Hidden aspects of script steps

[T-Square]

I've just upgraded to FM6, and I am pleased to see a few modifications in the scripts realm (e.g., a resizable script window and custom dialogs), but am still deeply troubled by the fact that I can't see the stored state of the following script commands (among others):

Perform Script: External

Save Copy As

Import Records

I find it really problematic--especially when FM craps out so frequently and randomly corrupts these commands. The only way I can debug these errors is to go through one script at a time and reset the values for every one of these script steps, since I cannot trust the stored settings.

Has anyone figured out a **sensible** way to view these aspects? By "sensible," I mean at least not a fee-based "plug-in" from a third party vendor...

And yes, I DO resent the fact that many features I consider essential to application development are available to me only as fee-based third party plug-ins...

David Thomas

[BobWeaver]

Print out the scripts. The hidden parameters appear when printed. You can also download my free file analyzer from the samples section of this forum. Only works on Mac though.

[T-Square]

Yes, I know about printing out the scripts. However, this does me no good when a client calls and tells me that their system crashed and now none of the scripts works. We spend hours on the phone while I talk them through editing the scripts one by one, and we compare each script step individually to see which hidden feature has been corrupted...

[Vaughan]

FMP should *not* "crap out so frequently." Seriously, it's very stable when set up correctly.

How do you have it set up?

[Geeksharka]

I always add comments to the script steps, especially in longer ones that may not be immediately decipherable later on. HTH

[Vaughan]

Funny thing about comments I've discovered: take this code:

...

Set user About [on]

Perform Find

# comment

If [ Status(CurrentError) <> 0 ]

...

The comment line resets the error code. It seems that FMP processes the comment line. Weird, that.

[avalon]

That's a great suggestion - comments to display the parameters that don't ordinarily appear. Thanks for sharing that!

[kennedy]

Yes, I know about printing out the scripts. However, this does me no good when a client calls and tells me that their system crashed and now none of the scripts works. We spend hours on the phone while I talk them through editing the scripts one by one, and we compare each script step individually to see which hidden feature has been corrupted...

Really? I'd just ask them to press Print... in the ScriptMaker window, and either select Fax or let it print out hard copy and fax it to me. Then I'd sit down and do a comparison between their printed scripts and my gold-copy of their solution. No way I'd do that orally over the phone... ick.

ACTUALLY though, I wouldn't accept FMP "crapping out" so frequently and munging the scripts. I'd fix that, one way or another. That is NOT normal.

Let me guess... are your clients using FM Server?

On Mac or PC?

[kennedy]

P.S. I agree the screen output should show those hidden things... having to print to see those is one of the most idiotic thing I've ever heard of... some of FMI's design decisions are bewildering.

P.P.S. Bob's tool is a nice solution... in fact, in trying to solve random munging of FP5 files, his tool could be extremely helpful.

[kennedy]

The comment line resets the error code. It seems that FMP processes the comment line. Weird, that.

No way! That's not weird... that's insane. Okay, now failure to print that info in the screen doesn't seem so idiotic!

I will now be running through my scripts checking for comments preceding error checks. I have a bad habit: when I read my code later, anything that gives me pause gets a comment added... and I never re-test after just adding comments. The above could explain some cases of "Hey! How'd that error dialog get through..."