BUFFER-COMPARE() method returns false when using pairs lists and the fields are equivalent

When using the BUFFER-COMPARE() method and the pairs-list option the method is returning a mismatch even when the fields specified in the pairs list are equivalent.

Jun 20, 2013
Knowledge

Title

URL Name

000041321

Article Number

000162548

Environment

Product: OpenEdge Version: All supported versions OS: All supported platforms Other: N/A

Question/Problem Description

When using the BUFFER-COMPARE() method and the pairs-list option the method is returning a mismatch even when the fields specified in the pairs list are equivalent.

Steps to Reproduce

Clarifying Information

The BUFFER-COMPARE() method in this procedure returns FALSE:

DEFINE VARIABLE cExceptList AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO.

DEFINE VARIABLE cPairsList AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO.

DEF TEMP-TABLE ttBlue NO-UNDO

FIELD Field1 AS CHAR

FIELD Field2 AS CHAR

INDEX tp Field1.

DEF TEMP-TABLE ttGreen NO-UNDO

FIELD Field1 AS CHAR

FIELD Field2 AS CHAR

INDEX tp Field1.

CREATE ttBlue.

ASSIGN ttBlue.Field1 = "1"

ttBlue.Field2 = "2".

CREATE ttGreen.

ASSIGN ttGreen.Field1 = "1"

ttGreen.Field2 = "3".

FIND FIRST ttBlue NO-ERROR.

FIND FIRST ttGreen NO-ERROR.

ASSIGN

cPairsList = "Field1,Field1".

MESSAGE

BUFFER ttBlue:HANDLE:BUFFER-COMPARE( BUFFER ttGreen:HANDLE,?, ?,cPairsList)

VIEW-AS ALERT-BOX.

Error Message

Defect Number

Enhancement Number

Cause

If the except-list option is not specified with the BUFFER-COMPARE() statement or the BUFFER-COMPARE() method, then all fields having the same name and data type will be compared.

In the above code snippet, Field2 is also compared because it has the same name and data type in both buffers. And since the Field2 value is not the same, the BUFFER-COMPARE() method returns FALSE as expected.

Resolution

There are three ways to limit the comparison to the pairs-list fields only:

1. Use the except-list option to list all the fields sharing the same name and data type that are to be excluded from comparison. For example, modify the above code snippet as follows to have the BUFFER-COMPARE() method return TRUE:

DEFINE VARIABLE cExceptList AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO.

DEFINE VARIABLE cPairsList AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO.

DEF TEMP-TABLE ttBlue NO-UNDO

FIELD Field1 AS CHAR

FIELD Field2 AS CHAR

INDEX tp Field1.

DEF TEMP-TABLE ttGreen NO-UNDO

FIELD Field1 AS CHAR

FIELD Field2 AS CHAR

INDEX tp Field1.

CREATE ttBlue.

ASSIGN ttBlue.Field1 = "1"

ttBlue.Field2 = "2".

CREATE ttGreen.

ASSIGN ttGreen.Field1 = "1"

ttGreen.Field2 = "3".

FIND FIRST ttBlue NO-ERROR.

FIND FIRST ttGreen NO-ERROR.

ASSIGN

cPairsList = "Field1,Field1"

cExceptList = "Field2".

MESSAGE

BUFFER ttBlue:HANDLE:BUFFER-COMPARE( BUFFER ttGreen:HANDLE,?,cExceptList,cPairsList)

VIEW-AS ALERT-BOX.

2. Add ALL the fields in the table to the exception list, and the fields you want to compare to the pairs list. For example, modify the above code snippet as follows to have the BUFFER-COMPARE() method return TRUE:

DEFINE VARIABLE cExceptList AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO.

DEFINE VARIABLE cPairsList AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO.

DEF TEMP-TABLE ttBlue NO-UNDO

FIELD Field1 AS CHAR

FIELD Field2 AS CHAR

INDEX tp Field1.

DEF TEMP-TABLE ttGreen NO-UNDO

FIELD Field1 AS CHAR

FIELD Field2 AS CHAR

INDEX tp Field1.

CREATE ttBlue.

ASSIGN ttBlue.Field1 = "1"

ttBlue.Field2 = "2".

CREATE ttGreen.

ASSIGN ttGreen.Field1 = "1"

ttGreen.Field2 = "3".

FIND FIRST ttBlue NO-ERROR.

FIND FIRST ttGreen NO-ERROR.

ASSIGN

cPairsList = "Field1,Field1"

cExceptList = "Field1,Field2".

MESSAGE

BUFFER ttBlue:HANDLE:BUFFER-COMPARE( BUFFER ttGreen:HANDLE,?,cExceptList,cPairsList)

VIEW-AS ALERT-BOX.

3. Ensure none of the fields outside the pairs-list share the same name and data type. For example, modify the above code snippet as follows to have the BUFFER-COMPARE() method return TRUE:

DEFINE VARIABLE cExceptList AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO.

DEFINE VARIABLE cPairsList AS CHARACTER NO-UNDO.

DEF TEMP-TABLE ttBlue NO-UNDO

FIELD BlueF1 AS CHAR

FIELD BlueF2 AS CHAR

INDEX tp BLueF1.

DEF TEMP-TABLE ttGreen NO-UNDO

FIELD GreenF1 AS CHAR

FIELD GreenF2 AS CHAR

INDEX tp GreenF1.

CREATE ttBlue.

ASSIGN BlueF1 = "1"

BlueF2 = "2".

CREATE ttGreen.

ASSIGN GreenF1 = "1"

GreenF2 = "3".

FIND FIRST ttBlue NO-ERROR.

FIND FIRST ttGreen NO-ERROR.

ASSIGN

cPairsList = "BlueF1,GreenF1".

MESSAGE BUFFER ttBlue:HANDLE:BUFFER-COMPARE( BUFFER ttGreen:HANDLE,?, ?,cPairsList) VIEW-AS ALERT-BOX.

Workaround

Notes

Keyword Phrase

Last Modified Date

6/20/2013 8:34 PM

BUFFER-COMPARE() method returns false when using pairs lists and the fields are equivalent

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BUFFER-COMPARE() method returns false when using pairs lists and the fields are equivalent

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