Commit vs. GoToField[]

[dkemme]

Previously in a script where I had to "save" the record, I performed a GoToField without any field specified. Now with Commit record script step, which is best?

FileMaker Version: Dev 7

Platform: Mac OS X Panther

[CobaltSky]

Hi dkemme,

The use of Go to Field[ ] to exit a record was a work-around that was used back in the days of version 3. But in fact the Go to Field[ ] technique became obsolete with the release of version 4 of FileMaker, which included the command Exit Record/Request to provide equivalent functionality.

Most developers have preferred to use Exit Record/Request through versions 4, 5, 5.5 and 6 because it is explicit (whereas the behavior of the Go to Field[ ] command is implicit and occurs as a result of deliberately inducing an error state). Exit Record/Request can therefore be error trapped separately (eg to ascertain whether the Exit Record step has failed because of a field validation issue etc).

With version 7, the Exit Record/Request step has acquired a new name, to more clearly identify its relationship to the new revert/commit functionality of the application, but all the aforementioned reasons still apply and it would generally be a better choice - at least in all situations that spring to mind.