Focal Point
What do you think about WebFocus 7 ???

This topic can be found at:
https://forums.informationbuilders.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7971057331/m/2791088331

May 30, 2006, 10:35 AM
j.gross
What do you think about WebFocus 7 ???
If WebFocus truncates trailing blanks at SAVE time, and -READ fails to deal correctly with the resulting variable-length records, then it's a bug.


- Jack Gross
WF through 8.1.05
May 30, 2006, 11:25 AM
Tony A
j.g.

I would agree if the recordlength was variable.
In my users case though, the output is fixed length. In 5.3.2 this file was read line by line even though the actual recordlength was 12 and it was being read in as A20.

T


In FOCUS
since 1986		WebFOCUS Server 8.2.01M, thru 8.2.07 on Windows Svr 2008 R2  
WebFOCUS App Studio 8.2.06 standalone on Windows 10 
May 30, 2006, 01:58 PM
j.gross
Still a bug, in my view: -READ is supposed to read a single row, so it should never return data from the file's next record, regardless of the platform and file format. How it should react when you attempt to read past the boundary is a separate issue.


- Jack Gross
WF through 8.1.05
May 30, 2006, 06:43 PM
dwf
Not to throw a wrench into this discussion, but this is not new behavior. I can't swear to the behavior of any given recent WebFOCUS release, but I first encountered this behavior in the mid 80's. I am unaware of any release in which -READ would do anything other than grab the next record if your cumulative field length exceeded the actual record length. It may be bug, but if so it's one ancient insect.


dwf
May 30, 2006, 08:04 PM
<JG>
1st the record length should not be 12 it should be 10, because that’s the length of the field.

SAVE and HOLD FORMAT ALPHA are not BINARY and do not and have never padded to a word boundary.

For SAVE and HOLD FORMAT ALPHA (SAVE FORMAT ALPHA does not exist it is implicit, SAVB is the binary form of SAVE) the absolute length is the file length.

T. The fact that you have a system working where you are reading past the length of the field is
nothing more than good fortune. In the vast majority of situations and languages you would be
populating your variables with garbage.
The behavior of the –READ is and always has been as far as I know dependant on the RECFM. Fixed pad with garbage (or nothing at all) or Variable wrap to the next line.
May 31, 2006, 04:31 AM
Tony A
JG,

I agree that it was good fortune and precisely why I raise the point. Most "gotcha"s are due to loose coding that could easily be prevented. It has happened before and will happen again. Hopefully, raising awareness will reduce occurences in Forum's member's code.

DWF,

It seems that with every new release of WF (or FOCUS for the old coders among us) the behaviour swings back and forth. I remember having to go through some code just before the year 2000 for a previous Client in the process of upgrading, where there were a few "loose" coding methods employed that just happened to function in the previous release. Kept me off the streets though and made a break from coding around date problems Smiler

Incidently, the DB2 VARCHAR also affects MS SQL Server, so thanks.

T


In FOCUS
since 1986		WebFOCUS Server 8.2.01M, thru 8.2.07 on Windows Svr 2008 R2  
WebFOCUS App Studio 8.2.06 standalone on Windows 10 
June 01, 2006, 05:02 PM
Prarie
We are now testing 7.1.4...anyone have any problems joining a Focus File to an Oracle Table?
We are getting back 0 records. It works in 5.3.4.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Prarie,


In Focus since 1993. WebFOCUS 7.7.03 Win 2003
June 01, 2006, 05:53 PM
Tony A
Have hit a problem today in Dev Studio creating synonyms. I normally use the console but just for once decided to use Dev Studio tool (7.1.3).

Opened up the app where we hold all synonyms and right clicked in the right hand window, selected New and Synonym and a dialogue box opened informing connection to the server was being achieved. So I sat and waited.

And waited

And waited

And waited

Eventually a dialogue showing that the connection to the server had been reset!

Checking known problems and it appears that this one hit the product in 7.1 something but is fixed in 7.1.4 of Dev Studio. Question is, does anyone have 7.1.4 Dev Studio and does this work?

I'm planning on downloading DS 7.1.4 and trying it, but in the meantime if someone knows for sure that the problem is fixed ...... I would appreciate knowing.

Meanwhile, it's back to the console .......

T


In FOCUS
since 1986		WebFOCUS Server 8.2.01M, thru 8.2.07 on Windows Svr 2008 R2  
WebFOCUS App Studio 8.2.06 standalone on Windows 10 
June 01, 2006, 06:28 PM
Nightowl
Hey reFOCUSing, now I don't need Alt F4 Wink


Using: WF 7.1.5, XP Pro, Tomcat, Self Serve
June 01, 2006, 06:33 PM
Nightowl
Now that 7.1.4 is out I wonder if anyone is having issues?


Using: WF 7.1.5, XP Pro, Tomcat, Self Serve
June 02, 2006, 08:57 AM
Prarie
Yes....read 3 posts back. If the Oracle table is the Host...it works...if it is the guest...it returns no data. As stated..this Join has been production 5.3.4 for months.


In Focus since 1993. WebFOCUS 7.7.03 Win 2003
June 02, 2006, 09:55 AM
Tony A
Prarie,

Sounds like a call to TS and urgent fix from the product team is in order!

T


In FOCUS
since 1986		WebFOCUS Server 8.2.01M, thru 8.2.07 on Windows Svr 2008 R2  
WebFOCUS App Studio 8.2.06 standalone on Windows 10 
June 02, 2006, 10:01 AM
Prarie
Yep...that has been done....waiting...


In Focus since 1993. WebFOCUS 7.7.03 Win 2003
June 02, 2006, 10:09 AM
Tony A
A bit like me trying to create a synonym in Dev Studio then Razzer


In FOCUS
since 1986		WebFOCUS Server 8.2.01M, thru 8.2.07 on Windows Svr 2008 R2  
WebFOCUS App Studio 8.2.06 standalone on Windows 10 
June 06, 2006, 04:39 AM
Tony A
Have downloaded and installed DS 7.1.4 and the create synonym problem is still apparent Frowner. I feel a TS case coming .......

T


In FOCUS
since 1986		WebFOCUS Server 8.2.01M, thru 8.2.07 on Windows Svr 2008 R2  
WebFOCUS App Studio 8.2.06 standalone on Windows 10 
June 06, 2006, 08:41 AM
Carol Dobson
Another example of code tightening....

The UPCASE routine must be used against a field with the exact number of characters or nothing will be returned to FOCUS.

Ex: In this case LESSEE was an Alpha 60 and nothing gets returned.
ULESSEE/A30=UPCASE(30, LESSEE , 'A30');

When I added a DEFINE to make LESSEE an Alpha 30, data was returned.

Just common sense, but an FYI....

Carol



WebFOCUS 7.6.6/TomCat/Win2k3
June 20, 2006, 04:28 PM
Prarie
I've read a little about Graph Problems..anyone come across any? Also our issue with Oracle joins has been defined as a "bug" and IBI is researching.


In Focus since 1993. WebFOCUS 7.7.03 Win 2003
June 21, 2006, 02:27 PM
FocWizard
I have an idea, but would like a bit more information:

Prairie (JOINing Oracle and FOCUS files) - what are the formats of the 'FROM' and 'TO' field, as specified in the MFDs? Yo can do a '?FF filename' at a command prompt, to get fields with formats)

Carol Dobson (UPCASE needs exact number of chatacters) - also, I need to know the format of the field from the MFD. I tried:

TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT COUNTRY ON TABLE HOLD
END
DEFINE FILE HOLD
XX/A5 = UPCASE(5,COUNTRY,'A5');
END
TABLE FILE HOLD
PRINT COUNTRY XX
END

Which worked as expected.
June 21, 2006, 02:40 PM
Prarie
Fields are both A32. The Oracle table is the guest . There is a case open for it.


In Focus since 1993. WebFOCUS 7.7.03 Win 2003