Assign Formula name to Variable

[SaintJason]

Hi,

Is it possible to assign the name of a formula to a variable?

I have 120 formulas which call a function which returns a string.

Each formula name has a number in it's name and I want pass this number to the function.

At the moment each of the 120 formulas uses a unique bit of code e.g.

Name Code

Formula1 Function(1)
Formula2 Function(2) etc.

I want to use the same piece of code in each of the formulas

e.g Function(tonumber(Mid(<formulaname>,8)))

8 being the starting point of the number in the formula name

Please let me know if this is possible to use the formula name.

Thanks

 

[smcnulty2000]

The short answer is no.

If someone has a way to do this, I can easily imagine having multiple uses for it, so hopefully someone else will speak up.

When I've had to do the equivalent my code looked about like this:

shared numbervar array numArrGeneral;
local numbervar numInstance;
numInstance:=
5
;

//Output
numArrGeneral[numInstance];

Where I put a copy of this into every formula required, then when back and changed the hard-coded value of 5 (five) to whatever number was needed for that instance. The 5 is set strangely on the page so it could be highlighted with least difficulty and then changed.

Excruciating. But the only solution I came up with for this.

I'm hoping someone else here has an even better way to approach this kind of problem.

 

[IdoMillet]

Create a "master" function that depends on a global variable to branch into the appropriate code. Then, in your calling formula set that global variable and then call the master function.

- Ido

view, e-mail, export, burst, distribute, and schedule Crystal Reports.

http://www.MilletSoftware.com

 

[SaintJason]

Hi smcnulty2000 & IdoMillet, thanks for your posts.

Good idea about the position of the number, makes it much easier to edit.

IdoMillet, I think in your idea each formula would still to specify a specific value for the global variable. I'm trying to get away from that and just have one identical piece of code for all the formulas.

I think I may have come up with a solution.

I have a formula which delares a numbervar in the report header.

Then each of the 120 formulas has the following code

global numbervar x;

x := x + 1
Function(x)

This seems to work, will give it a thorough test today.

Thought I might be able to get away with having just the one formula on the report multiple times, but this returns a result where x = 1 for all objects.

 

[smcnulty2000]

I'm interested but skeptical.
I'm worried that the evaluation time would cause them to all run at the same time.

Interested to hear your results.

 

[SaintJason]

Hi smcnulty2000.

The evaluation is done in the order the objects were placed in the section (they are all in a report header section)

I'm surprised at this, I was expecting them to be evaluated in relation to their positions from left to right.

A problem occurs if you accidently move an object out of the section and back again, it evaluates it last from then on. Then you have to create a new section and move all of the objects into it one at a time.

For this reason I have decided to hard code the value for each formula.

Would be so great to be able to use a formula name in the formula itself. If you ever find out, please let me know!

 

[smcnulty2000]

Umph. Kinda kludgy. I think I'd take the same route.

I would like to see that as well.

I would also like to be able to tell using a function which section the formula is sitting in. I have yet to ask the people at crystal if they'll ever build this but I think they would give some report writers an added bump in functionality that would be worth it.