I'm not exactly sure about the whys, but it was called to my attention that a style of variable prompt/assignment that previously worked in 7.6.8 does not work in 7.6.11 (Client/Server). I am trying to determine if this is expected or an issue.

The primary user of this style of assignment/declaration is an old school mainframe Focus user who has been doing WF in later years. I find a lot of FOCUS syntax in his programs, so this may be the cause.

-PROMPT THE_DATE FROM &BEG1.Start Date (yyyymmdd). TO &END1.End Date (yyyymmdd).;

On 7.6.8, you get 2 prompts: &BEG1 and END1 with the labels 'Start Date (yyyymmdd)' and 'End Date (yyyymmdd)', respectively.

On 7.6.11, you also get the 2 prompts above and a third, 'THE_DATE'.

I was thinking the syntax might be part of a DM facility to error check that the 'start' date is less than/equal the 'End' date. My tests don't support that. I was also thinking that the third variable ('THE_DATE' in this case) might be used elsewhere in the program, it is not.

It seems to me like it is a way to make one prompt statement and collect 2 values for 2 variables. Is this a coding style that has been deprecated or have I found a bug?

- ABT

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

quote:

-PROMPT THE_DATE FROM &BEG1.Start Date (yyyymmdd). TO &END1.End Date (yyyymmdd).;

Also does it in 7.6.9

I would suggest, as it is a change in functionality, that you put in a case with IBI.

Thanks Waz, I'll do that and report back the findings for all to share.

- ABT

I think it's a bug. There's no ampersand so it shouldn't be prompted for. I can't wait to hear the answer.

ABT,

Maybe you could use this piece code as a workaround.

 
-DEFAULT &BEG1 = '';
-DEFAULT &END1 = '';
-**************************************************************
-* Dummy parameters used to create a title in the prompt page 
-**************************************************************
-SET &P_BEG1  = &BEG1.Start Date (yyyymmdd). ;
-SET &P_&END1 = &END1.End Date (yyyymmdd).;
 

I don't think that the -PROMPT syntax is very usefull in a Win. evironment where you use the default prompting page unless you want to use it because it makes your fex more readable.

The code above does not undermine the performance even if you need to prompt the user for 10 or more varialbles and the result is the same.

Hope this helps.

IBI solution is to code prompts for 2 variables. :-( :-( :-(

Unfortunately I can't find a way to fix this problem.
The best for you is probably to use a editor tool to locate all the 'THE_DATE'
strings and try to change them all, but before you have to stop the server.

- ABT

P.S. :-( :-( :-(