View source for FileMan Delphi Components/FMDC Quick Start Guide

= Introduction =
This quick start guide goes immediately to the heart of the matter, showing you how to edit [[record~|Record]]s in a particular file using the VA FileMan Delphi Components (FMDC).

= Quick Start Steps =
To edit [[record~|Record]]s in a given VA FileMan file with the VA FileMan Delphi Components:

== 1.	Establish an [[RPC Broker]] connection: ==

a.	Add a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TRPCBroker|TRPCBroker]] [[Delphi_component|component]] to your [[Delphi_Form|form]].

b.	Set its properties and invoke its methods as necessary to connect to a server system.

== 2.	Add a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMGets|TFMGets]] [[Delphi_component|component]] to retrieve data: ==

a.	Add a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMGets|TFMGets]] [[Delphi_component|component]] to your [[Delphi_Form|form]].
b.	Set its [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/RPCBroker_property|RPCBroker property]] to point to your [[Delphi_Form|form]]'s [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TRPCBroker|TRPCBroker]] [[Delphi_component|component]].

c.	Set its [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/FileNumber_property|FileNumber property]] to the [[VA FileMan File]] containing [[record~|Record]]s to retrieve.

== 3.	Add a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMFiler|TFMFiler]] [[Delphi_component|component]] to file changes: ==

a.	Add a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMFiler|TFMFiler]] [[Delphi_component|component]] to your [[Delphi_Form|form]].

b.	Set its [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/RPCBroker_property|RPCBroker property]] to point to your [[Delphi_Form|form]]'s [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TRPCBroker|TRPCBroker]] [[Delphi_component|component]].

== 4.	Add a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMValidator|TFMValidator]] [[Delphi_component|component]] to provide validation services: ==

a.	Add a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMValidator|TFMValidator]] [[Delphi_component|component]] to your [[Delphi_Form|form]].

b.	Set its [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/RPCBroker_property|RPCBroker property]] to point to your [[Delphi_Form|form]]'s [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TRPCBroker|TRPCBroker]] [[Delphi_component|component]].

== 5.	Add VA FileMan data controls for each [[VA_FileMan_field|field]]: ==

a.	For each [[VA FileMan field|field]] to edit, add data control(s) and supporting data access components to your [[Delphi_Form|form]] as follows:

<table>
<tr><th>For this [[VA_FileMan_field_data_type|Field Type]]</th><th>Add to Your [[Delphi_Form|Form]]</th></tr>

<tr><td>[[Free_Text_Data_Type%7E|Free text]], [[Numeric_Data_Type%7E|Numeric]], [[Date/Time_Data_Type%7E|Date]]</td><td>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMEdit|TFMEdit]]</td></tr>

<tr><td>"Boolean" [[Set_of_Codes_Data_Type%7E|Set of Codes]]</td><td>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMCheckBox|TFMCheckBox]]</td></tr>

<tr><td>[[Set_of_Codes_Data_Type%7E|Set of Codes]]</td><td><table><tr><td>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMRadioGroup|TFMRadioGroup]], or</td>
<TR><td>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TPanel|TPanel]], plus 1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMRadioButton|TFMRadioButton]] per code</td></tr>
</TABLE></tr>

<tr><td>[[Word_Processing_Data_Type%7E|Word Processing]]</td><td>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMMemo|TFMMemo]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Pointer_to_a_File_Data_Type%7E|Pointer]]</td><td><TABLE><TR>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLister|TFMLister]] and 1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMListBox|TFMListBox]], or</td></tr>

<tr><td>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLister|TFMLister]] and 1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMComboBox|TFMComboBox]], or</td></tr>
<tr><td>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLister|TFMLister]] and 1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMComboBoxLookUp|TFMComboBoxLookUp]]</td></tr>
</table></tr>

<tr><td>[[Computed_Data_Type%7E|Computed]]</td><td>1 [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLabel|TFMLabel]]</td></tr>
</table>

b.	Set the properties of these controls and [[Delphi_component|component]]s according to the [[VA_FileMan_field|field]]-specific guidelines for the [[VA_FileMan_field_data_type|Field Type]]: [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Free_text|Free text]], [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/numeric|numeric]], [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/date|date]] - [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Boolean_set_of_codes|"Boolean" set of codes]] - [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Set_of_Codes|Set of Codes]] - [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Word_Processing|Word Processing]] - [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Pointer|Pointer]] - [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Computed|Computed]].

== 6.	Select and retrieve a [[record~|Record]]: ==

a.	To select a [[record~|Record]], follow the procedure in the topic "[[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLookUp_Select_a_record_custom_dialog|Select a record with the TFMLookUp custom dialog]]". You'll add a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLookUp|TFMLookUp]] and [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLister|TFMLister]] [[Delphi_component|component]] to your [[Delphi_Form|form]], and add a button that calls the [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLookUp|TFMLookUp]]'s [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLookUp_Execute|Execute]] method to perform the lookup.

b.	[[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLookUp|TFMLookUp]].[[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLookUp_Execute|Execute]] returns a [[record~|Record]] number. With this [[record~|Record]] number, you can retrieve the [[record~|Record]] and populate your data controls with the [[record~|Record]]'s [[VA_FileMan_field|field]] values. To retrieve the [[record~|Record]], follow the procedure in the "[[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Retrieve_a_Record|How to Retrieve a Record]]" topic. You'll call the [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMGets|TFMGets]] [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMGets_GetAndFill|GetAndFill]] method to retrieve the [[record~|Record]] and populate data controls.

c.	The code for the button that executes [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLookUp|TFMLookUp]]'s [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMLookUp_Execute|Execute]] method (step a) can also perform the retrieval (step b). The code that combines these tasks would look similar to the following:

<code>
procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var Add[[Record~|Record]]:Boolean;
begin
  if FMLookup1.Execute(Add[[Record~|Record]]) then begin
    FMGets1.IENS:=FMLookUp1.[[Record~|Record]]Number+',';
    // Call any TFMListBox/TFMComboBox GetList methods
    // here, before calling GetAndFill.
    FMGets1.GetAndFill;
  end
  else
    ShowMessage('No [[record~|Record]] chosen.');

end;
</code>

== 7.	Set up Automated OnExit Processing: ==

a.	Your data controls should already be linked to a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMFiler|TFMFiler]] and a [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMValidator|TFMValidator]] [[Delphi_component|component]], from following the [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Data_Control_Property_Settings_For_All_Field Types|Data Control Property Settings for All Field Type]]s guidelines when you set up each data control on your [[Delphi_Form|form]].

b.	Set every data control's coValOnExit value to True, in each control's [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/FMCtrlOptions_property|FMCtrlOptions property]].

== 8.	Provide an event to save changes: ==

a.	To save changes the user makes to the [[record~|Record]], follow the procedure in the "[[FileMan_Delphi_Components/How_To_File_Changes|How to File Changes]]" topic. You'll add a button whose caption is something like "Save Changes." You'll add code for this button's OnClick event handler that calls your [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMFiler|TFMFiler]]'s [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMFiler|TFMFiler_Update|Update]] method to file changes.

== 9.	(Optional) Provide context-sensitive [[VA_FileMan_field|field]] help: ==

You can retrieve the [[VA_FileMan_field|field]]-based help from the data dictionary in several ways:

* [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/F1_field_help_in_pop-up_window|F1 field help in pop-up window]]

* [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/F1_field_help_in_pop-up_window_for_TFMRadioGroup_Controls|F1 field help in pop-up window for TFMRadioGroup Controls]]

* [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Automatic_OnFocus_Display_of_help_in_a_TPanel|Automatic OnFocus Display of help in a TPanel]]

* [[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Calling_A_TFMHelp_component|Calling a]][[FileMan_Delphi_Components/TFMHelp|TFMHelp]] [[Delphi_component|component]] directly

== 10.	Register your [[application~|Application]]: ==

Registering your [[application~|Application]] is part of [[RPC Broker]] security. For all users that do not possess the XUPROGMODE key, your [[application~|Application]] must register itself based on a "B"-type option in the Option file on the server.

The RPC multiple of this option must include the RPCs invoked by all VA FileMan Delphi Components methods that your [[application~|Application]] uses.

For a listing of the [[REMOTE PROCEDURE CALL|RPC]] invoked by each VA FileMan Delphi Components method, please refer to the "[[FileMan_Delphi_Components/Security_And_Registering_FMDC_RPCS|Security & Registering FMDC RPCs]]" topic.

For more information on RPC Broker security, please refer to the documentation for the [[RPC Broker]].

= Overview Picture =
[[Image:FMDC_Object_Hierarchy_.png]]