Testing Cross Platform with Virtual PC

[dynaflash]

Okay, I am new here and you guys appear to be the experts so I bow to you for help!

I have been working on a cross - platform database for a year now. I orignally created it on a Mac (FM Developer 4). To go cross-platform I have Virtual PC 4 with the 5.01 upgrade running on mac OSX (also 9.2 for that matter).On Virtual PC I have several virtual machines setup with different windows versions: 95, 98, 2000, NT4.0, XP Pro. Along with the latest version of "additions for windows". So, you can see that I am serious about cross platform compatibility.

My runtime solution is comprised of several files which need to access each other using scriptmaker and perform scripts back and forth between each other using "Enter Find Mode" > go back to previous file and copy a value out of a field > Back to orignal file and paste value into a field while still in find mode ... basically to do this several times to create a complex find request and then perform find.

So far so good. Works flawlessly on the Mac in both FM and bound as a solution. But, after rebinding in windows to make the windows runtime. I have only one serious problem in VPC Windows: The copy scriptstep is not working. So I get a "xxxxx contains an invalid find request" error! When i put a pause script command after the paste in the original and rerun it in windows I can see that the value has not copied so nothing gets pasted into the field for the find request. I know that the Paste Literal scriptstep which precedes the paste step (ie. "<= value") is pasting but the value paste from clipboard is empty ( I do have "Select entire field" unchecked in the paste script step so as not to replace the Paste Literal value which preceded it).

So, I have tried this with these results:

1.Transfer FM Pro Files to VPC Win and run unbound in FM Pro. Same Problem as bound solution in VPC Win.

2.Burn to disk FM Pro files and run on same Win Version but installed on a native win box with FM Pro installed. Seems to work fine.

3.Burn Win runtime bound on VPC Win to disk. Install on Win native box and run runtime solution. Works fine.

So I can only conclude that the problem is with VPC and the windows clipboard or the copy scriptstep. This maifests itself on all of my VPC windows Virtual Machines. I have contacted Connectix regarding this and they seem to have no idea, they maintain that the windows clipboard is exactly the same as a native winbox.

One odd note: I even went as far as to install a Pause for 1 second script step before the copy step and then the same before the paste step which follows. It seems to work sometimes then. My thought was that maybe the VPC clipboard couldnt copy fast enough or something.

I would really like to get this fixed as my VPC setup is truly the ticket to testing crossplatform quickly and efficiently. It would be great if the d**n copy and paste script steps would work properly in VPC. I have HUGE amounts of time invested in this and it is frustrating to have an excellent runtime solution to distribute but not be able to test it properly and efficiently when I have bought all of the supposedly appropriate software.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Also, this may serve as some kind of "Heads Up" to those cross-platform runtime developers who are considering spending the money on VPC and all of the copies of Windows to test their solutions.

Thank You

[dynaflash]

Anatoli, thank you for your reply. What do you mean by it "tries more things"? are you referring to experience you've had or are you paraphrasing my post?

I am not sure how I would use "set field" as I need it to draw a specific value from a field in another database into an open find request. I will however look into this as a possibility though. Thanks again for the advice. Much appreciated.

[DykstrL]

When you use copy/paste the field has to be on the current layout - or the operation will not be completed - I suspect that may be some of your problem. The other is that the clipboard can only hold one piece of data at a time. another errant 'copy' script step may be clearing the clipboard.

To move information between related files, I use a set of Global fields and then use "Set Field" - then use Set Field to move the data to specific records/fields. You have more control over where and when the data is moved. I have found that users sometimes copy information into the clipboard and expect to be able to paste it when they get where they are going. If you use copy/paste their copied info is wiped out. Also, using 'Set Field' the field does not have to be on the layout to work - the fields can be 'hidden' from the user if need be.

[ January 31, 2002: Message edited by: dykstrl ]

[dynaflash]

Thank you dykstrl for replying.

I have the field being copied into in the current layout. As I said, everything is smooth in Mac or a native winbox. After hours of testing on either there is never an error. Only in VPC. I see your point on the errant copy command cancelling out the previous copy but again it works excellent in all but VPC. As far as setfield can I do this while in the find mode? Also can I use setfield to set a field to the same value as a field in another file. Remember, these scripts are running between two separate files. Taking the information in one record in one file and building a find request in a second file. That is why I used copy/paste. darnit!

Thank you for your help!

[Steven H. Blackwell]

Emulators are not good development environments, and this is an of example of why that is the case. OS level items in the Mac such as the clipboard work very differently in Windows. Also some programs treat the clipboard differently than others in the same OS. Use a Windows machine for Windows development.

Old Advance Man

[dynaflash]

OAM - thanks for the input. I am beginning to think you are correct. Connectix is no help at all. I had hoped they could shed some light on the problem. Of course, they advertise VPC as a great sofware developers solution to testing cross platform. What a crock! Well, I guess its time to try to get the old, and I mean old, winbox networked with my mac! Oh well, hopefully all will work well. Thanks again.

If anyone does happen to come up with some specific insight into my problem I would still welcome ideas. Thanks again.

Joe

[Anatoli]

RE: Anatoli, thank you for your reply. What do you mean by it "tries more things"? are you referring to experience you've had or are you paraphrasing my post?

IMHO, the emulator clipboard is trying also to copy between Mac and Windows clipboards. Maybe there is potential problem.

[dynaflash]

Thanks again anatoli. That is kind of where I was going with this thing with Connectix. Even though they think not, or are not sure. I thought they would know. It seems to be the case though. I can only assume this since on native win and mac all is well. Plus, I did more testing and if I put a pause 1 second script step AFTER the copy commands and AFTER the paste commands it works flawlessly. Slowly (with pauses and all) but reliably. What I may do is add a hidden "VPC only" setting which only I can access which will tell my scripts to use the pause. If not set then it would ignore the pause and run at full speed. I know it seems like alot of work but I have several orders for this solution and will be supporting and adding to it alot I think. And you just cant beat the drop and drag convenience of VPC.

On the other hand, maybe I will just go ahead and work with the winbox.

Anyway, thanks for the help.

[Anatoli]

I guess there is limitation in Clipboard, because it tries more things, than in standard windows.

Couldn’t you use set field instead of copy/paste?