Window frozen does not freeze

[Bekah]

I have script to create new window.

Its like this which I read here on forums

Perform script (move/resize window

go to layout [little window ]

Pause indefinitely

It works well to keep window on top. The DONE button is a close wndow. But now I added a copy/paste button on it and that releases the lock somehow. It is just script Paste() and another script Copy(). Can I force it to stay on top? I though that is what pause indefinetly does. Wehn the window unfreezes, they end up opening many identical windows and getting 'can't modify this record stuff'. Very bad and I get in trouble.

[LiveOak]

A Pause script step by itself won't keep a window from being closed or moved to the background. Try:

Loop

Pause

End Loop

You will need either an Exit Loop step within the loop or to execute a Halt script to terminate the loop.

-bd

[Bekah]

Thank you Live Oak for helping me. I will try that now.

I thought loops were for moving through records! I'll be darned! thank you again.

[Bekah]

Hello LiveOak

Ok. I did as you said but still the window disappears. I have several windows like this but here is one:

New Window (yada yada .. brings up my new window)

Go to layout (my little window layout)

Adjust window (resize to fit)

Loop

Pause/Resume (inside here I tried indefinitely, 0 duration and 1 duration)

End Loop

Then the button to leave the window is:

Close Window [current window]

Halt

It works to keep the window open if someone clicks outside the window. But when they click my arrow buttons on the little window, or a copy/paste button also on the little window, it loses it's lock.

I need to be able to scroll through the records in those little windows; or copy something. Every time another script is run from my tiny window, it unfreezes. theere must be something else I missed but I can't figure out what. Do I need to somehow add pause loops in my record arrow scripts too? Or my paste? Can I make them hold the freeze somehow?

[Bekah]

I guess I'll give up keeping my little windows on top unless a miracle happens pretty soon. I've tried everything in the universe and nothing works. I need buttons on those little windows. And any button at all breaks the lock. my boss said he wont' pay for plugouts and that if I can't figure it out i need to read a book. I read everything I can. Still don't know the answer.

Is there anything else I can do? Can I have buttons work that float ABOVE my little windows so they don't unlock them? Maybe there are other things that might work. If not, please tell me so I don't spend anymore time on something that isn't possible. Thank you all for helping in any way.

[Fenton]

What you're missing are the options that you get when you attach many script steps, and all scripts, to a button, do what? with current script. There is a drop-down list, with your favorites, Pause, Exit, etc.. For items that keep the little window, you can Pause (or Resume), for items that leave, Exit (or Halt).

It's in the dialog attaching the script, NOT in the script itself. Easy to miss.

[Fenton]

You can also stop smart-alecks from running scripts visible in the Scripts menu in version 7 by surrounding EACH (and every) one with the new Get(AllowAbortState) function.

If [ Get ( AllowAbortState ) = 1 ]

[Bekah]

Oh! HALT on the button that RUNS the script! Oh, THAT halt!! I always change that always to exit because I don't understand them. Thank you Fenton I will try that right now! How silly I must seem. Well, it's my week to be silly. Maybe I'll get all the dumbness out in one whack this way.

Attached to the button itself.?? Well, I'll be...

[Bekah]

Ok. My week for dumbness isn't over. it must end on Friday. I added Halt to the button that runs runs the script to the little window. It din't work. I thought I understood but I don't.

could you use my exampe script above and tell me what halts where. or pauses where? Just to give me one example I can play with like a very small simple example to keep a little window frozen. I promise I'll study it until I understand. But I just dont, Fenton. I'll even do the first part I think I get for sure,

attach 'open little window' script to button. change popup to halt. Open little window script will be New Window, Go to Layout, pause, resume. halt?

[Fenton]

It's a tricky process, but not complex, so it's hard for us to tell just what is wrong. Look at this example file:

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/download.php?Number=122273

[Schrambow]

hello,

when i insert a show message line in a script. and allow user to abort on. Why when i hit the esc. button does it continue to go through the scripte when i hit the esc button?

thanks

Corey

[Fenton]

I assume you're on Windows. Why don't you put that info in your profile, so we can easily see? Not a big deal, but sometimes helps when answering a question.

In any case, the script continues BECAUSE you've set Allow User Abort ["Off"]. Otherwise what would be the point of it? It's to stop people from cancelling scripts. If you want to be able to stop such a "lock loop," you need to write a script for your message. When you attach it to a button, choose "Halt" current script as the option.

The loop will then be dead. If someone makes a choice you don't like :-), you can start it again. But, unless it's the 1st choice, on Windows, it will remain dead. On Macs Esc. does not run the default script, and there is no closing of message windows; only Return or Enter will run the default, which is the correct behavior, IMHO; though it would be nice if we could bind the 2nd choice to Cmd-D, and maybe the 3rd to Esc.. I guess it's safest the way it is.

[AFK]

Hello, This is my other name at work AFK (schrambow is the one at home).

Thanks for responding. I am a beginner, however, have some pretty long scripts calc and some experience creating some without any training.

A simple existing situation i have that i am just missing something.

Allow User to Abort [on}

Show message [buttons: "complete", "partial", "subsequent"; Data: "Will this be completing an order, first partial, subsequent"

If [status(currentmessagechoice)=1

I have the other 2 choices with "if" statements as well for those inputs; however what i need is if someone gets to this screen and wants none of the choices-re made a mistake getting to this screen- why doesn't the abort switch "esc" which is turn on stop and exit out of the script instead of continue on with the script work?

Is that what the Allow user to abort "ON" step suppose to do?

Thanks for you help

Corey

"schrambow"

[Fenton]

This is not a FileMaker problem per se, it's a Windows problem, as I said in my earlier post. (Actually maybe it is a FileMaker problem; maybe they could change it internally. I don't know.) The only thing you can do in this case is:

Show message [buttons: "Cancel", "Continue"; Data: "Will this be completing an order"

If [status(currentmessagechoice)=1

[Bekah]

It's me again Fenton. Ive been studying self-client. oh I have. The attached is the closest I can get. I just don't understand the theory. I tried attaching pauses and halts to everything involved in everything - every specify button and every script at one time or other.

The attached little window finally sticks - no matter what. But then it won't shut off again. Ever. Not without status bar showing where I can stop it. Even if original button is set to halt or whatever. If I can understand this simple example, I think I can expand it. Fenton? If you're not there I'll take help from anyone. I dont want to go to work tomorrow with another week goneby and no proper little windows for them.

if i accept others help it won't mean I don't think you're the greatest! But I think Live Oak or maybe others know the answers too. I think I'm the only one that doesn't and ive worked on it all weekend myself.

LittleWindow.zip

[Fenton]

You've been bitten by the "I made/changed the script, how come the button still doesn't work" problem. You're Close script is NOT attached to the button; only the Close Window step is. And that step doesn't have the "current script" options; so you can't say to Exit or Halt the current script. Attach your Close script, choose Exit or Halt.

Also, any Copy or Paste steps are layout-dependent. So to paste into the original window, you've got to close the little window first.

[Bekah]

ohhh, ummm, errr embarrasing. I really checked everything 100 times! I guess I focused on the scripts and forgot that button.

Okay, I have faith it'll work this time! I'll thank you in advance, keeping faith on it. So hopefully I won't be back on this one. Thank you! And I'm glad it was you and you weren't gone somewhere. Thank you Fenton.

Thanks also for the copy paste info. My real ones are field specific and work right, I got lazy putting the test file together. copy/paste are supposed to apply to the data in the little window. Adding them is what caused it to unfreeze but they work right in the real file.

[Bekah]

IT WORKS! IT WORKS! I have frozen little windows all I want!!! You are my hero, Fenton!!

[Fenton]

You're welcome. Don't neglect an earlier post I made about trapping for this frozen state in EVERY visible script which should not run. Because the Loop/pause does not stop scripts from running. I believe it's a fairly non-intrusive check; it could also be its own script, to call from others.

LittleWindow1.zip

[Bekah]

I hesitated responding until I understood exactly what you're ferring to Fenton. I didn't understand what 'visible script' means. You mean I can see any script buttons on my layout? Well, anyway, I've been playing with it trying to figure out how other scripts affect it.

And I may have hit just such a problem although I'm unsure. And i'm a bit discouraged. I thought I understood. And it works on most little windows but not my address one which is the most important.

If I may improse again on forum, I'm back for more help. i got laughed at today. I almost quit. here's what I have

Button which opens Address Window is set to HALT

Address Window script is

perform script new Window &Resize -- opens new little window

go to layout little address

Perform Script [ window name to lay out name]

loop

pause indifietely

end loop

Close button is

Close Window

Halt Script

and that button has an 'exit' popped up.

And when they click copy button in little window, then click outside window, the darned thing disappears. And Copy button POPUP is set to Exit. and I made sure the right script was attached to buttons - not like I messed up before. If you need, I can give you the innards of these other scripts. Can you tell what I did wrong?

oh dear. when did you attach another file? I will study it. oh dear. I didn't ssee it sorry. Well, I checked it and mine should still be working. I will study your abort part with the rest of it. Until then, can we get this address window just to work. I'd be forever grateful to everyone and anyone. And then I promoise I'll figure the rest out myself somehow.

[Bekah]

I have tried everything to solve this. Would it help if I submitted a demo of exactly what my windowing scripts look like? They are simple new window and window name to layout name. I can't understand how they could interfer with freezing the window on top. I really have tried everything I can think of.

I think my problem may be what Fenton described as 'visible scripts' but I have no idea what a 'visible script' means. This is my last attempt to solve this. I have tried everything I know (and then some). Please ideas anyone.

[Fenton]

By "visible" scripts, I mean the scripts that the user can see in the Scripts menu. A user can choose to run these even if you've trapped them in a Loop/pause routine; so you have to do something to stop those from running.

Yes, you could submit a demo. Please keep it as simple as possible, so that we can see what is actually not working.

Remember that any resizing of windows is going to put all your windows into "restore" mode, ie., not maximized, on PCs. I don't know any cure for this, other than maximizing again when the little window's task is finished. As you can see, I'm most on Macs.

[Bekah]

Here is demo of my real problem. They need to be able to copy from one address line to another. They don't want to retype stuff. we have several addresses for each contact - mailing extra copies of invoices etc. And when they click on those buttons then out, it disappears. I put only what I think might be importnt but since I don't understand this, i don't know what is important. i tried to keep it smallest i could.

i read everything I can. I studied everything on windows and scripts i can find. for weeks now on this. i leanred many things about scripts and windows but not this. and i tried to explain exactly what i did. these scripts are identical - everhting is identical to my real one. i double-checked everything. This is my last attempt. I don't want to go back to work. any help will be appreciate

MainContacts.zip

[Fenton]

This is darn near done. And it makes sense, a sort of generic assisted copy/paste into multiple possible address types, in portal. Quite clever, I think I'll borrow it :-)

I didn't understand that the copy AND paste were in the little window. In which case just make them both Pause the current script, instead of Halt. You want them to click Done to leave. No other buttons Halt the Loop.

The only other thing I see right off would be to Hide, Lock Status Bar on the little window. Otherwise it says "Continue," which you wouldn't want, as it would not stop the Loop.

[Bekah]

Im so excited I could spit. It works Fenton. It really works. Pause. Silly Pause on copy & paste. So sorry i got mixed up and taken your time. Pause!!?? not logical. i have to go through my notes because Pause makes no sense (and self-client has Halt on its little window buttons). Exit makes sense (although I put halt because you did and self-client did). Exit current script (copy) but not the prior script (loop/pause/end loop) stuff.

You had pause on your LittleWindow1 on first button - self-client had halt. And on your copy it wasn't script - only the copy step so I couldn't tell but you had halt on paste which I figured was because you were closing window and i saw no pattern. I see pattern now although I would think Exit would be better on the Done button because i want the prior script to take back over but Im new and don't know. thank you, thank you. okay. Halt makes sense. Exit makes sense except why exit the running script when the running script will automatically exit when it finishes? i read that. Won't it stop anyway? Pause and Resume make no sense.

For now I'm sleep very happy. I'll figure out why tomorrow. i have to fix my windows and read. I have 35 pages from posts i flowed out (about these four dudes), drawing out their logic. not all of thse posts are logical either. : And you should be very happy because i think we can move on to fresher horizons.

I'm almost done and you liked somethin I did! Maybe this stuff'll be fun after all. :

oh ps - I always hide and lock status area at startup. never let them see it. it's ugly and dangerous.

Im back. Keep playing with my windows. amazing what can excite a person, Isn't it!!