Mike,
Here's some advice - warning this will be a long post! I am assuming you have a
reasonably new rev of BWS - so I'll use the more modern commands - PauseRule
and Rule vs Pause and At. The difference, they allow checking more than one
screen condition at once.
For your screen conditions in STAR look for unique text on the screen to ID
that page plus the prompt text - Do not use cursor locations! Then you don't
have to worry about locations changing.
Here is an example:
PauseRule "STAR Main Menu@*,*&Enter Option Number"
For menu navigation - I'd suggest using the Navigate command vs hard coding in
numbers:
PauseRule "STAR Main Menu@*,*&Enter Option Number"
Navigate "Patient Accounting"
In a properly written script Stable (use that since this is a character based
screen) is used inside a loop simply to allow the PC to breath while the script
is checking things. Avoid like the plague any thought of using Stable/Wait for
"timing when to look for something" - that is a recipe for creating unreliable
scripts.
E.g.
Enter "something"
Stable 1
If at("Something")
That code above is BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD - did I mention it was bad - so
bad it made my fingers hurt just typing it :)
I like to use the metaphor of a camera pointed at the monitor - that camera
could either be video camera or it could be a snapshot camera
PauseRule is like a video camera - it is constantly seeing the screen after the
Record button is pressed, so when it sees the conditions then you move to the
next command
Rule is a snapshot camera - it only will see what was on the screen when the
shutter was clicked, then it will checks for the conditions against that
picture. That's is why Rule ALWAYS MUST BE IN A LOOP unless you have a
confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that what you are looking for either
absolutely will be there or absolutely will not be there when the picture was
taken.
I've been using For-Next instead of Do-Loop for these checks:
Sub CheckforError
For i=1 to timeout
If Rule(Error condition 1)
If Rule(Error condition 2)
If Rule(Where I was expecting to go if no errors)
Stable .2
Next i
Err.raise seTimeout ' if you got here that means it didn't see any of your
checks - you missed an error - or heck something weird happened.
End sub
Why .2 - the default interval is half a second - you really don't need to delay
that long between checks. There is a law of diminishing returns however so
cranking down Stable to .00001 will just hammer the PC - making performance
worse. As you may hear a NASCAR driver say - "sometimes you have to go slow to
go fast"
Now for STAR, errors are typically ephemeral - you end up being back at the
same place you started:
Enter Account number: type in something bad
Bad account displays on Row 25 for about 1.5 seconds
Now you are back at the Enter Account number prompt
So to trap for that, you either need a crisp loop like the above - another
reason NOT to use an arbitrary delay!!!! - and Rule for the error message
text. Or more commonly just check to see if you are back where you started from.
Finally, I'd suggest avoiding getting too "fancy" with your code - If I am not
using Rules (which btw works very well w/ STAR) .
I adhere to the following script structure when I am doing any procedural
script and it works very well - this is an example using names that may sort
of match what you are doing:
Scripts module
Sub MainSIMUpdate
If not Login then FatalError
Do until d.eof
MainSIMProcess
d.Next_
loop
End sub
Some other module
Sub MainSIMProcess
On error goto errh
If not SIMLookup () then
err.raise seTimeout
If not EnterSIM() then
err.raise seTimeout
D("Status")="Done"
Exit sub
Errh:
Err.clear
ScreenResetRoutine 'Basically
Enter"." Etc till I get to anchor screen, set D("Status")="Error", perform any
notification etc....
End sub
Unit of scripting work routines are functions that simply bubble up the error
to the main routine by returning false
Function Login() as Boolean
On error goto errh
PauseRule "UserID"
Enter "UserID
...
Login=True
Errh:
Status="Login"
Err.clear
Exit function
Hope all this helps!
Thom C. Blackwell VP, Technical Services
Boston Software Systems, Inc.
Phone: 866.653.5105 x807
Mobile: 508.423.8463
Fax: 508.319.3015
www.bostonsoftwaresystems.com<http://www.bostonsoftwaresystems.com/>
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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, December 21, 2012 12:18 PM
To: Talk
Subject: [talkbws] Scripting Star v17 Service Item Price Updates
I've been working on STAR Service Item Price Updates
I inherited a VB script that "years ago was written by Boston Workstation
Consultants" - but that code never really worked (probably due to screen
changes or additional questions that come along during the process).
I've re-engineered the code - so there is now a response for each possible
question/prompt that comes up on the various screens using combination of SUB's
and Functions along with CASE statements.
I can walk thru my logic in debug mode and works fine - but when RUNNING - the
script bounces all over the place and doesn't keep to the logic...
Can someone provide advice/confirm - how to leverage PAUSE, At (""), DoEvents,
Wait's, Stable's...
Seems the best practice is to use Pause for the Upcoming "Major" response
questions (enter Dept #, Enter SI #, Enter Variable price)...and use IF for
other optional questions that may come up related to that screen ...with some
Wait's after any response
And use At("") after a major screen has received it's response (like Dept, SI
#, price adjustment)
THANKS - Happy Holidays
Mike McGinnis
Information Technology
John Muir Health
1400 Treat Blvd
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
Phone (925) 947-4466 x 32412
Cell (925) 286-5310
[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
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