Figure 5 Prototype Request Requirements
Private Sub btnRequestRequirements_Click()
'Get the request requirements object by telling the Broker
'what report we want
oRequestBroker.RequestRequirements cbolReports.Text,_oRequirements
'The gathering of the requirements is way simple here. A
'future version will have a structured meta information
'methodology that will allow a local engine to generate a
'wizard-like interface for requirements input.
lblDataRequired.Caption = oRequirements.Caption
End SubFigure 6 Request Requirements Module
Public Sub RequestRequirements(sReportName As String,
oRequirementsOUT As Object)
'Build the requirements structure for the report requested by the
'client. This will become a much more comprehensive structure
'for use by a client-side wizard.
'Set the Requirements write-once properties
oRequirements.ReportName = sReportName
oRequirements.ReportObjectName = RemoveSpaces(sReportName)
'Simple data structure population. These will be stored in an
'odbc database when the wizard is on the scene
Select Case sReportName
Case asReports(0)
oRequirements.Caption = "No Data Required"
Case asReports(1)
oRequirements.Caption = "Person's Name"
End Select
Set oRequirementsOUT = oRequirements
End SubFigure 7 Stub Notification Object
clsNotify.cls
Option Explicit
'Our internal variables are private. They are set by properties
'and methods
Private bFinished As Boolean
Private sReport As String
Public Function SetFinished(sReportIN As String) As Boolean
'This is the function that the Broker calls to let us know
'it is finished, and what the report is
sReport = sReportIN
bFinished = True
End Function
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
'When the class is instantiated, we set default values
bFinished = False
End Sub
Public Property Get Finished()
'This is the property that we keep checking to see if
'the Broker is done.
Finished = bFinished
End Property
Public Property Get Report()
'This is the property that the Request generation form
'will call after finish is set to get the report name
Report = sReport
End PropertyFigure 8 Stub Notification Object
clsNotify.cls
Option Explicit
'Our internal variables are private. They are set by properties
'and methods
Private bFinished As Boolean
Private sReport As String
Public Function SetFinished(sReportIN As String) As Boolean
'This is the function that the Broker calls to let us know
'it is finished, and what the report is
sReport = sReportIN
bFinished = True
End Function
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
'When the class is instantiated, we set default values
bFinished = False
End Sub
Public Property Get Finished()
'This is the property that we keep checking to see if
'the Broker is done.
Finished = bFinished
End Property
Public Property Get Report()
'This is the property that the Request generation form
'will call after finish is set to get the report name
Report = sReport
End PropertyFigure 9 Stub Report Request Method
Public Sub ReportRequest(oRequirementsIN As Object,
oNotify As Object)
'Process the request for a report
'Create a report object and class (lest we think there is too
'much stuff going on for what we are doing, let us not forget
'that this is the beginning structure of the app seeing its
'way through the prototype stage)
Dim oReportObject As Object
Dim oReport As New clsReport
'Create the Report requested
Set oReportObject = CreateObject(
oRequirementsIN.ReportObjectName & ".Report")
'Request that the report be generated
oReportObject.Request oRequirementsIN, oReport
'Notify the client we are done, and pass the results
oNotify.SetFinished oReport.FileName
End SubFigure 10 Stub Report Object
Report.Cls
Option Explicit
Public Sub Request(oRequirementsIN As Object, oReportIN As Object)
'Processing will take place here (I've the strong urge to say
'"This part is obvious and is left for the student to explore
'at home." hee hee). This will be the heart of the DataMart
'services in the coming articles.
'Result File name ready for viewing
oReportIN.SetFileName "REPORT1.XLS"
End SubFigure 13 Messaging Classes
Field.cls
Option Explicit
'External handles
Public Filters As Filters
'Internal variables
Private sName As String
Private bAString As Boolean
Private sDescription As String
Private bRequired As Boolean
Private iSize As Integer
Private vValue As Variant
Private sSelectedFilter As String
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set Filters = New Filters
End Sub
Public Property Get AString() As Boolean
'AString because String is a reserved word.
AString = bAString
End Property
Public Property Let AString(bNewValue As Boolean)
bAString = bNewValue
End Property
Public Property Get Description() As String
Description = sDescription
End Property
Public Property Let Description(sNewValue As String)
sDescription = sNewValue
End Property
Public Property Get Required() As Boolean
Required = bRequired
End Property
Public Property Let Required(bNewValue As Boolean)
bRequired = bNewValue
End Property
Public Property Get Size() As Integer
Size = iSize
End Property
Public Property Let Size(iNewValue As Integer)
iSize = iNewValue
End Property
Public Property Get Value() As Variant
Value = vValue
End Property
Public Property Let Value(vNewValue As Variant)
vValue = vNewValue
End Property
Public Property Get SelectedFilter() As String
SelectedFilter = sSelectedFilter
End Property
Public Property Let SelectedFilter(sNewValue As String)
sSelectedFilter = sNewValue
End Property
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = sName
End Property
Public Property Let Name(sNewValue As String)
sName = sNewValue
End Property
Fields.cls
Option Explicit
'Internal variables
Private coFields As Collection
Public Sub Create(sKey As String)
'Make the name the same as the key
Dim cField As New Field
cField.Name = sKey
coFields.Add Item:=cField, Key:=sKey
End Sub
Public Function Item(vKey As Variant)
Set Item = coFields.Item(vKey)
End Function
Public Function Count() As Integer
Count = coFields.Count
End Function
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set coFields = New Collection
End Sub
Filter.cls
'This class contains information on the filter type in question
'Later a rule property can be added that will be used to more
'precisely validate data entry
Option Explicit
'Internal variables
Private sName As String
Private sDescription As String
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = sName
End Property
Public Property Let Name(sNewValue As String)
sName = sNewValue
End Property
Public Property Get Description() As String
Description = sDescription
End Property
Public Property Let Description(sNewValue As String)
sDescription = sNewValue
End Property
Filters.cls
Option Explicit
'Internal variables
Private coFilters As Collection
Public Sub Create(sKey As String)
'Make the Name the same as the key
Dim cFilter As New Filter
cFilter.Name = sKey
coFilters.Add Item:=cFilter, Key:=sKey
End Sub
Public Function Item(vKey As Variant)
Set Item = coFilters.Item(vKey)
End Function
Public Function Count() As Integer
Count = coFilters.Count
End Function
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set coFilters = New Collection
End Sub
Header.cls
Option Explicit
'External Handles
Private sReportID As String
Private sReportName As String
Public Property Get ReportID() As String
ReportID = sReportID
End Property
Public Property Let ReportID(sNewValue As String)
sReportID = sNewValue
End Property
Public Property Get ReportName() As String
ReportName = sReportName
End Property
Public Property Let ReportName(sNewValue As String)
sReportName = sNewValue
End Property
ReportBuildMessage.cls
Option Explicit
'External handles
Public Header As Object
Public Fields As Object
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set Header = New Header
Set Fields = New Fields
End Sub
modMain.bas
Option Explicit
Sub Main()
'These classes are in their own project so all programs can use
'them. They are compiled into an OLE.DLL and can be referenced
'in the Tools.References to facilitate early binding.
End Sub
Figure 14 Display Field Data
Private Sub DisplayFieldData(iFieldNumber As Integer)
'Move message classes information into the visual controls
Dim oField As Object
Dim iFilters As Integer
Dim iFoundFilter As Integer
Set oField = oMessage.Fields.Item(iFieldNumber)
iFoundFilter = 0
lblFieldName.Caption = oField.Name
lblFieldDescription.Caption = oField.Description
iFilters = oField.Filters.Count
Dim iLoop As Integer
For iLoop = 1 To iFilters
If iLoop > 1 Then
Load optFilterType(iLoop - 1)
optFilterType(iLoop - 1).Top = _
optFilterType(iLoop - 2).Top + _
optFilterType(iLoop - 2).Height + 100
optFilterType(iLoop - 1).Visible = True
End If
optFilterType(iLoop - 1).Caption = _ oFi
eld.Filters.Item(iLoop).Name
If oField.Filters.Item(iLoop).Name = oField.SelectedFilter
Then iFoundFilter = iLoop - 1
End If
Next iLoop
optFilterType(iFoundFilter).Value = True
txtValue.Top = optFilterType(iLoop - 2).Top + _ _
FilterType(iLoop - 2).Height + 300
txtValue.Visible = True
txtValue.Left = optFilterType(iLoop - 2).Left
txtValue.Text = oField.Value
End SubFigure 15 Beveling the Panels
Declare Sub Sleep Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)
Panel.Bevel = 1
DoEvents
Sleep 250
Panel.Bevel = 2Figure 16 Panel Click Event
Private Sub sbMain_PanelClick(ByVal Panel As Panel)
'Handle interaction with the status bar
Select Case Panel.Index
'Back button
Case 2
'Display button action
Panel.Bevel = 1
DoEvents
Sleep 250
Panel.Bevel = 2
'Collect Field Data
CollectFieldData pbMain.Value - 1
'Move, use pb as locator
pbMain.Value = pbMain.Value - 1
'Turn Back off if we just entered the first screen
If pbMain.Value = 1 Then
Panel.Visible = False
pnlFieldData.Visible = False
pnlPickReport.Visible = True
End If
'If pbMain.Value > 1 then
If pbMain.Value > 1 Then
DisplayFieldData pbMain.Value - 1
End If
'Change Finish to Next on backing off last screen
If pbMain.Value = pbMain.Max - 1 Then
sbMain.Panels.Item(3).Text = "Next >>"
End If
'We are in the fields
If pbMain.Value > 1 Then
End If
'Forward button
Case 3
'Display button action
Panel.Bevel = 1
DoEvents
Sleep 250
Panel.Bevel = 2
'Finished
If pbMain.Value = pbMain.Max Then
Exit Sub
End If
'Collect Field Data
If pbMain.Value > 1 Then
CollectFieldData pbMain.Value - 1
End If
'Turn Back on if we just left the first screen
If pbMain.Value = 1 Then
If cbReportList.Text = "" Then
Exit Sub
Else
Set oMessage = Nothing
oRequestBroker.GetReportDescription _
cbReportList.Text, oMessage
pbMain.Max = oMessage.Fields.Count + 1
End If
sbMain.Panels.Item(2).Visible = True
pnlPickReport.Visible = False
pnlFieldData.Visible = True
End If
'Move, use pb as locator
pbMain.Value = pbMain.Value + 1
'If pbMain.Value > 1 then
DisplayFieldData pbMain.Value - 1
'Change Next to Finish on entering last screen
If pbMain.Value = pbMain.Max Then
sbMain.Panels.Item(3).Text = "Finished"Figure 17 Request Broker
Broker.cls
Option Explicit
Public Sub GetReportsList(asReportList() As String)
'Test Harness/Stub for Reporter to develop against.
ReDim asReportList(0) As String
asReportList(0) = "How much are we paying for an Employee..."
End Sub
Public Sub GetReportDescription(sName As String, oMessage As
ReportBuildMessage)
'Test Harness/Stub for Reporter to develop against.
PopulateDummyData oMessage
End Sub
Private Sub PopulateDummyData(oMessage As ReportBuildMessage)
'Test Harness/Stub for Reporter to develop against.
With oMessage
.Header.ReportName = "The Test Report"
.Header.ReportID = 819
.Fields.Create "Employee"
With .Fields.Item("Employee")
.Name = "Employee"
.AString = True
.Description = "Employee's Name"
.Required = True
.Size = 35
.Value = ""
.SelectedFilter = "= (Equal)"
.Filters.Create "= (Equal)"
With .Filters.Item("= (Equal)")
.Name = "= (Equal)"
.Description = "A Value that is Equal " & _
"the entered value."
End With
.Filters.Create "Like"
With .Filters.Item("Like")
.Name = "Like"
.Description = "A Value that is similar" & _
" to the entered value. Wild " & _
"cards can be used."
End With
End With
.Fields.Create "Total Yearly Compensation"
With .Fields.Item("Total Yearly Compensation")
.Name = "Total Yearly Compensation"
.AString = True
.Description = "The amount that the Employee " & _
"receives in a year as total compensation"
.Required = False
.Size = 6
.Value = "25000"
.SelectedFilter = ""
.Filters.Create "= (Equal)"
With .Filters.Item("= (Equal)")
.Name = "= (Equal)"
.Description = "A Value that is Equal " & _
"to the entered value."
End With
.Filters.Create "< (Less Than)"
With .Filters.Item("< (Less Than)")
.Name = "< (Less Than)"
.Description = "A Value that is Less " & _
"Than the entered value."
End With
.Filters.Create "> (Greater Than)"
With .Filters.Item("> (Greater Than)")
.Name = "> (Greater Than)"
.Description = "A Value that is Greater" & _
" Than the entered value."
End With
End With
.Fields.Create "Job Description"
With .Fields.Item("Job Description")
.Name = "Job Description"
.AString = True
.Description = "Employee's Name"
.Required = True
.Size = 255
.Value = "Building machines that go PIIING!"
.SelectedFilter = "Like"
.Filters.Create "= (Equal)"
With .Filters.Item("= (Equal)")
.Name = "= (Equal)"
.Description = "A Value that is Equal " & _
"to the entered value."
End With
.Filters.Create "Like"
With .Filters.Item("Like")
.Name = "Like"
.Description = "A Value that is similar" & _
" to the entered value. Wild cards" & _
" can be used."
End With
End With
End With
End Sub
modMain.bas
Option Explicit
Sub Main()
End Sub