Running external scripts in IWP

[Adam McCabe]

I have a multiple-file solution that uses external scripts. In one example, I have a portal in the 'Main' database that shows records from the 'People' database. Each line of the portal has a Go button that executes the following script:

Commit Records/Requests [No dialog]

Go To Related Record [show only related records; From Table: "People"; External; Using layout: "Data Entry" (People)]

Select Window [Name: "People"]

My problem is that if the external file (in this case, People) hasn't been accessed before, the Web browser loads a new URL with People in it instead of Main, and the external script does not function correctly. Subsequent attempts work fine. In addition, whenever the URL is changed, my previously locked sidebar opens. I don't have any script steps to open the sidebar, let alone in a startup script.

Why does IWP behave like this? Is there any way to keep the sidebar hidden and locked, other than consolidating my files?

TIA.

[Vaughan]

The Commit Record/Request step at the beginning causes the focus of the portal row to be lost. Get rid of it. Also try the script without the Select Window step.

[Adam McCabe]

That didn't really work. The new virtual window opens correctly, and it does so without opening the status area (sidebar), but the record that appears is the first one in the People database, not the related record. Any other ideas?

I also tried a method using external scripts, but those work even less. Despite the fact that the People database is shared and uses the same permissions, running a script in IWP that has a "perform script [external]" step just causes the browser window to blink.

[Adam McCabe]

I think what's happening is that whenever IWP encounters a Go to related record script step, it loads the other database into the URL, which causes that file's Startup script to run, thus overriding any script steps that had come after the go to related record step.

Does that sound correct?

[Adam McCabe]

A little experiment I set up:

Two files, both hosted on IWP, with IWP privileges set correctly. One named "Main", one named "People".

People contains two layouts, "ONE" and "TWO". It has a startup script:

Show/Hide Status Area [Lock; Hide]

[Go to Layout: "ONE"]

It also has a script called "GO TO TWO":

[Go to Layout: "TWO"]

A single button was placed on the only layout of the Main database. The button ran a script called "DO EXTERNAL SCRIPT", which I changed to do the following three sets of steps, and noted the results:

Perform Script ["GO TO TWO" from file: "People"]

Perform Script ["GO TO TWO" from file: "People"]

Select Window [Name: "People"]

Select Window [Name: "People"]

Perform Script ["GO TO TWO" from file: "People"]

Select Window [Name: "People"]

Using the first script, the browser window just blinked.

Using the second script, People opened, but stayed at Layout ONE.

Using the third script, People opened, but stayed at Layout ONE.

None of these work correctly - they don't go to layout TWO. This suggests that the startup script overrides any external script that is called. Can that possibly be correct?

Edited June 5, 2007 by Guest
Results were incorrect

[Adam McCabe]

:bang: As usual, the solution is already in these forums.