Prompt the User to Describe Document Changes and Update the History Log

This routine prompts the user to describe changes made to the document each time it's saved. The user must provide a description of the change in order to save the document. Otherwise the document is not saved and the user is returned to the document. When the user provides a non-blank description of the change, the history field is updated, including the date, time, person, and description of the change. The following illustrates event stamps that could be appended to the field each time the document is saved.

12/10/2005 8:42:10 AMMark ElliottUpdated document description.

12/15/2005 5:12:45 PMMark ElliottChanged project start date.

12/16/2005 1:29:23 PMMark ElliottAssigned project to John Doe.

How It Works

A computed field is created on the form to store historical updates. Each time the document is saved in the Lotus Notes user interface, the QuerySave event is triggered and the user is prompted to describe the change (see Figure 13.19). When the user provides a non-blank response, the statement is appended to the history field. Using this approach, a unique description of the change is appended to the history field each time the document is modified and saved.

Figure 13.19. Example of the "document changes" prompt

 

Implementation

To implement this solution, complete the following steps.

Step 1.

Create a new field on the form. In the properties dialog, set the field name to History and field type to Computed and select Allow multiple values. On tab 2, set the Display separate values field to New Line and then close the properties dialog. If you elect to use an alternate field name, be sure to adjust the following instruction and statements.
 

Step 2.

In the Programmer's pane, set the "value" formula for this field to History.
 

   

Step 3.

To complete the setup, insert the following code into the QuerySave event for the form.
 

Sub Querysave(Source As Notesuidocument, Continue As Variant)

 Dim w As NotesUIWorkspace
 Dim s As NotesSession
 Dim db As NotesDatabase
 Dim uidoc As NotesUIDocument
 Dim doc As NotesDocument
 Dim comment As String
 Dim statement As String
 Dim person As NotesName
 Dim item As NotesItem

 '----------------------------------------
 ' Set object values
 '----------------------------------------
 Set w = New NotesUIWorkspace
 Set s = New NotesSession
 Set db = s.CurrentDatabase
 Set uidoc = w.CurrentDocument
 Set doc = uidoc.Document
 Continue = True

 '----------------------------------------
 ' Prompt user to describe change
 '----------------------------------------
 Comment = w.Prompt (PROMPT_OKCANCELEDIT, _
 "Event Log", "Briefly describe changes to the document.")

 If Trim(Comment) = "" Then
 '----------------------------------------
 ' No comment. Display warning.
 '----------------------------------------
 Msgbox "You must provide a comment to save "+_
 "the document.", 16, "Warning"
 Continue = False
 Else
 '----------------------------------------
 ' Add statement to log
 '----------------------------------------
 Set person = New NotesName(s.UserName)
 statement = Cstr(Now)+" - "+ person.Common+" - "+ comment
 Set item = doc.GetFirstItem("HISTORY")
 Call item.AppendToTextList(statement)
 End If

End Sub
 


An Introduction to the Lotus Domino Tool Suite

Getting Started with Designer

Navigating the Domino Designer Workspace

Domino Design Elements

An Introduction to Formula Language

An Introduction to LotusScript

Fundamentals of a Notes Application

Calendar Applications

Collaborative Applications

Reference Library Applications

Workflow Applications

Web Applications

Design Enhancements Using LotusScript

Design Enhancements Using Formula Language

View Enhancements

Sample Agents

Miscellaneous Enhancements and Tips for Domino Databases

Data Management

Security

Application Deployment and Maintenance

Troubleshooting

Appendix A. Online Project Files and Sample Applications

Appendix B. IBM® Lotus® Notes® and Domino®Whats Next?



Lotus Notes Developer's Toolbox(c) Tips for Rapid and Successful Deployment
Lotus Notes Developers Toolbox: Tips for Rapid and Successful Deployment
ISBN: 0132214482
EAN: 2147483647
Year: N/A
Pages: 293
Authors: Mark Elliott

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