[<<Previous Entry] [^^Up^^] [Next Entry>>] [Menu] [About The Guide]
 READ
 Activate full-screen editing mode using Get objects
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Syntax

     READ [SAVE] [MENU <oMenu>] [MSG AT <nRow>, <nLeft>,
        <nRight>] [MSG COLOR <cColorString>]

 Arguments

     SAVE retains the contents of the current GetList after the READ
     terminates.  Later, you can edit the same Get objects by issuing another
     READ.  If not specified, the current GetList is assigned an empty array
     deleting all of the previous Get objects when the READ terminates.

     MENU <oMenu> specifies an optional Topbarmenu object that, when
     supplied, permits menu selection during data entry.

     MSG AT <nMsgRow>, <nMsgLeft>, <nMsgRight> specify the row,
     left, and right margins where the Get object messages appear on the
     screen.  If omitted, messages will not appear.

     MSG COLOR <cMsgColor> defines the color setting of the message area.
     It consists of a single foreground/background color pair.

 Description

     READ executes a full-screen editing mode using all Get objects created
     and added to the current GetList since the most recent CLEAR, CLEAR
     GETS, CLEAR ALL or READ commands.  If there is a format procedure
     active, READ executes that procedure before entering the full-screen
     editing mode.

     Within a READ, the user can edit the buffer of each Get object as well
     as move from one Get object to another.  Before the user can enter a Get
     object, control passes to the associated WHEN <lPreCondition> if one has
     been assigned to that Get object.  If <lPreCondition> returns true
     (.T.), the user is allowed to edit the buffer of the Get object.
     Otherwise, control passes to the next Get object in the GetList.  Within
     a GET buffer, the user can edit using the full complement of editing and
     navigation keys.  See the tables below.

     When the user presses a GET exit key, control passes to the associated
     RANGE or VALID postcondition if one has been specified.  If either
     condition returns true (.T.), editing of the Get object is terminated
     and control passes to the next Get object.  Otherwise, control remains
     within the current Get object until a valid value is entered or the user
     presses the Esc key.

     When the user successfully enters a value into a Get object, the
     associated variable is assigned the value of the Get object's buffer.

     The following tables list active keys within a READ:

     READ Navigation Keys
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Key                           Action
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Left arrow, Ctrl+S            Character left. Does not move cursor to
                                   previous GET.
     Right arrow, Ctrl+D           Character right.  Does not move cursor to
                                   next GET.
     Ctrl+Left arrow, Ctrl+A       Word left.
     Ctrl+Right arrow, Ctrl+F      Word right.
     Up arrow, Shift+Tab, Ctrl+E   Previous GET.
     Down arrow, Tab, Ctrl+X,      Return, Ctrl+M Next GET.
     Home                          First character of GET.
     End                           Last character of GET.
     Ctrl+Home                     Beginning of first GET.
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------

     READ Editing Keys
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Key                 Action
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Del, Ctrl+G         Delete character at cursor position
     Backspace, Ctrl+H   Destructive backspace
     Ctrl+T              Delete word right
     Ctrl+Y              Delete from cursor position to end of GET
     Ctrl+U              Restore current GET to original value
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------

     READ Toggle Keys
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Key            Action
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Ins, Ctrl+V    Toggle insert mode
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------

     READ Exit Keys
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Key                           Action
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Ctrl+W, Ctrl+C, PgUp, PgDn    Terminate READ saving current GET
     Return, Ctrl+M                Terminate READ from last GET
     Esc                           Terminate READ without saving current GET
     Up arrow                      Terminate READ from first GET if
                                   READEXIT()=.T.
     Down arrow                    Terminate READ from last GET if
                                   READEXIT()=.T.
     ------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Notes

     .  Nested READs: To perform a nested READ within a SET KEY,
        VALID, or WHEN procedure or user-defined function, declare or create
        a new GetList, perform a series of @...GET statements, and then READ.
        When the procedure terminates, the new GetList is released and the
        previous GetList becomes visible again.  See the example below.

     .  Quick keys: Pressing Home or End in quick succession goes to
        the first or last nonblank character in a Get object's buffer.

     .  Terminating a READ: A READ is terminated by executing a BREAK,
        CLEAR, CLEAR GETS, or CLEAR ALL from within a SET KEY procedure or a
        user-defined function initiated by VALID.

     .  UPDATED(): If any Get object buffer was changed during the
        current READ, UPDATED() is set to true (.T.).

 Examples

     .  This example defines several GETs then READs them:

        CLEAR
        cVar1 := cVar2 := cVar3 := SPACE(10)
        @ 10, 10 SAY "Variable one:" GET cVar1 VALID ;
              !EMPTY(cVar1)
        @ 11, 10 SAY "Variable two:" GET cVar2 ;
                 WHEN RTRIM(cVar1) !=  "One"
        @ 12, 10 SAY "Variable three:" GET cVar3 VALID ;
                 !EMPTY(cVar3)
        READ

     .  This example performs a nested READ within a SET KEY, WHEN, or
        VALID procedure or user-defined function:

        LOCAL cName := SPACE(10)
        @ 10, 10 GET cName VALID SubForm( cName )
        READ
        RETURN

        FUNCTION SubForm( cLookup )
           LOCAL GetList := {}         // Create new GetList
           USE Sales INDEX Salesman NEW
           SEEK cLookup
           IF FOUND()
              @ 15, 10 GET Salesman    // Add Get objects to
              @ 16, 10 GET Amount      // new GetList
              READ                     // READ from new GetList
           ENDIF
           CLOSE Sales
           RETURN .T.                  // Release new GetList

 Files   Library is CLIPPER.LIB.


See Also: @...GET @...SAY CLEAR GETS LASTKEY() READEXIT()
This page created by ng2html v1.05, the Norton guide to HTML conversion utility. Written by Dave Pearson