I have been trying to get the ACCEPT list from file to work. I have tried to use a validation table file and I have tried to create a HOLD file (The hold file approach just returns error messages saying it cannot find a definition)

My drop down is empty when I run the report.

Is there some magic I am missing? Or, does something special have to be set up for this to work?

Thanks in advance.

Guy



TABLE FILE OPERATING_LEDGER
PRINT
FUND
ORGANIZATION_CODE
ACCOUNT
ACCOUNT_DESC
PROGRAM
SUM.SUM_YEAR_TO_DATE_ACTIVITY
HEADING
""
FOOTING
""
WHERE ( FUND EQ '&FUND.Type in a Fund.' );
WHERE (ORGANIZATION_CODE EQ '&ORGANIZATION_CODE.type in an Org Code.' );
WHERE ( FISCAL_YEAR EQ '2008' );
WHERE ( FISCAL_PERIOD EQ '14' );
WHERE ACCOUNT EQ '&ACCOUNT.(ACCEPT ACCOUNT FROM OPERATING_LEDGER).ACCOUNT.';

if you're wanting to look up the values in a file, I think what you want is the FIND, not the ACCEPT. Accept is only for use when the ACCEPT attribute is used in the master file and the valid values are retrieved from that attribute. The FIND retrieves all values in the database for the given table/field and populates the drop down box with those values.

For example:
WHERE COUNTRY EQ '&COUNTRY.(FIND COUNTRY IN CAR).select a country.'

That explains both of my questions.

Thank You!

Are there drawbacks in using the ACCEPT attribute in the master file?

Guy

ACCEPT was used in the olden days to validate input to MODIFY. While it still may be viable in classic FOCUS with CRTFORMs, I don't see much need for it in the WebFOCUS environment.

It is an "olden days" concept but provides new functionality for WF.

The drawback is that if the list of values for that particular field using that attribute changes, you have to continuously modify the master file. IMHO, the less you touch the MFD's, the better.

The pro for using it is that it provides a way for WF to build a dropdown box WITHOUT having to read any data to see the valid values - they're all listed in the MFD. I know you can just build a static list for the drop-down in the case where values don't change much, but using ACCEPT, the "static" list is built automatically. And if the "Static" list suddenly changes, nothing else needs to happen after the MFD is modified - no changes to any HTML.

Having explained both sides, I probably will never use ACCEPTS. I like simple MFD's.

And if they are enterprise masters, i.e. for relational tables for which you use a wizard to regen changed tables, you don't want to be changing masters by hand.

I agree with you, Darin. Simple is best.

And thanks for the tip on ACCEPT. But since we have a whole host of relational masters here, I never bothered to look into that because we have a hard rule about modifying those mfds by hand.

Thank you for the explanations!!!

I didn't realize ACCEPT was from the "olden days". I am fairly new to WebFocus. The reason I was trying to use ACCEPT is it is one of the optins in the GUI interface of Developer Studio. The little message didn't really warn me off of using it. To tell the truth, I didn't notice the little "Note:Field names in red currently have an accept list in the master file" warning when I was selecting the "Accept list from file" radio button. The message didn't really have any meaning to me until you explained ACCEPT command's need in the MFD.

I guess I should have let the little warning sink into my thick skull. But the next time a little warnings might be more obvious since I now have a nice flat spot on the front of my head from banging it agains a wall while I was trying to figure this out...

Thank you again for taking the time to share your expertise. I read the Focal Point e-mail every day. It is a wonderful way to plant seeds of knowledge that will help solve future problems.

Guy