How To Writeback To Database

The Writeback functions in Collect! let you write information to a database field when a report is run. This is very useful for making notations to database fields, to alert the user to the status of a particular record, for instance, or to store a value in a field. You can also tag or untag records using this method.

Here are a few examples demonstrating this feature:

Writing the word "printed" to the User 6 field on the Transaction form:

@EDITtr.u6 = "printed"

This is very useful for recording the fact that the report has been run on the particular account or transaction. For instance, when printing checks, it is useful to record that the check was printed.

Writing results of a variable calculation to the User 1 field on the Debtor form:

@EDITde.u1 = @varGOwing

This example requires that you understand the use of variables. After you have performed your calculations and assigned a value to the variable @varGOwing, you can use the writeback feature to write this value to a field. Please see How To Use Variables for more information on the use of variables.

Moving information from one field to another in Collect!

@EDITde.u2 = @de.u1

This example takes the value of one field and puts it in another field. In this example, the value is now in both fields.

Tag Records

This example shows how to tag records and view the tagged list afterward.

@SETde.na.tag = 1 // tags the debtor record
@SETde.na.untag = 1 // untags the debtor record
@SETde.na.viewtags = 1 // turns on the view tags switch on the debtor record
@SETde.na.viewall = 1 // turns on the view all on the debtor record

After you have run this report, you would Browse, All Debtors to view the list of accounts tagged by the report.

Writeback In Control File

The writeback feature can also be used in control files. This is very useful for writing values to database fields based on criteria in other fields. For instance, when a Debtor is opened, the Debtor Status can be automatically changed based on some other criterion. Please keep in mind that a control file set at the Form level executes when the form is opened.