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Multilevel process
trees are something I find I have to create frequently. I finally
created a tool to make it easy. If you don't know
exactly what I mean by a multilevel process tree, keep reading.
I mean
when a process
that processes one table needs to process related records and
records related to those records, and those...I think you get the drift.
Seems like there is no end to the number of things you have to do to a
multi-level relational database.
You may be thinking, so what is the big deal?
Can't you do all this with the standard Clarion process/report templates
and related table extension templates?
Well, no. Not really. What you need to do
the job the right way is a cascade of processes. Except, if you attempt
that with the standard templates, each process comes with a window you
have to disable, and its own process manager that fights with the
parent process manager. Or, you can use the extension template
that isn't really a process. It piggy-backs on the main process
and you can't get anything beyond the trivial done without doing a ton
of logic programming inside one catch-all embed.
The right way? The right way is a separate embed
for each table's records. The right way is a separate embed for
each table's headers and a separate embed for each table's footers.
The right way is a single procedure with a progress window and a
controller that automatically walks the tree and paces every level from
a single master loop.
With Up & Up, you process a whole bunch of related
tables in one template.
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Every table is processed via its own
dedicated process object. As if you had called a new process
procedure from the TakeRecord method. Except you don't have to. The
WindowManager switches processes, automatically.
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All of the processes are configured in a single
template. Configuring every process is identical to
configuring the master process. All processes have identical
features.
The concept of trees of cooperating processes doesn't
seem to have a name. I have christened it
Up & Up. (Some things just don't have descriptive names)
Up & Up presently requires Clarion 6.0 or
later. If enough people tell us they want Clarion 5.5 support, we
will consider adding it.
How hard is it to use?
Here's how hard
it is:
You fill the Up
& Up table schematic with tables to process, and associated lookup
tables. Up & UP automatically figures out which tables are to be
processed and which are lookups. It creates a process object and
associated view for each table to be processed, with all views having
the same capabilities. At this point, you fill in a TakeRecord method embed for each
table for which an action is required. That's it!
For a report
procedure, of course you have to design print details, and assign the
details to processes. Fill in other template prompts if you need other
stuff like totals or filters or ranging or computed fields. If you ever
created a Clarion process or report, you already know how to fill in
most of the Up & Up prompts. In case you don't, full context sensitive
help is a click away, complete with screen shots.
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