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Hi all I'm new to WF and have a question about using both the GUI interface and text editor to write applications. I been hearing stories here that once you use the text editor you cannot go back to the GUI interface to do modifications. What I'm told is it changes your exec around when you save it. I havn'r had any problems with doing this yet but is it something I should be concerned with or just ghost stories.
kimo, it honestly depends on what changes you make. If the "text changes" you make to a fex are still supported by the GUI, then you will still be able to open it in the GUI. We quite frequently go between the report painter and the text editor when working with a report.
I'm sure there are a lot of different examples, and maybe someone else has a better answer for what types of things you can and cannot do.
But the short answer is that what you're hearing is not incorrect, but it's not an "all or nothing" case either. Basically, it depends.
Production: 7.6.6 WF Server  <=>  7.6.6 WF Client  <=>  7.6.6 Dev Studio Testing: <none> Using MRE & BID.  Connected to MS SQL Server 2005 Output Types: HTML, Excel, PDF
This problem mainly occures when you add code at the beginning of the text editor, before the GUI programming runs. For example, if you create your own dropdown box in the text editor with charactor strings that run first.
If you put DM commands within the report code itself, then generally yes. Specifically between the "TABLE FILE" and "END" commands of a report. But, keep in mind that the DM actually has a "GUI" portion to it too if you're doing IFs and GOTOs etc. But if you simply build DM commands into other parts of the fex, then it doesn't necessarily "break" the GUI portion of any preceeding or subsequent reports.
For example -- you would be able to open the report below in the report painter:
-SET &COUNTRY='ENGLAND';
TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT CAR
RETAIL_COST
WHERE COUNTRY EQ '&COUNTRY';
END
Whereas, you would NOT be able to open this one in report painter:
TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT CAR
RETAIL_COST
-SET &COUNTRY='ENGLAND';
WHERE COUNTRY EQ '&COUNTRY';
END
Both reports produce the same results... This obviously is a very simple example, but should give you the idea of what I mean.
Production: 7.6.6 WF Server  <=>  7.6.6 WF Client  <=>  7.6.6 Dev Studio Testing: <none> Using MRE & BID.  Connected to MS SQL Server 2005 Output Types: HTML, Excel, PDF
Staying out of trouble is a futile effort, I wouldn't worry about it.
Seriously though, I was in your shoes about a year and a half ago and was trying to make sure everything we did was able to be opened in the GUI. Admittedly, having that goal in mind at first isn't necessarily a bad thing -- especially when you're not strong in the FOCUS code yet. But honestly, as you start to build more complex reports, I think you'll find yourself wanting to get into the code more and not as worried about whether or not it will open in the GUI. Frankly, there will be things you'll want to do that the GUI will "limit" you on -- so I would just keep an open mind and let those easy reports flow like normal but when the hard ones come along, don't let that be a roadblock.
Production: 7.6.6 WF Server  <=>  7.6.6 WF Client  <=>  7.6.6 Dev Studio Testing: <none> Using MRE & BID.  Connected to MS SQL Server 2005 Output Types: HTML, Excel, PDF
The GUI is great for styling the report, drilldowns and other features. Also, moving into the version 7 era the GUI is much more robust and you can stay with the graphic tools more for a lot of reporting. Additionally, the GUI seldom crashes anymore, which had been an issue in prior versions.
As noted above you'll know when text edit is the way to go with defines, table file reports, dialog manager, etc. Please bear in mind that a lot of the FocalPoint folks grew up with the keyboard so sometimes it is a conditioned reflex to stay with text edit. (We also grew up with black-and-white television, 8 tracks, ethyl gas, etc.)