PRB: Output from TIME() Does Not Change with SET HOURS

ID: Q127179

3.00 WINDOWS

  kbprb

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

If TIME() is supplied as the initial value of a text box, The SET HOURS TO command has no effect on the time value displayed.

CAUSE

TIME() returns a character string in the 24-hour HH:MM:SS format regardless of the SET HOURS setting. As a result, the text box control is not a time value but a character value and will behave as such.

WORKAROUND

Add a new method to the form to perform the necessary conversion regardless of whether the SET HOURS TO value is determined by the current environment settings or changed programmatically at run-time.

Step-by-Step Example

Steps 1 through 5 in the following procedure illustrate how to change the hours setting in a program by adding two option buttons. You can omit steps 2 through 5 if desired.

1. Open the desired form or create a new one named Form1.

2. Choose the Form Control toolbar from the View menu.

3. Pick the Option Group tool, and put a set of Option Buttons on the form.

   Change the Caption Property for each to read '12 Hour' and '24 Hour'
   respectively.

4. Double-click the Option Buttons to open the OptionsGroup1 code dialog.

5. Select Option1 under the Object list box. Then select Click from the

   procedure list box, and enter this code:

   SET HOURS TO 12
   THISFORM.TEXT1.VALUE = THISFORM.CivTym()

   While in the same code dialog, select Option2 from the Object combo box,
   and enter this code:

   SET HOURS TO 24
   THISFORM.TEXT1.VALUE = TIME()

6. If a new form was created in step 1, add a Text box (Text1) to the form,

   and remove any previous value of the Text1 text box from the Properties
   sheet.

7. While Form Designer is selected, choose the Form menu pad from the

   system menu, and select New Method. Enter CivTym as the Method Name.

8. In the Description box, enter the following and click OK to save the new

   method descriptor:

   Returns civilian time (hh:mm:ss ampm)

9. Choose Properties under the system menu View pad or click Form1 with the

   alternate mouse key to bring up the Options menu and choose Properties.

10. While Form1 is shown as the current object, choose the Method tab.

11. Double-click the civtym procedure at the end of the Method list, and

    enter this code:

    cTym = TIME()     && Save the current time string
    iHr  = VAL(LEFT(cTym,2))   && extract the numerical hour
    lPm  = iHr > 12   && logically, is it post meridian (after noon)?
    RETURN STR( IIF( lPm, iHr - 12, iHr ), 2 ) + SUBSTR( cTym, 3 ) + ;
            " " + IIF( lPm, 'p', 'a' )+".m."

12. From the same dialog, select the Init procedure, and enter this code:

    IF SET('HOURS') > 12
       THISFORM.TEXT1.VALUE = TIME()
       ** optional setting code: remove if option buttons omitted
       *
       THISFORM.OPTIONGROUP1.OPTION1.VALUE = 0
       THISFORM.OPTIONGROUP1.OPTION2.VALUE = 1
       *
       ** end of optional setting code
    ELSE
       THISFORM.TEXT1.VALUE = THISFORM.CivTym()
       ** optional setting code: remove if option buttons omitted
       *
       THISFORM.OPTIONGROUP1.OPTION1.VALUE = 1
       THISFORM.OPTIONGROUP1.OPTION2.VALUE = 0
       *
       ** end of optional setting code
    ENDIF

13. Type SET HOURS TO 12 in the Command window.

14. Run the form, and note the display. If option buttons are used, note

    which is selected; then change it to 24 hours. Close the form. Then
   re-run it with the opposite hours setting in effect, and note the
   display.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

Additional reference words: VFoxWin 3.00

KBCategory:   kbprb

KBSubcategory: FxprgSet

Keywords          : kbcode FxprgSet 
Version           : 3.00
Platform          : WINDOWS