Controlling the total number of rows

Methods are provided to set and get the number of rows in a read-only or editable list of records.

Note: The DISPLAY ARRAY and INPUT ARRAY dialogs can use dynamic or static arrays. Static arrays are supported for backward compatibility, consider using dynamic arrays for new development.

Set the number of rows when using a static array

When using a static array in DISPLAY ARRAY or INPUT ARRAY, you must specify the actual number of rows with the SET_COUNT() built-in function or with the COUNT dialog attribute. Both of them are only taken into account when the interactive instruction starts.

DEFINE arr ARRAY[100] OF ...
... (fill the array with x rows)
CALL set_count(x)
DISPLAY ARRAY arr TO sa.*
   ...
END DISPLAY

When using multiple list subdialogs in a DIALOG block, the SET_COUNT() built-in function is unusable, as it defines the total number of rows for all lists. The only way to define the number of rows when using a static array in multiple dialogs is to use the COUNT attribute.

Consider using dynamic arrays instead of static arrays.

Set the number of rows when using a dynamic array

When using a dynamic array in DISPLAY ARRAY or INPUT ARRAY, the total number of rows is automatically defined by the array variable (array.getLength()).

DEFINE arr DYNAMIC ARRAY OF ...
... (fill the array with x rows)
DISPLAY ARRAY arr TO sa.*
   ...
END DISPLAY

However, special consideration has to be taken when using the paged mode of DISPLAY ARRAY. In this mode, the dynamic array only holds a page of the complete row set shown to the user: In paged mode, you must specify the total number of rows with the ui.Dialog.setArrayLength() method.

Get the number of rows in a list

To get the current number of rows in a DISPLAY ARRAY or INPUT ARRAY, use either the ui.Dialog.getArrayLength() or the ARR_COUNT() function.

The getArrayLength() method can be used inside or outside the context of the list dialog, as it takes the screen array as parameter to identify the list dialog. For example, when implementing a DIALOG block with two DISPLAY ARRAY subdialogs, you can query the number of rows of a list in the code block of another list controller:

DIALOG ...
   DISPLAY ARRAY arr1 TO sa1.*
      ON ACTION check
         IF DIALOG.getArrayLength("sa2")] > 1 THEN
            ...
         END IF
   END DISPLAY
   DISPLAY ARRAY arr2 TO sa2.*
   END DISPLAY
END DIALOG

The ARR_COUNT() function must be used in the context of the DISPLAY ARRAY or INPUT ARRAY dialog, or just after executing such dialog. For example, it can be used just after an INPUT ARRAY dialog, to get the number of rows left in the list:

INPUT ARRAY arr FROM sa.*
   ...
END INPUT
IF NOT int_flag THEN
   FOR i=1 TO arr_count()
     ...
   END FOR
END IF

The ARR_COUNT() function returns the number of rows for the last executed dialog, until a new list dialog is started.