> Pete
> > As you well know once committed to the formset
> > class it becomes extremely difficult to try to undo a formset and split it out
> > to seperate forms especially if the formset class had been used extensively.
>
> Indeed, and that is yet another reason NOT to use them - they drastically limit the re-usability of your forms.
>
> > In my case I do not re-code all the forms in the application but generally have to work with what I already have.
> > So in my experience I had to work with formsets and had to get use to knowing
> > all about them and how to manipulate them and on occasion as I mentioned I have
> > used them myself under certain conditions.
>
> Again, I totally agree. But that is a different scenario altogether than advocating their use! When someone says "Should I use a formset..?" THe answer should be very different than when the question is "I have an application that uses formsets, how can I do...?" My point is that the answer to the first should always be "NO", while in the second case it may well be that the reality is that the questioner should continue with the way the thing is built irrespective of the 'best' solution.
>
> However, as you know only too well, it is never going to get easier to fix something than right now! The more effort you put into thing the harder it gets to fix it later.
>
> > So, if someone posts a question regarding formsets I will answer them based
> > upon my work with formsets.
>
> Like I said, I have no problem with that - my only issue is that we (the soi-disant 'experts') should not be either advocating the use of formsets, or defending their use in general situations - for all the reasons I gave elsewhere. However I am not saying that there is NO circumstance under which a formset is the best, or most appropriate solution - although I can't think of anything other than conversion of FP2.6 screen sets where that is true - just that any use of a formset should be questioned because it was probably done under the conception that this was the 'correct', or even the 'only' way to do things. That conception is usually wrong!
>
> Regards
> Andy Kramek
> Microsoft MVP (Visual FoxPro)
>
Tightline Computers Inc, Akron Ohio, USAHi,
Yes, I can agree with what you say. Actually, in a good number of
years of VFP programming since Version 3.0 I had never used a formset
until about 5 years. I did get involved in modifying 3 very large
client systems written in VFP and as mentioned each and every form
was a formset. I think you know where this all lead. Gee customer
I should recode your entire application and move all the forms out
to not use formsets and this will take me 6 months, versus I can
go in and work with your existing system, make the screen changes
add in the new screens and complete the job in 1 1/2 months.
The billing difference was $80,000.00 versus $20,000.00.
You know what the client's choice was!
Well then this same client liked my work so much they wanted me to upgrade there other 2 systems. Well these were full of formsets as well.
By the time I had finished all the upgrades to these 3 systems the
contract lasted close to 1 year in duration. At this point there want not much anyone could tell me about how to use formsets.
During this time I learnt a lot about formsets that I had never
realized before, although learnt due to necessity verus choice.
I had never seen a formset used as a starting off point for an MDI application that exists as a top form frame and it instances an number of toolbars and forms at run time. The formset exists "IN _SCREEN" and serves as the container object.
Anyways enough on this topic, just some ramblings anyways.
Pete from the Great White North. (Only in Canada, ay.) Over and Out ...