How to Refresh a Formset by Using Commands Outside of the Form

ID: Q136978

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0

SUMMARY

When moving the record pointer in a table whose fields belong to an active form, the form will not refresh if the command that moved the record pointer was issued from a menu or the Command window. For example, if there is a menu item issues a SKIP command, the record pointer will move but the form will not refresh.

To have your application menu item move the record pointer and refresh the form, use the SKIP command to move the record pointer. and then use the _SCREEN.FORMCOUNT and _SCREEN.FORMS().REFRESH commands to refresh a form or formset correctly.

MORE INFORMATION

If the active form on the screen is a form and not a formset, you can use the _SCREEN.ACTIVEFORM.REFRESH command alone from the menu or Command window to refresh the form. However, if the form could be a form or a formset, it is best to make your refresh code generic, so it fits both cases.

The _SCREEN.FORMCOUNT command returns the number of forms on the screen, so it allows you to refresh each form whether a single form or a formset. Then you can use the FORMS() array to refresh each form if a formset is active. The FORMS() array is created when the forms start up. It is internal to Visual FoxPro. By putting these commands in a FOR loop, you can refresh a form or formset from a menu action.

For additional information about a form that uses toolbars, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q136277
   TITLE     : FormCount Property Does Not Count Toolbars in a Formset

Step-by-Step Example

1. Create a formset with two pages, and place a field from a table on each

   page.

3. Type the SKIP command in the Command window and press ENTER. Note that

   the fields on each form do not change.

   press ENTER. Note that the second form refreshes. This is because the
   name of the last form in the formset is placed in the first FORMS array
   element. Issuing the _SCREEN.FORMS(2).REFRESH command will refresh the
   other form.

   menu item's procedure:

   SKIP
   FOR x = 1 TO _SCREEN.FORMCOUNT
      _SCREEN.FORMS(x).REFRESH
   ENDFOR

   This will refresh any form or formset that is active at the time when
   the user clicks that menu item.