Combining Table Loads with Form Loads

You will often find it useful to combine table loads with form loads. That is, you create a DBLOAD that loads data into an interim table, and then display such data via a form based on that interim table. Users can use the interim table form to check the loaded data and to fix records if necessary. You can also create a procedure to manipulate the data (e.g., to add a C to all customer numbers) and allow users to run it by Action from the form.

When satisfied with results, a procedure can be run to execute your INTERFACE program load. After the form load is completed, each record that was loaded successfully is flagged, those that failed to be loaded can be fixed, and the load program can be executed again with the '-repeat' option.

Example: The LOADDOCUMENTS_C procedure (Load Counts into Interim Table) loads a file into the LOADDOCUMENTS_C form (Interim Table - Inventory Counts). Then, the LOADDOCUMENTS_C2 procedure (Load Counts from Interim Table) opens an Inventory Count document in the DOCUMENTS_C form. Note that the LOADDOCUMENTS_C2 procedure executes the load by running the INTERFACE program, whose first input parameter is the name of the form load.

Further Reading