Stephen,
I had a similar problem with a soft furnishings distributor and we
classed all the products via Group/Pattern/Colour/Size. The problem was
there were many non standard exceptions and I ended up using a M$
treeview ActiveX control to drill down to the apropriate finished item
code/price.
The solution worked wonderfully, all driven via metadata and went down a
real dream. However when I went back after 6 months and enquired as to
why the operators were not using the visual interfaced I was told that
the majority of them had actually learnt the product codes and found it
easier to actually key in the code via the keyboard!!!
However the solution worked like a dream and did away with lots of drop
downs all over the place.
Dave Crozier
-----Original Message-----
From: profox-bounces .AT. leafe .D.O.T com [mailto:profox-bounces@leafe.com] On
Behalf Of Stephen Russell
Sent: 03 November 2004 17:05
To: 'ProFox Email List'
Subject: Limiting data users see.
I have a pricing file with columns:
Model, Type, Mount, Ratio, Data, Description, and Price.
I am trying to define a configurator for my client. The company makes a
product that have a multitude of combinations and they are displayed in
the part #. Think of the VIN on an automobile defining what MFG, Plant,
Model,
Year, Major-Accessories are part of the finished product.
Model is the primary filter "442"
Type is the secondary Filter "Input Gear"
Mount is my newest problem.
Ratio is the other problem.
Data is the ASPCET of the part that is VERY IMPORTANT.
Description is 60% usable and 40% empty.
Price is what I'm after.
This is all meta-data driven in the interface because there are 4 types
of product that this beast has to deal with. That is defined off the
Model. All '442' will have 8 total options to derive a finished product.
All 520's will only have 4 for a total product.
The whole part break out is as follows.
Model - Mount Type - Gear Ratio - Input Gear - Lube - Shifter - Assembly
- Output
The current issue is limiting the Input Gear to display only the proper
data and not duplicates.
Some models have a combination of Mount Type + Gear Ratio = Input Gear.
Others are only Gear Ratio = Input Gear.
Of course I have to catch exceptions like if Mount Type = "A" and Gear
Ratio ="X" Input gear SQL would be: Select <fields> from table where
Model=DropDown1.Text and Mount = DropDown2.Text and GearR =
DropDown3.Text.
But if if Mount Type <>"A" << only by SQL Can I get this listing
Select <fields> from table where Model=DropDown1.Text and GearR =
DropDown3.Text
Any ideas on how to do this all via meta data?
We just found this "OBTW" in testing. I had the one additional column
part-picker done, but two columns is getting ulgy. I did the first by
running the data to another hidden dropdown for Distinct's and using
that as a pre-fill for what I displayed to the user. I don't want to
pull another DD-list out of my ass to do this, so I was hoping to see a
different way through discussion.
And yes this is FoxPro Data!
Stephen Russell
S.R. & Associates
Memphis, TN 38115
901.246-0159
[excessive quoting removed by server]
©2004 Dave Crozier |
