Set global .js variables from .ipl?

I was checking out a few threads, and this one was the closest, but it's not quite what I'm trying to do. It appears to be addressing how to set a DCT field from .ipl, and I'm looking to update an array value in the .js.

Here's the procedure:

-They click the browse button and an .ipl file opens a child window (See attachment for .ipl code)
-They 'browse' and choose a file to upload.
-The file is uploaded to a temporary directory and they close child
-When the form is saved, the temp. file is moved to a permanent location.

What I want to track in the array is the xpath for the "attach file" elements that have been updated. This way when the form is saved, I can just go through the array and pull out the xpath value for all the fields that have been updated and need to have their temp files moved.

So, what I have been researching is how to have a child window send information back to the parent window to update a global variable (array).

Should I just update a hidden field on the DCT and then recursively scan all those fields when they save the form to pull values in? That seems kind of sloppy and a bit of a resource waste to me, though.

Is this even possible to do?

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bettineski

Also, here's the datacapture.cfg code and a pic showing how it looks.

When the document is uploaded and child window closed, the textbox next to the button is updated with a file name. My first thought was to capture the textbox's onItemChange action and use it to call a function.

But it didn't work with it for some reason. Possibly because it's updated via the .ipl and not direct user interaction?

Here's the datacapture.cfg code:

[html]

Attach file
Select Browse button to launch pop-up window.

[/html]

ISCBorisB

It's not that hard to do. You may for example use so called "call-back" functions.
Code something like the following in the DCT FormAPI

var accumulator = new Array();
function accumulate(path) { 
   accumulator[accumulator.length] = path;
}

And then, in your CGI find this function and "call back" to it. Like this:

calloutForm.elements.value = formattedFileName;
window.opener.api.accumulate(formattedFileName);

End of day, you'll have your Array in DC Form with accumulated Data. Also, If I were you I would've replaced
both "getFieldInfo" and "readFile" Functions with the call-back(s). They look like some pre-FormAPI Stone Age code.

bettineski

You may for example use so called "call-back" functions.

This worked perfect! Thank you!

Also, If I were you, I would replace
both "getFieldInfo" and "readFile" Functions with the call-back(s). They look like some pre-FormAPI Stone Age code.

Yeah, we had a contractor who wrote the entire system we have now. He had high technical skills, but his methods and style were quite lacking. As I'm picking up on concepts, I'm going in and modifying his work. Oh, and adding comments.

I'll put yours down on my to-do list. Smiley Happy

Thanks!

bettineski

This is odd.

I've got the accumulate function just setup as an alert right now to make sure I'm passing in the right values.

I'm calling it with this code:

[html]
window.opener.api.accumulate(calloutForm.elements.name);
[/html]

Well, when I pass it the name, I want to get the full xpath, but instead I get this:

"Price_Summaries/Price_Summaries/Price_Summaries/13/Document/9/UploadPDF"

At first I thought that maybe it was putting the numbers as an element because it couldn't handle stuff like Element[1]. But I don't have 13 elements.

In fact, those numbers keep increasing even when I delete alll my replicants and re-add them.

I added 8 replicants and it is now giving me this xpath:

"Price_Summaries/Price_Summaries/Price_Summaries/77/Document/81/UploadPDF"

I don't understand where it's getting these numbers from. And what's worse is that they don't coordinate with the actual xpath of the object calling the .ipl, which was the whole point.

Any ideas?

ISCBorisB

What is the problem you are trying to solve? Remember, you are executing call back from your CGI Window, not within DCR Window.
Call-back function itself though is running from within the DCR. If you need DCR XPath components, get them in "accumulate" code

bettineski

Here's the issue I'm working on.

When users upload files using the browse button right now, I don't have a way of letting the DCR know which one has changed.

My plan was to have the .ipl do a callback to the DCR and let it know the xpath of the element that has been changed.

This way, I'd have an Array of xpaths which I could then use for my next step.

The browse button does a temporary upload of a file, and the forms save method takes that file and puts it in a permanent location based on some other fields the user may change.

But right now, I don't have a way of tracking when they change these fields.

I can't track changes in the browse buttons textbox, since its being updated via the .ipl. I thought this callback method would be able to track the information I needed...

Does that make sense?

ISCBorisB

Does that make sense?

Not much. Why would you need replicant's XPath? Why not just accumulate a List of Values (eg, uploaded Files to
promote from Temp)? Is it because of these "some other fields the user may change"? If the answer is "Yes" - you
may need call-backs sooner than you think.

Temporarily change your cgi-callout url Attribute to url="/iw-bin/show_env.cgi". Run it and see what you get. That'll
show you all the information that your CGI Script can obtain from the posted Form, Cookies and Environment Variables.
Discard dinosaurus "Single iw_callback_var" Form processing and code call-backs to get/store what you need.

It is certainly possible that you can figure out how to use FormAPI through old "iw_callback_var" bottleneck - but
better you than me.

bettineski

Not much. Why would you need replicant's XPath? Why not just accumulate a List of Values (eg, uploaded Files to
promote from Temp)? Is it because of these "some other fields the user may change"? If the answer is "Yes" - you
may need call-backs sooner than you think.

Sorry it took me so long to get back to this. I've been sick all weekend.

A List of Values is essentially what I'm trying to get, only I can't seem to get the values that I need.

If they go to the second "Price Summaries" replicant and add a new
"Document replicant," I don't yet have a way of detecting which Price Summary it's under.

In the Price Summaries replicant, there is a hidden date field that is acting as a unique identifier that then creates subfolder for the documents to be stored in. This is part of the requirement from the client.

The file structure will be:
PDFs
-Price_Summaries
--12_08_2008
--12_09_2008

etc.

So, if there is an existing "12_08_2008" folder, and then under that Price Summary replicant they add a new document, I need to know which folder to put that replicant in.

But when they click the Browse button, I can't seem to track their XPath. All I have is a new document being uploaded, but I don't know which folder to put it in.

Is this helping to explain my situation?

I've been working hard on figuring this out, but I can't seem to wrap my brain around the correct method of passing data back and forth in this situation.

I can post all my code if necessary.

Thank you.

ISCBorisB

See if you can leverage the following sample. DCR-Internal FormAPI is to simplify Demo, in real life you abstract it out to the JS Libraries. So:

1. Try it out "As Is", see what's going on. See how I used callout(not a cgi-callout!) to build CGI Parameters on the fly.
2. Note that the CGI I call "knows" the XPath of the DCR Item it's been invoked from, it'll show it under "Form Data" Header.
3. Try to flesh sample out. Do not "inject" this code into yours - it's much easier to add small pieces from your
code one at a time. Use your DCT Items, at first an absolute minimum
4. Add "Accumulator" call-back and substitute my URL for your CGI's URL.
5. Comment out all this 'getFieldInfo' stuff - it will not work in this schema anyway! Use call-back's instead.
6. Now that your CGI "knows" related DCR Item you can either concatenate that as a *Fake* Path to a formatted File name
or perhaps modify Accumulator to JS hash (Path/Value) - or do whatever you like.
[php]

Document

bettineski

See if you can leverage the following sample.

Thank you for this.

It will actually be nice to get rid of the code that the guy before me did and do it a better way. (He's the one that had done all the getFieldInfo stuff).

Hopefully this will new approach will work well.

Thank you again, and I'll be sure to post and follow up once I get it working.

bettineski

I wanted to let you know that your methodology worked perfectly.

I basically went in and ended up throwing out everything the previous developer had done and built it from scratch using the concepts you provided.

If you are ever in Portland, Oregon. Let me know. I owe you dinner & drinks.

Thanks a ton!

ISCBorisB

If you are ever in Portland, Oregon. Let me know. I owe you dinner & drinks

If I visit - I'll hold you to it Smiley Happy

nipper

If you are ever in Portland, Oregon. Let me know. I owe you dinner & drinks.

Thanks a ton!

I've seen Bo drink, that can be quite expensive.

Go to GearUp in April & buy drinks there, that is what I did, there is usually an open bar sometimes. Smiley Very Happy

ISCBorisB

I've seen Bo drink, that can be quite expensive.

Go to GearUp in April & buy drinks there, that is what I did, there is usually an open bar sometimes.

That was a nice night, wasn't it? And as far as I recall, you did not stay exactly hmmm... shall we say *sober*, either Smiley Happy

nipper

Yea but I was with a friend & I just could not let you drink alone.