[Gambas-user] How to set the input mask

[johnf]

On Thursday 29 December 2005 20:41, ron wrote:
> On Thursday 29 December 2005 22:20, johnf wrote:
> > On Thursday 29 December 2005 12:33, ron wrote:
> > > On Thursday 29 December 2005 09:36, johnf wrote:
> > > > I searched and read - but do I set the input mask of a textbox to
> > > > uppercase? Also where is it set?
> > > > John
> > >
> > > 'gambas is not VB' is written somewhere. :)
> > >
> > > I asume you mean a mask as '###-##-##-$$' to be able
> > > only to accept entering something as '123-45-67-AB'
> > >
> > > The VB Input Mask is not (yet) in gambas. :(
> > >
> > > This is a job you have to do in the key_down or key_up
> > > event.
> > >
> > > Ron
> >
> > I have that issue solved - but I still have questions.  I need help with
> > some of the overall stuff in Gambas (see earlier post).  I'm not a VB
> > programmer - In fact I have only used VB in a very limited way.  But
> > since I can't find much on Gambas I have been researching most of the
> > questions on google using VB6.  Not really a lot of help but some.
>
> As mentioned before they are not the same.
>
> Much help is to _read_ and _understand_ the examples provided with the
> install. Use the build in help, yes I know it is not complete, but it will
> provide almost the actual information for gambas.
> At some places it is not correct to the actual version, due changes in
> gambas code not yet updated in the online help.
> Try in simple small projects 'how to use a component' before starting big
> things.
>
> > Most of my programming has to do with Visual Foxpro.
> > VFP is OOP but has easy access to data.
> > I think VFP matches the thinking in Gambas.
>
> Be carefull, VFP is special for database access oriented in a simple basic
> like language. Gambas is Basic language oriented and support simple basic
> database acccess.
>
> In MS Access/VFP a textbox can be bind direct to a database field
> and a form is the presentation of a record in the recordset,
> you can easy walk the records almost without running code part.
>
> For VB6 the bind of controls to the database is also posible but record
> navigation has to be done in your code, and some minor display things.
>
> For Gambas there is no bind of controls to the backend database,
> so now all has to be done in code, navigation and display.
>
> The technics for creating a application are almost the same but
> how to do it in code are very different.
>
> > So what I don't know about Gambas could fill  a library.
>
> For the most starters the same.
>
> > Actually not knowing VB might be helpful.  At least I choose to think so.
>
> For the part of VB code, true.
>
> The big problem is reading VB code and expecting the same can be done in
> gambas. It is understanding what the VB code does, and translate to the
> correct code in gambas. Not the copy/paste behaviour, that way you stay a
> dummy. :)
> And the joy of creating an aplication disapears while nothing works
> and heaving no clue what is wrong and why.
>
> > John
>
> Try not read to much of VB as exact code, use it for the idea how to solve
> something. At many points there are major differences between VB and Gambas
> in code. Not the structure of the code but how to access the
> components/controls is different.
>
> You must see gambas as an attempt to get the Basic language to the
> GNU/Linux world. The most important is to get a background engine to work,
> and it is doing well ATM, and make it fast, idiot proof and flexible for
> enhanvements in the future. Together with the current IDE you can say
> Visual Gambas.
>
> Happy coding,
>
> Ron
Thanks for the detail response.  It helps alot.  Looking at the code is just 
starting to pay off.  The big issues for me have been syntax and then 
understanding the objects,events, and then the IDE.  I really don't know what 
the hierarchy of the objects is and I can't seem to gather that information.  
I think anyone using VFP could rattle the hierarchy off in just a day of use.  
I'm not sure if that because of available doc's (help file) or because it 
become obvious with just simple use.  So I'm surprised that I can't find the 
information and it is not obvious to me.  Just yesterday I found out that 
"me" referred to the form and not the object you are in.  So I asked on this 
list "how does one refer to the object within the object" (like self,this,or 
me) no response.  BTW I'm guessing it the name of the object.  Believe me 
when I say that I'm thankful for all the help but I at a lost how do things.  

Anyway thanks again for your help.
John