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Example LotusScript: Serialized invoice number on billing

Last updated: before December, 1998

   'Written by Jerry Sikes, 1996
   '(C) Copyright 1996 by Jerry Sikes
   '
   'Permission is granted to freely copy this script in electronic form,
   'or to print for personal use. It may be use in any Approach database,
   'but may not be distributed for profit either by itself or as part of
   'a collection or database.
   '
   'Disclaimer: This script is provided as is without any express or implied
   'warranties. The author assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions,
   'or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein
In my invoicing application, it is necessary to assign a serialized invoice
number when the invoice is billed. The invoice record was created when the
order was taken. If this was a make to order job, it could be 1 week per
operation before it is ready to bill. I created an invoice number log table
with the following fields;inv_no1(serial increment);sub_number(join field
with invoice record-unique to each invoice) plus fields with creation
formulas to set account number,po number, bill and ship name from the invoice
record table. On my main data entry screen, I did not want to leave a
fieldbox from the join table, that could accidently be focused on. Accidental
click or tab would create a new record in the join table. So I hid it behind
a text box and took it out of the tab order. I attached this script to the
invoice record inv_no fieldbox.
Sub Gotfocus(Source As Fieldbox)
        If currentview.body.inv_no.text ="" Then
'Checks if an invoice number is already assigned
                If currentview.repeatingpanel.ITEMNO.TEXT="" Then
'Checks if repeating panel(invoice line items) has at least one item
                        Messagebox "Invoice not ready",MB_OK + MB_ICONSTOP,"Finish Invoice"
                Else
                        If source.inv_date.text<>"" Then
'Forces user to enter invoice date prior to assignment of invoice number
                                currentview.body.inv_no1.SetFocus
'This moves focus to the hidden empty field from invoice number assignment table
'Approach, by definition, creates a new record in the join table when
'typing into an empty join field
                                currentview.body.inv_no.text=currentview.body.inv_no1.text
'new invoice number is set in invoice record from hidden join field
                                currentview.body.terms.SetFocus
'moves focus to invoice terms field
                        Else
                                Messagebox "Enter Invoice Date", MB_OK + MB_ICONEXCLAMATION, "Invalid Date"
                                currentview.body.inv_date.SetFocus
                        End If
                End If
        Else
                Messagebox "Invalid Operation" , MB_OK + MB_ICONEXCLAMATION, "INVOICE NUMBER ALREADY EXISTS"
        End If
End Sub
I've sent this script to show syntax use of currentview.body.objectname.text
The ".text"  syntax is used regardless if the field type is text, numeric or
date. If you want to manipulate a numeric field with a mathematical
operation, then use
Val(currentview.body.numeric_field_object_name.text)*0.6. Date fields have
similiar script operators.
If your object name(field name) is two words use a ~(tilde) in place of the
space.
currentview.body.Account~Number.text
Jerry Sikes
Unisource Converting