Hacking UnifAce

Now where was I before I was so rudely interrupted...

2011-05-11T19:39:00.001+02:00

Assuming it is safe to do so again, I'd like to tell of a very useful function that I so wish I had back in the mists of time when it was all chained polyservers and client assignment files.

Try this:


putmess $assignments("FILES")


putmess $assignments("DRIVER_SETTINGS")

You get my drift.

Please note: NO BEARDS WERE HARMED TO MAKE THIS BLOG POST.

2006-11-30T15:26:00.000+01:00

More hidden talents

fieldsyntax ".<$entname>","YED,YPR,YDI"

Applies to all.

More hidden talents.

2006-09-26T16:30:00.000+02:00

The humble dropdownlist can display thumbnail images! Just set the valrep representation as follows:


$valrep = "001=^U_UQTD_GPICKBUT·!Confused·;002=^U_FIELDUNDO·!Undo·;003=^I_SYNTAX·!Accept"

or even


$valrep(comb) = "001=@tresjolie.bmp·!Angelina·;002=@bgates.bmp·!Bill·;003=@pinguin.bmp·!Linus"

The images are scaled to font size. One could increase the number of lines, use a large font like MonoHuge and create really cool user logins.

No comment

2006-09-08T18:26:00.000+02:00

Tip

The default syntax highlighting colors of the RTF might not suit you. You may prefer a smaller tabsize. You may find keyword completion a source of aggravation. You may want to hide some comments...? :/

Surcease of suffering is at hand.


[widgets]
RichEdit=urichedit(font=MonoMedium;procbox=on;keywordcompletion=off;undolevels=200)

[procbox]
tabsize = 2
text = 0,128,0
comment = 255,255,255
string = 255,128,0
register = 0,0,255
keyword = 255,0,255
type = 0,128,255
userdefined = 0,0,192

Hidden talents

2006-09-07T13:22:00.000+02:00

Richedit and other widgets have properties not mentioned in documentation or default usys.ini file.

Amongst others, undolevels is used for setting the number of times you can undo edits in the richedit widget:

RichEdit=urichedit(font=MonoMedium;procbox=on;undolevels=20)

Most widgets have the property dimmedbackcolor which prevents the text background being greyed when the field is dimmed, (if you like that sort of thing).

Glue factories.

2006-08-26T01:25:00.000+02:00

Tip:

I mentioned in the previous example of using a language other than Uniface to decode some data. Uniface is a high level language but sometimes you need low level functionality. Luckily, Uniface is extremely good at call-outs. You could even embed and spawn some, say python (Dutch too, so it must be okay ;D):


if (runScript()="Goodbye Cruel World%%^")
    apexit
endif
end

entry runScript 
variables
    any stdout
endvariables

filedump $script, "hello_world.py"
activate "SYSTEM".COMMANDOUT("pythonw hello_world.py",stdout) 
$status = stdout

script:blockdata +
"""
This example doesn't do anything worthwhile
"""
#Yeah right
import icomp

#Do something
print "Goodbye Cruel World"
+
end

Unfortunately, you can't use string interpolation within blockdata segments but precompiler constants are substituted and you can pass arguments on the command line.

But why embed? Simple: All interface contracts are held internally and don't require negotiation exception handling.

Object example.

2006-08-24T17:49:00.000+02:00

The IDF default export file format is .trx rather than my personal preference .xml format. I can read xml, trx less so. It seems a trivial thing but it is something you can correct and it provides a nice excercise on hacking uniface besides. (Don't worry there is a less scary way too).

The 'Convert Data' utility is one of Uniface's best innovations and your friend whether you are loading and unloading test data, migrating data or just mucking about with Uniface internals.

Export UOBJ.TEXT using the IDF form or from the command line. You may notice that some of the object entries are not your own. One in particular looks like this (almost):


<UOBJ:UCSUB>S</UOBJ:UCSUB>
<UOBJ:UCLABEL>SYSTEM</UOBJ:UCLABEL>
<UOBJ:UCVAR>USYS</UOBJ:UCVAR>
<UOBJ:UCTYPE>S</UOBJ:UCTYPE>
<UOBJ:UCLASS>0</UOBJ:UCLASS>
<UOBJ:UCOBJECT><BIN>55555F534343495F444C4C3D1B55555F435553545F5....
49523D46</BIN></UOBJ:UCOBJECT>

I modified the object code so that I can import it in order to set a particular encoded Uniface internal. Decode or 'unhex' the string in your export file, using say java, python or a php script. All have 'bin2ascii' modules suitable for the purpose (but not perl). Take care to remove (and later replace) tags. As XML and TRX share the same number of characters they should be at the same offset, (but it doesn't really matter).

Once decoded, mine looks like this (without carriage returns):


UU_SCCI_DLL=·;UU_CUST_UUIMPO49=UUIMPO49·;UU_CUST_UUEXPO49=UUEXPO49·;
UU_CUST_UUCLUS49=UUCLUS49·;UU_DEFEXPORT=TRX·;UU_PERMISSION=0·;
UU_SCCI_AREA=·;UU_SCCI_LOG=·;UU_SCCI_PROJ=·;UU_SCCI_AUTO=F·;
UU_SCCI_CHGPATH=T·;UU_SCCI_CHGPROJ=T·;UU_SCCI_GETVERSION=0·;
UU_CLUSTERING=EXTN_CL=1·!·;EXTN_PR=·!·;EXTN_PO=.cmx·!·;EXTN_OP=1·!·;
SPEC_CL=1·!·;SPEC_PR=·!·;SPEC_PO=.sgx·!·;SPEC_OP=1·!·;CONC_CL=1·!·;
CONC_PR=·!·;CONC_PO=.amx·!·;APPL_CL=1·!·;APPL_PR=·!·;APPL_PO=.shx·!·;
EINT_CL=2·!·;EINT_PR=·!·;EINT_PO=.eix·!·;INTT_CL=2·!·;INTT_PR=·!·;
INTT_PO=.fix·!·;SYNT_CL=2·!·;SYNT_PR=·!·;SYNT_PO=.fsx·!·;LAYT_CL=2·!·;
LAYT_PR=·!·;LAYT_PO=.flx·!·;FLDT_CL=2·!·;FLDT_PR=·!·;FLDT_PO=.ftx·!·;
LIBR_CL=1·!·;LIBR_PR=·!·;LIBR_PO=.lbx·!·;LIBR_OP=0·!·;CPRC_CL=3·!·;CPRC_PR=·!·;
CPRC_PO=.prx·!·;INCL_CL=3·!·;INCL_PR=·!·;INCL_PO=.ipx·!·;DEVC_CL=3·!·;
DEVC_PR=·!·;DEVC_PO=.dtx·!·;TRAN_CL=3·!·;TRAN_PR=·!·;TRAN_PO=.ktx·!·;PANL_CL=3·!·;
PANL_PR=·!·;PANL_PO=.pnx·!·;MESG_CL=3·!·;MESG_PR=·!·;MESG_PO=.msx·!·;GLYP_CL=3·!·;
GLYP_PR=·!·;GLYP_PO=.glx·!·;MENU_CL=3·!·;MENU_PR=·!·;MENU_PO=.mnx·!·;GFMT_CL=3·!·;
GFMT_PR=·!·;GFMT_PO=.fmx·!·;LANS_CL=5·!·;LANS_PR=·!·;LANS_PO=.lnx·!·;CREG_CL=3·!·;
CREG_PR=·!·;CREG_PO=.vrx·!·;GCNT_CL=3·!·;GCNT_PR=·!·;GCNT_PO=.cnx·;
UU_BPA_CLUS=CLUS100=0·!·;PRE100=·!·;POST100=.vpx·!·;CHECK100=F·!·;CLUS101=0·!·;
PRE101=·!·;POST101=.npx·!·;CHECK101=F·!·;CLUS102=0·!·;PRE102=·!·;POST102=.pkx·!·;
CLUS103=0·!·;PRE103=·!·;POST103=.pkx·!·;CLUS104=1·!·;PRE104=·!·;POST104=.cpx·!·;
CLUS105=1·!·;PRE105=·!·;POST105=.orx·!·;ADDTPDIR=F

Interesting. The setting I'm after is UU_DEFEXPORT=TRX, change this to XML. Encode the string and replace in your UOBJ.XML. Reimport it using the convert data utility as before. Build your uobj.dol and check the export objects form in the IDF.

Identity crisis solved

2006-08-17T19:21:00.002+02:00

In the past, and it irked only the most pedantic, there were uniface commands which were proc but should have been functions. I prefer:

if ($length(PASSWD) < 8) message/warning "That's not very secure is it?"

to:

length PASSWD
if ($result < 8) message/warning "That's not very secure is it?"

It just scans (pun intended) better for me - is more intuitive I find. Functions are more amenable for usage in runtime coding (see previous tip) and $result is preserved too. I like to combine $item and $lfileproperties. Some others:

$length
$stripattributes
$bold
$italic
$underline
$displaylength
$addmonths
$statement
$lfileexists
$ldirlist
$convertpath
$ldir

Uniface Rules...

2006-08-17T19:11:00.000+02:00

Even end-users can have a go at coding uniface with expressions and conditions but even I can't think of a situation where you would need to reverse some compiled proc. Still here's how:


proccompile/statement "temp1 = temp2 * 9 / 5 + 32"
code = $result
test = $decompile(code)
; test = "temp1 = temp2 * 9 / 5 + 32"

Compiled proc looks like the output of $proccontext() with "temp1 = temp2 * 9 / 5 + 32" appended to the end anyway.

Search me...

2006-08-11T18:30:00.000+02:00

Both the $scan function and scan procedure are limited to shorter strings. Fortunately for those of us wishing to extend the IDF to automate some menial tasks, the "UUSTRSEARCH" function call allows you to search larger strings and returns the results in a nice list with line and character positions: The results are ready to be displayed in a tree.


   He sports a beard.
He wears a hat.
  Ted has a beard.

...1·!·;17·!·;beard·!·;   He sports a beard·;
3·!·;14·!·;beard·!·;  Ted has a beard.·;...

As usual the highest registers are used as parameters, in this case, to point to some component fields on which to act.


$97 = "SEARCH.DUMMY"
$98 = "LTOB.DUMMY"
$99 = "HITLIST.DUMMY"
perform "UUSTRSEARCH"
if ($status > 0)
...

For some reason, the character position is over by 2.

The Mark Of The Beast

2006-08-10T16:36:00.000+02:00

Some people may have noticed that the Richedit widget doesn't appear in the IDF even though a logical mapping exists in the [widgets] section of the .ini file. This .ini section and setting remedies this situation.


[developer]
urichedit = 666

Trust me, I am the doctor.

2006-08-09T23:46:00.000+02:00

Adrenalin junkies will import this file into their Uniface 8 development environment, make the .dol and watch their development team colleagues freak out. It moves the Additional menu to the File menu of the component editor (and that nasty 'Create Shortcut' out of my way). Alternatively, the more timid can try it out in a local sandbox first.

To undo the effect, clean UOBJ.TEXT and rebuild.

XSLT Processing.

2006-08-09T16:20:00.000+02:00

Tip:Transform XML


activate "USYSXSLT"."XMLTRANSFORM"( XMLDATA , XSLFILEPATH , "" , XMLDONE , XMLERROR , XMLERRINFO )

This is a callout to the java component used by the IDF.

Enhanced Trigger Editor functions

2006-08-08T19:08:00.000+02:00

If you do want to add some enhanced trigger editor function to your Additional menu, you will need to be able to manipulate the urichedit widget. Code should be inserted using $procinsert documented earlier. The statements' purpose and usage are self-evident:

Get the tabsize


activate "URICHEDIT"."UGETTABSIZE"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , TABSIZE )

Moving the cursor about


activate "URICHEDIT"."UGETCURSORPOS"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , XPOS , YPOS ) 
activate "URICHEDIT"."UGOTOLINE"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , YPOS , XPOS ) 
activate "URICHEDIT"."UOPERSETCURSOR"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , OPERATIONNAME ) 
activate "URICHEDIT"."UENTRYSETCURSOR"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , PROCNAME ) 
activate "URICHEDIT"."UTRIGGERSETCURSOR"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , TRIGGERNAME )

Selecting code


activate "URICHEDIT"."USELECTALL"( "PROC.DUMMY0" ) 

activate "URICHEDIT"."USELECTDATA"( "PROC.DUMMY0" ) 
BUFFER = $selblk

Inserting data


activate "URICHEDIT"."UINSERTDATA"( "PROC.DUMMY0", DATA )

Returns a help topic keyword depending on your cursor position


activate "URICHEDIT"."UOPERHELP"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , KEYWORD )

The widget also supports the following additional macros:


macro "^FIELDREDO"
macro "^FIELDUNDO"
macro "^FINDREPLACE"

User definable labels - why?

2006-08-03T00:18:00.000+02:00

The apparent desirability of user-definable field labels for one always surprises me.

So as the label frametype value is not amendable at runtime, what to do? I'm sure there are a plethora of solutions available, two are:

Hyperlink

Drag & Drop Label

Hyperlinks make good dynamic labels, except they do present a funny finger cursor on mouseover. You might want to detail on the field anyway in order maintain the value. Is possible of course, to use the $properties / $fieldproperties to define the appearance at runtime, but as you'll want this behavior as default - amend the widgets section of your ini file - copy the Hyperlink - uhyperlink logical to physical widget mapping and create a new, say, DynaLabel widget line. Set the font property to Label to make it look like a label and get rid of the underscore. Set Transparency to true. Make sure it appears on your tool palette in the IDF. (This is a tip in itself. You can do this for the urichedit widget too for instance - if you'd like an editbox with features like text undo & redo, amongst others. There is another .ini setting required in order to see the mapping appear in the IDF. See the code of the last tip for some urichedit operations. This will be documented fully in due course).
The Drag & Drop widget also has a dynamic label, except you have to paint the label and its drag well which is a real pain as you have to dim the hidden widget to dim your label. (This technique is used in the IDF on some model definition components, but to be fair there was no hyperlink available then).

Set the label by setting the label property of the drag & drop field. Now every form you have can have dynamic field labels - great. :/

If you want something done...

2006-08-02T00:27:00.000+02:00

Tip: The IDF is extensible

No big secret:The IDF/UDE can be extended by adding your own custom tools to the ADDITIONAL menu. This can be anything - search/replace tool, checking version control or... sorting a trigger? =0

I actually do use this, even though it is quick and dirty. Nevertheless, no warranty is expressed or should be implied, suffice it to say that version control is just common sense (Watch your includes and comments!) and that it is of dubious utility except to those pendantic enough to care about such trivialities. It could easily be adapted to do something useful.


if ($componentname="UUEXTN23")
    if ($CURTRIG$ = "LPMX" | $CURTRIG$ = "LPME" | $CURTRIG$ = "LPMF")
        call SORT_TRIGGER("entry")
        message/hint "Just sorting procedures into alphabetical order... "
    elseif ($CURTRIG$ = "OPER")
        call SORT_TRIGGER("operation")
        message/hint "Just sorting operations into alphabetical order... "
    else
        message/hint "I don't know how to sort this trigger."
    endif
else
    message/hint "I don't know how to on this form"
endif

message/hint "Done. "

end

entry SORT_TRIGGER
params
    string DECLARES :in
endparams
variables
   numeric XPOS, YPOS
    string TEKSHTBLOK, ONELINE
   numeric LINE, COUNTER, BEFORE, AFTER
    string PROCNAME, PROCBODY
    string TRIGDAT, TRIGNDX, EXTRA            
endvariables

clrmess
putmess TEKSHTBLOK

activate "URICHEDIT"."UGETCURSORPOS"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , XPOS , YPOS ) 
activate "URICHEDIT"."USELECTALL"( "PROC.DUMMY0" ) 
activate "URICHEDIT"."USELECTDATA"( "PROC.DUMMY0" ) 
TEKSHTBLOK = $selblk

if (TEKSHTBLOK != "")
    TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"&","&amp;", - 1)
    TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"<","&lt;", - 1)
    TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,">","&gt;", - 1)
    TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,";","<gold>;", - 1)
    TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"!","<gold>!", - 1)
    TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"%%^",";", - 1)
endif

length DECLARES
BEFORE = $result + 1
AFTER = $result + 2

LINE = 1
COUNTER = 1
EXTRA = 
getitem ONELINE, TEKSHTBLOK, COUNTER
while ($status > 0)

    ; Found new entry
    if ($ltrim($lowercase(ONELINE[1,BEFORE])," ")="%%DECLARES ")
        
        ;Get procedure name
        $status = $split(ONELINE[AFTER],1," ",PROCNAME,PROCBODY) 
        if (PROCNAME="")
            PROCNAME = ONELINE[AFTER]
        endif

        PROCBODY =         
        repeat
            ONELINE = itemnr(LINE,TEKSHTBLOK)
            putitem PROCBODY, -1, ONELINE
            LINE = LINE + 1
        until ($ltrim($lowercase(ONELINE[1,4])," ") = "end " | ONELINE = "end")

        putitem/id TRIGDAT, PROCNAME, PROCBODY
        putitem TRIGNDX, -1, PROCNAME

        EXTRA = 
        COUNTER = LINE - 1

    endif
  
    COUNTER = COUNTER + 1
    putitem EXTRA, -1, itemnr(COUNTER, TEKSHTBLOK)
    getitem ONELINE, TEKSHTBLOK, COUNTER
endwhile

sort/list TRIGNDX

TEKSHTBLOK =  
repeat
    getitem/id PROCBODY, TRIGDAT, itemnr(1,TRIGNDX)
    if (TEKSHTBLOK)
        TEKSHTBLOK = "%%TEKSHTBLOK%%%;;%%PROCBODY"
    else
        TEKSHTBLOK = PROCBODY
    endif
    delitem TRIGNDX, 1
until ($status = 0)

TEKSHTBLOK = "%%TEKSHTBLOK%%%;%%EXTRA"
TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,";","%%^", - 1)
TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"<gold>!","!", - 1)
TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"<gold>;",";", - 1)
TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"&gt;",">", - 1)
TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"&lt;","<", - 1)
TEKSHTBLOK = $replace(TEKSHTBLOK,1,"&amp;","&", - 1)

askmess/question "Update re-ordered trigger","Ok,Cancel"
if ($status = 1)
    $procinsert(PROC.DUMMY0) = TEKSHTBLOK
endif

XPOS = 1
activate "URICHEDIT"."UGOTOLINE"( "PROC.DUMMY0" , YPOS , XPOS ) 

putmess PROC.DUMMY0

end

As the man said:"It does what it says on the tin..."

2006-08-01T22:52:00.000+02:00


$result = <$fieldname>
interrupt 989, "UNDOGOLD"
;value = $result

More Developer Logicals

2006-07-28T13:40:00.000+02:00

Logicals are often used to 'turn on' functionality especially debug code. UU_SPECIAL is not the only [LOGICALS] developer setting.

Some others (of perhaps limited utility) include :


[LOGICALS]
UdbgSpecial             1
;UdbgLines               1
;UdbgDebugging           1
;UdbgWholeTree           1
;UdbgTracing             1
;UShowSAPTester          1
;uShowQALogForm          1
ShowPanel                FALSE

Some of these will be covered later in 'Debugging the debugger'.

Form tab sequence

2006-07-27T18:20:00.000+02:00

$prompt in the 'next field' and 'previous field' triggers can help control the form tab sequence, although overriding UnifAce's own curious default behaviour in this way can prove quite a laborious task.

This is where precompiler constants can help:

Tip:

In the Next field and Previous field triggers (using global updates perhaps)


#for FIELD = (<fieldOrder>), COUNT1
    #if <FIELD> = <$fieldname>.<$entname>
        #if (<$trigger> = PFLD)
            #for PFLD = (<pfldOrder>), COUNT2
                 #if (<COUNT2> = <COUNT1>)
$prompt = <PFLD>
                 #endif
            #endfor
        #else
            #for NFLD = (<nfldOrder>), COUNT3
                 #if (<COUNT3> = <COUNT1>)
$prompt = <NFLD>
                 #endif
            #endfor
        #endif
    #endif
#endfor

In the Defines trigger of the form...


#define fieldOrder = fieldname.tablename,fieldname.tablename,fieldname.tablename,...
#include SYSTEM_LIBRARY:FIELDORDER

...where...


;include SYSTEM_LIBRARY:FIELDORDER
#ifdefined fieldOrder
#ifundefined pfldOrder
#ifundefined nfldOrder

    ;Build NfldOrder
    #for FIELD = (<fieldOrder>), COUNT1
         #if (<COUNT1> = 0)
              #define firstField = <FIELD>
         #else
             #if (<COUNT1> = 1)
                 #define tempOrder = <FIELD>
             #else
                 #ifdefined nfldOrder
                     #undefine nfldOrder
                 #endif
                 #define nfldOrder = <tempOrder>·;<FIELD>
                 #undefine tempOrder
                 #define tempOrder = <nfldOrder>
             #endif
         #endif
    #endfor
    #undefine nfldOrder
    #define nfldOrder = <tempOrder>·;<firstField>

    ;Build pfldOrder
    #define lastField = <FIELD>
    #undefine tempOrder

    #for FIELD = (<fieldOrder>), COUNT2
        #if (<COUNT2> = 0)
            #define tempOrder = <FIELD>
        #else
            #ifdefined pfldOrder
                #undefine pfldOrder
            #endif
            #if (<FIELD> != <lastField>)
                 #define pfldOrder = <tempOrder>·;<FIELD>
                 #undefine tempOrder
                 #define tempOrder = <pfldOrder>
            #endif
        #endif
    #endfor
    #undefine pfldOrder
    #define pfldOrder = <lastField>·;<tempOrder>

#endif
#endif
#endif

...is the #included block and fieldOrder is the list of fields in tab sequence order.

Loading xml data

2006-07-25T15:55:00.000+02:00

Tip:


xmlload/nomod vData, vDTD

Won't set your modification status.

'A bad workman blames his tool':

2006-07-24T13:42:00.000+02:00

The purpose of this blog is to promote Uniface as a development tool. For all its foibles, when used properly, it is very powerful. If you are having problems it is more than likely because you are trying to do something strange. Its a 4GL - you don't have low-level control so be realistic.

There are endless tips, hacks and caveats/gotchas. This is an attempt to document them here as I remember/find them.

Tip: Procedures as inline function calls:


if ((totocc("<$entname>") = 1))
    call E_<$entname>_Del()
endif

end

entry totocc
params
    string entname:inout
endparams
    $status = $totocc(entname)
    return($status)
end

WARNING! Undocumented features may be removed by Compuware without notice.

Uniface Developer Settings:

2006-07-24T12:40:00.000+02:00

Place UU_SPECIAL = 1 in the [LOGICALS] section of your idf assignment file to see the 'Internal Defines' trigger.

Be prepared for some other unusual behaviour too...

elegant cycles

2006-07-23T01:15:00.000+02:00

There are some useful tips hidden here:


; Classic loop - cycling through occurrences
; (You may have wanted to keep the original occurrence number)
setocc "<$entname>", 1
while ($status > -1)
    ...
    setocc "<$entname>", $curocc("<$entname>") + 1
endwhile

Lists.

; Destructive whole list process
repeat 
    ...
    delitem vList, 1
until ($status = 0)

But since you may have wanted to reuse that list and copying big strings can be slow...


;Non-destructive whole list processing
variables
    numeric vIndex
endvariables

repeat 
    vIndex = vIndex + 1
    ...
until ($itemnr(vIndex,vList)=$itemnr(-1,vList))

Isn't hacking bad?

2006-07-20T02:08:00.000+02:00

What is Uniface?

2006-07-20T01:34:00.000+02:00

This is Uniface 4GL.

Made in Holland... by men with beards.