Designing the Procedure Logic › Group View Manipulation › SORT Statement › SORT Statement with a Character String

SORT Statement with a Character String

The next sample code illustrates the use of a character string to sort a group view on one field.

15-    --- EVENT ACTION accounts_pb_new_click
16-   |    --- CREATE account
17-   |   |    SET Description TO input account description
18-   |   |    SET type TO input account type
19-   |   |    SET number TO input account number
20-   |   |--- WHEN successful
21-   |   |    --- IF LAST OF export_account IS EQUAL TO MAX OF export_account
22-   |   |   |    SET SUBSCRIPT OF export_account TO LAST OF export_account
23-   |   |   |    --- IF input account number IS GREATER THAN export_line
24-   |   |   |   |        account_number
25-   |   |   |   |    EXIT STATE IS account_out_of_list_box
26-   |   |   |   |--- ELSE
27-   |   |   |   |    MOVE input account TO export_line account
28-   |   |   |    --- SORT export_account BY 4A
29-   |   |   |
30-   |   |   |--- ELSE
31-   |   |   |    SET SUBSCRIPT OF export_account TO LAST OF export_account +1
32-   |   |   |    MOVE input account TO export_line account
33-   |   |    --- SORT export_account BY 4A
34-   |   |
35-   |   |--- WHEN already exists
36-   |   |    MAKE output account number Unprotected Normal Intensity Normal
37-   |   |        Color containing Cursor
38-   |   |    EXIT STATE IS account_already_exists
39-   |   |    WHEN permitted value violation
40-   |    --- EXIT STATE IS account_invalid_permitted_values
41-   |
42-   |        GET ROW HIGHLIGHTED IN export_account STARTING AT 1 GIVING
43-   |            SUBSCRIPT OF export_account
44-   |    --- IF SUBSCRIPT OF export_account IS GREATER THAN 0
45-   |   |    MOVE export_line account TO output account
46-   |   |--- ELSE
47-   |   |    MOVE local_account_blank account TO output account
48-   |    --- SET output account type TO E
49-   |
50-    ---

In lines 27 and 32, the group view containing accounts is sorted ascending on the fourth field in the view, which is account number.

This example also shows how a new entity can be added to the bottom of a group view (if it is within the range contained in the group view). This logic is contained in the nested IF statements in lines 21 through 33. The group is then sorted to put the list back in sequence.

Another method of putting lists back in sequence is to use the ADD EMPTY ROW statement. For more information, see ADD EMPTY ROW Statement.

Always use a local character view for the sort argument character expression. Assign it a value in one place for ease of maintenance. Additionally, if plans call for the sort sequence to be user-defined, you must use a variable.

The next sample code shows one way to set up user definable sort sequences. The next sample code shows one way to set up user definable sort sequences.