part of the code:
First we create an array with a dynamic number of elements:
ara01 = array( _
"Hello,", _
"how", _
"are", _
"you?")
we do it this way so we can add an element just by inserting a new line in the middle of the construction of our array
Then we loop trough all elements of the array to write them all in internet explorer:
OIE is the internet explorer object
WRITELN is to write a line of text or html
FOR EACH is a loop that will go through all elements in the array
NEXT will tell the FOR EACH to go back to FOR EACH and get the next element
STRA is the variable in wich FOR EACH will put every elements of the arrray, one at a time
WRITELN will write the content of STRA in the internet explorer object document
Internet explorer is an object, and document is the white page in wich you write stuff
Why? Because the internet explorer object can be given command, or size change, not only text to display
(see the beginning of the code where we change the size and many attributes of the internet explorer object aka, OIE)
for each stra in ara01
oie.document.WriteLn(stra & "<br>")
next
we added a <br> for a carriage return in HTML, internet explorer will interprete it and make a carriage return (change line)
The name of the variables we use is very important
ARA will tell the programmer this is an array (group of elements)
STR will tell this is a string (chain of caracters)
Now i hear poeples yell: your names are too shorts! not significatives!
this is to learn programming, not to lose hours with long variables names to type ;)
of course when your program will grow bigger, you will have to use name like this:
ara_texttodisplay = array("longer variable name is good")
no spaces in variables names, no number to start, must start with a letter
now why use an array?
because later, what you will display will come from a database (table), and will have many elements
So we want to learn how to display many elements now
And how to add a line change for every elements
if the line change is in the loop, we do not have to type it in every element, we are programmers, we are lazy
Later we will even make a html table to display them
in notepad:
'===== start of test4.VBS ===============
'=== object for files and filenames
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'=== object to rerun the script in 32 bits
Set objshe = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'=== actual drive, actual directory, and "\"
thepath=WScript.ScriptFullName
p = instrRev(thepath,"\")
basedir = left(thepath,p)
'=== script name to rerun it in 32 bits
filnam = right(thepath,len(thepath)-p)
'=== windows dir
WinDir = objfso.GetSpecialFolder(0)
'=== restart the script in 32 bits if we are on a 64 bits system
'=== (databases drivers issues)
a64 = windir & "\syswow64\wscript.exe"
if objFSO.fileEXISTS(a64) and instr(lcase(wscript.fullname),"syswow64")=0 then
'=== 64 bits system
a = """" & a64 & """ """ & basedir & filnam & """"
objshe.Run a,0, false
wscript.quit
end if
'=== create an internet explorer object to display stuff
set oIE = wscript.CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application", "IE_")
oie.FullScreen = False
oIE.left=0 ' window position
oIE.top = 0 ' and other properties
oIE.height = 500
oIE.width = 500
oIE.menubar = 1 '=== no menu
oIE.toolbar = 1
oIE.statusbar = 1
oIE.RegisterAsDropTarget = True
oie.Navigate("about:blank")
oie.document.title = doctit
oiewid = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.width
oiehei = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.height
'=== we generate a size in % of the screen height and width for the internet explorer window
sizwidpercent = 100
sizheipercent = 95
loswid = 100-sizwidpercent
loshei = 100-sizheipercent
newwid = oiewid*sizwidpercent*.01
newhei = oiehei*sizheipercent*.01
oie.document.parentwindow.resizeto newwid,newhei
newx = oiewid * loswid * .01 /2
newy = oiehei * (loshei/2) * .01 /2
oie.document.parentwindow.moveto newx, newy
oIE.visible = 1 '=== visible on
oie.addressbar=false
'====== main program, or loop
ara01 = array( _
"Hello,", _
"how", _
"are", _
"you?")
for each stra in ara01
oie.document.WriteLn(stra & "<br>")
next
'=== end of program
wscript.quit
'=== at the end of the program, we have the sub and functions
'=== if internet explorer is closed, we leave script
sub IE_onQuit()
wscript.quit
end sub
'=========== end of script .VBS =================
Most programmer use fixed variables or array
(fixed table of data)
We are better than that, so we use dynamic programming
If there is more columns, we display more columns
If there is more lines, we display more lines
(later we will learn to display them 15 at one time not to overload an internet explorer page with 1 millions lines that would take minutes to generate)
We will not open a database right now
So we will put the data in an array that we will build dynamically to be able to expand it later with more data
Let us display a few lines of data in internet explorer
Now let's explain the main part of the code:
First we create an array with a dynamic number of elements:
ara01 = array( _
"Hello,", _
"how", _
"are", _
"you?")
we do it this way so we can add an element just by inserting a new line in the middle of the construction of our array
Then we loop trough all elements of the array to write them all in internet explorer:
OIE is the internet explorer object
WRITELN is to write a line of text or html
FOR EACH is a loop that will go through all elements in the array
NEXT will tell the FOR EACH to go back to FOR EACH and get the next element
STRA is the variable in wich FOR EACH will put every elements of the arrray, one at a time
WRITELN will write the content of STRA in the internet explorer object document
Internet explorer is an object, and document is the white page in wich you write stuff
Why? Because the internet explorer object can be given command, or size change, not only text to display
(see the beginning of the code where we change the size and many attributes of the internet explorer object aka, OIE)
for each stra in ara01
oie.document.WriteLn(stra & "<br>")
next
we added a <br> for a carriage return in HTML, internet explorer will interprete it and make a carriage return (change line)
The name of the variables we use is very important
ARA will tell the programmer this is an array (group of elements)
STR will tell this is a string (chain of caracters)
Now i hear poeples yell: your names are too shorts! not significatives!
this is to learn programming, not to lose hours with long variables names to type ;)
of course when your program will grow bigger, you will have to use name like this:
ara_texttodisplay = array("longer variable name is good")
no spaces in variables names, no number to start, must start with a letter
now why use an array?
because later, what you will display will come from a database (table), and will have many elements
So we want to learn how to display many elements now
And how to add a line change for every elements
if the line change is in the loop, we do not have to type it in every element, we are programmers, we are lazy
Later we will even make a html table to display them
in notepad:
'===== start of test4.VBS ===============
'=== object for files and filenames
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'=== object to rerun the script in 32 bits
Set objshe = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'=== actual drive, actual directory, and "\"
thepath=WScript.ScriptFullName
p = instrRev(thepath,"\")
basedir = left(thepath,p)
'=== script name to rerun it in 32 bits
filnam = right(thepath,len(thepath)-p)
'=== windows dir
WinDir = objfso.GetSpecialFolder(0)
'=== restart the script in 32 bits if we are on a 64 bits system
'=== (databases drivers issues)
a64 = windir & "\syswow64\wscript.exe"
if objFSO.fileEXISTS(a64) and instr(lcase(wscript.fullname),"syswow64")=0 then
'=== 64 bits system
a = """" & a64 & """ """ & basedir & filnam & """"
objshe.Run a,0, false
wscript.quit
end if
'=== create an internet explorer object to display stuff
set oIE = wscript.CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application", "IE_")
oie.FullScreen = False
oIE.left=0 ' window position
oIE.top = 0 ' and other properties
oIE.height = 500
oIE.width = 500
oIE.menubar = 1 '=== no menu
oIE.toolbar = 1
oIE.statusbar = 1
oIE.RegisterAsDropTarget = True
oie.Navigate("about:blank")
oie.document.title = doctit
oiewid = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.width
oiehei = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.height
'=== we generate a size in % of the screen height and width for the internet explorer window
sizwidpercent = 100
sizheipercent = 95
loswid = 100-sizwidpercent
loshei = 100-sizheipercent
newwid = oiewid*sizwidpercent*.01
newhei = oiehei*sizheipercent*.01
oie.document.parentwindow.resizeto newwid,newhei
newx = oiewid * loswid * .01 /2
newy = oiehei * (loshei/2) * .01 /2
oie.document.parentwindow.moveto newx, newy
oIE.visible = 1 '=== visible on
oie.addressbar=false
'====== main program, or loop
ara01 = array( _
"Hello,", _
"how", _
"are", _
"you?")
for each stra in ara01
oie.document.WriteLn(stra & "<br>")
next
'=== end of program
wscript.quit
'=== at the end of the program, we have the sub and functions
'=== if internet explorer is closed, we leave script
sub IE_onQuit()
wscript.quit
end sub
'=========== end of script .VBS =================
STEP 002 web interface hello world
Now for the interface
open notepad
first we have to assume most objects in windows are accessible in 32 bits only
so we will make a script that restart himself in 32 bits if your windows is in 64 bits
for that we have to find if windows is 64 bits
we need a few windows objects for that
so we will create a filesystemobject to chek folders and if we are in syswow64 (the 32 bits wscript.exe that will run our script)
-------------------------- test3.vbs -----------------------
'=== object for files and filenames
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'=== object to rerun the script in 32 bits
Set objshe = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'=== actual drive, actual directory, and "\" we need it to rerun the script in 32 bits
thepath=WScript.ScriptFullName
p = instrRev(thepath,"\")
basedir = left(thepath,p)
'=== script name to rerun it in 32 bits
filnam = right(thepath,len(thepath)-p)
WinDir = objfso.GetSpecialFolder(0)
'=== restart the script in 32 bits if we are on a 64 bits system
'=== (databases drivers issues)
a64 = windir & "\syswow64\wscript.exe"
if objFSO.fileEXISTS(a64) and instr(lcase(wscript.fullname),"syswow64")=0 then
'=== 64 bits system
a = """" & a64 & """ """ & basedir & filnam & """"
objshe.Run a,0, false
wscript.quit
end if
'=== create an internet explorer object to display stuff
set oIE = wscript.CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application", "IE_")
oie.FullScreen = False
oIE.left=0 ' window position
oIE.top = 0 ' and other properties
oIE.height = 500
oIE.width = 500
oIE.menubar = 1 '=== no menu
oIE.toolbar = 1
oIE.statusbar = 1
oIE.RegisterAsDropTarget = True
oie.Navigate("about:blank")
oie.document.title = doctit
oiewid = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.width
oiehei = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.height
'=== we generate a size in % of the screen height and width for the internet explorer window
sizwidpercent = 100
sizheipercent = 95
loswid = 100-sizwidpercent
loshei = 100-sizheipercent
newwid = oiewid*sizwidpercent*.01
newhei = oiehei*sizheipercent*.01
oie.document.parentwindow.resizeto newwid,newhei
newx = oiewid * loswid * .01 /2
newy = oiehei * (loshei/2) * .01 /2
oie.document.parentwindow.moveto newx, newy
oIE.visible = 1 '=== visible on
oie.addressbar=false
'=== write a line in the internet explorer window, no html for now
oie.document.WriteLn("Hello World")
oie.document.WriteLn("<br><br>You can close internet explorer now, the program have ended")
'=== end of program
wscript.quit
'=== at the end of the program, we have the sub and functions
'=== if internet explorer is closed, we leave script
sub IE_onQuit()
wscript.quit
open notepad
first we have to assume most objects in windows are accessible in 32 bits only
so we will make a script that restart himself in 32 bits if your windows is in 64 bits
for that we have to find if windows is 64 bits
we need a few windows objects for that
so we will create a filesystemobject to chek folders and if we are in syswow64 (the 32 bits wscript.exe that will run our script)
-------------------------- test3.vbs -----------------------
'=== object for files and filenames
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
'=== object to rerun the script in 32 bits
Set objshe = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
'=== actual drive, actual directory, and "\" we need it to rerun the script in 32 bits
thepath=WScript.ScriptFullName
p = instrRev(thepath,"\")
basedir = left(thepath,p)
'=== script name to rerun it in 32 bits
filnam = right(thepath,len(thepath)-p)
'=== windows dir
WinDir = objfso.GetSpecialFolder(0)
'=== restart the script in 32 bits if we are on a 64 bits system
'=== (databases drivers issues)
a64 = windir & "\syswow64\wscript.exe"
if objFSO.fileEXISTS(a64) and instr(lcase(wscript.fullname),"syswow64")=0 then
'=== 64 bits system
a = """" & a64 & """ """ & basedir & filnam & """"
objshe.Run a,0, false
wscript.quit
end if
'=== create an internet explorer object to display stuff
set oIE = wscript.CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application", "IE_")
oie.FullScreen = False
oIE.left=0 ' window position
oIE.top = 0 ' and other properties
oIE.height = 500
oIE.width = 500
oIE.menubar = 1 '=== no menu
oIE.toolbar = 1
oIE.statusbar = 1
oIE.RegisterAsDropTarget = True
oie.Navigate("about:blank")
oie.document.title = doctit
oiewid = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.width
oiehei = oie.document.parentwindow.screen.height
'=== we generate a size in % of the screen height and width for the internet explorer window
sizwidpercent = 100
sizheipercent = 95
loswid = 100-sizwidpercent
loshei = 100-sizheipercent
newwid = oiewid*sizwidpercent*.01
newhei = oiehei*sizheipercent*.01
oie.document.parentwindow.resizeto newwid,newhei
newx = oiewid * loswid * .01 /2
newy = oiehei * (loshei/2) * .01 /2
oie.document.parentwindow.moveto newx, newy
oIE.visible = 1 '=== visible on
oie.addressbar=false
'=== write a line in the internet explorer window, no html for now
oie.document.WriteLn("Hello World")
oie.document.WriteLn("<br><br>You can close internet explorer now, the program have ended")
'=== end of program
wscript.quit
'=== at the end of the program, we have the sub and functions
'=== if internet explorer is closed, we leave script
sub IE_onQuit()
wscript.quit
end sub
------------------- end of .vbs --------------------
Now you might find this a little big just to display hello world
But it's a frame you can use for many purpose
Our purpose here is to learn how to program
So we needed a fast way to have an interface and use it to display our results
(input of results in a box, will come later)
For the near futur we will concentrate on programming nice code, with a nice structure
and have a few output to see if the code is working ;)
STEP 001 hello world
The first language (ok the second, first was machine language) was BASIC
Many of use learned to program on color computer, commodore 64 with the integrated basic
Later with QBASIC, on pc computers
QBASIC cannot be used anymore as it is a dos application and take input and display results in a dos window or a low resolution graphic screen.
So you need to learn programming from a basic language still, but you do not have any free basic interpreter
You can learn with windows host script (.WSH or .VBS)
All you need is notepad, and save your file as .VBS
This basic scripting language have many commands and many objects that can be created in windows
A internet explorer object can be created for input and output
Now the "pure" will say: I want to use firefox. Well, you can't because the internet explorer object is registrated in windows and can be called from VBS, but firefox is not registrated with windows. So you cannot access firefox objects from VBS and use it as interface.
Let's start with the famous HELLO WORLD
open notepad
make a new file called --------------- test.VBS -------------
msgbox("Hello World")
-------------- end of file -----------------
save it on desktop
double click on it
and here is your box with "hello world" in it
Now thoses box are limited to a few line of text in output
and on input, one line of input
that is why we have to use an interface
since we don't want to multiply the developement time by 3 or 4, we will use internet explorer as interface
(who want to build grids, and crystal reports for two third of their programming time...)
Many of use learned to program on color computer, commodore 64 with the integrated basic
Later with QBASIC, on pc computers
QBASIC cannot be used anymore as it is a dos application and take input and display results in a dos window or a low resolution graphic screen.
So you need to learn programming from a basic language still, but you do not have any free basic interpreter
You can learn with windows host script (.WSH or .VBS)
All you need is notepad, and save your file as .VBS
This basic scripting language have many commands and many objects that can be created in windows
A internet explorer object can be created for input and output
Now the "pure" will say: I want to use firefox. Well, you can't because the internet explorer object is registrated in windows and can be called from VBS, but firefox is not registrated with windows. So you cannot access firefox objects from VBS and use it as interface.
Let's start with the famous HELLO WORLD
open notepad
make a new file called --------------- test.VBS -------------
msgbox("Hello World")
-------------- end of file -----------------
save it on desktop
double click on it
and here is your box with "hello world" in it
Now thoses box are limited to a few line of text in output
and on input, one line of input
that is why we have to use an interface
since we don't want to multiply the developement time by 3 or 4, we will use internet explorer as interface
(who want to build grids, and crystal reports for two third of their programming time...)
let's talk about programming a little now
First the is the IN and the OUT
Usually the client will provide you the IN and OUT and you will program the TREATMENT to achieve both
IN:
screen of the input the client want to do
as example let's say: a baseball team, member of team, first presence to the bat, simple, double, triple, homerun, retired, strike, ball
you can use numbers for players to enter statistics faster
OUT:
the statistics
a table with all teams, with highest score at top
another table, with all players for general point scored
another table for homeruns
The client need to draw thoses according to his wishes
the talk to the programmer about limitations (the screen is not large enough etc)
Now, why do i want to use a web interface for my IN and OUT
First, if i use a normal visual basic interface, i have to deal with:
IN CON:
1. static input interface, no zoom, no autoscale, no print option for inputs screen
2. the input need to be done in a grid, wich have certain limitations, mostly, it will show every column of the database, and will not allow half of them to be writable, and half of them to be read only in a visual sens of thing (like a different color if you cannot change a column)
3. fixed query. when you "program" a query in vb, you need the dataset to be linked to the database to do so. With dynamic query, where you can add or remove column according to permissions, or login name, you have a much better control of what you want to show to the user. Example: you can test each column permission and display thoses which the user have permission. In a grid, the grid would simply return an error if you dont have a permission on a column. Aditionnaly, you can manage noview, nowrite, readonly permissions on a column basis with a dynamic query. Plus sometimes, you need certains columns to manage the data, aka, the id column. But you don't want to display it in the grid. But it need to be in the dataset if you want to be able to update data with the id column.
OUT CON:
with vb, you have to construct a crystal report to view your results
if you add columns to the output, you have to modify your crystal report everytime, because it's not build dynamically
IN PRO: (for web interface)
you can zoom in or zoom out and the table in html will scale even if it goes out of the screen, a scroll bar magically appear
you can decide to skip a column you don't want the user to see, since you build the table yourself
OUT PRO:
you can output in internet explorer, and print. if your page scale is 100% it will automatically adjust to the margin of the size of paper
you can copy past the whole result table in excel and it will go in every excel cell all alone since it's an html table
you can also copy past the table of results in word processor, that will accept an html table easily to make a better looking report (that will still be text, and not a heavy image)
since we can imagine the futur, you can change your vb code to asp and generate the web page dynamically from a server web with basically the same code
and all of it will be much lighter than a web app or a grid, a loading time, and a complete absence of possibility to customize the output
Enough talking let's do some code next!
First the is the IN and the OUT
Usually the client will provide you the IN and OUT and you will program the TREATMENT to achieve both
IN:
screen of the input the client want to do
as example let's say: a baseball team, member of team, first presence to the bat, simple, double, triple, homerun, retired, strike, ball
you can use numbers for players to enter statistics faster
OUT:
the statistics
a table with all teams, with highest score at top
another table, with all players for general point scored
another table for homeruns
The client need to draw thoses according to his wishes
the talk to the programmer about limitations (the screen is not large enough etc)
Now, why do i want to use a web interface for my IN and OUT
First, if i use a normal visual basic interface, i have to deal with:
IN CON:
1. static input interface, no zoom, no autoscale, no print option for inputs screen
2. the input need to be done in a grid, wich have certain limitations, mostly, it will show every column of the database, and will not allow half of them to be writable, and half of them to be read only in a visual sens of thing (like a different color if you cannot change a column)
3. fixed query. when you "program" a query in vb, you need the dataset to be linked to the database to do so. With dynamic query, where you can add or remove column according to permissions, or login name, you have a much better control of what you want to show to the user. Example: you can test each column permission and display thoses which the user have permission. In a grid, the grid would simply return an error if you dont have a permission on a column. Aditionnaly, you can manage noview, nowrite, readonly permissions on a column basis with a dynamic query. Plus sometimes, you need certains columns to manage the data, aka, the id column. But you don't want to display it in the grid. But it need to be in the dataset if you want to be able to update data with the id column.
OUT CON:
with vb, you have to construct a crystal report to view your results
if you add columns to the output, you have to modify your crystal report everytime, because it's not build dynamically
IN PRO: (for web interface)
you can zoom in or zoom out and the table in html will scale even if it goes out of the screen, a scroll bar magically appear
you can decide to skip a column you don't want the user to see, since you build the table yourself
OUT PRO:
you can output in internet explorer, and print. if your page scale is 100% it will automatically adjust to the margin of the size of paper
you can copy past the whole result table in excel and it will go in every excel cell all alone since it's an html table
you can also copy past the table of results in word processor, that will accept an html table easily to make a better looking report (that will still be text, and not a heavy image)
since we can imagine the futur, you can change your vb code to asp and generate the web page dynamically from a server web with basically the same code
and all of it will be much lighter than a web app or a grid, a loading time, and a complete absence of possibility to customize the output
Enough talking let's do some code next!
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