thanks poppy.  this programming stuff is really starting to strech my brain a little too far.  I have a rudimentary understanding of SBasic, but I haven't got a clue about macros.  What do you expect from a roofer in Detroit?  Do you know when 1.0.5 is being released?

Quote:

Here's an example of an actual shortcut's target field that I use:
C:\Sesame\Program\sesame.exe "Data\Price List.db" -macro "Data\Price List Menu.mac"

Note that the macro filename also contains the name of the application file. I did it this way because I have more than one application that uses a custom menu. (I don't close the Sesame command tree, but you could also include a startup switch to do that, if needed.)

The most helpful command button I created, is the one that automates the "Backup Application" function. One click and its done - no browsing through a list of filenames to find the correct backup file for the app I'm working with, and no popup warning message asking me to confirm - it just gets the job done.

Here is the programming for the "Backup" command button:

var success as Int
var MacroFile as string

success = @SelectTreeItem("Price List!Application Utilities!Backup Application")

if success = 1 then
      {
      MacroFile = @repllas(@fn, "\", "\Backup ")            // Insert "Backup "
      MacroFile = @repllas(MacroFile, ".db", "")            // Delete ".db"
      @macro(MacroFile + ".mac")
      }
 

I could have hardcoded the macro filename, but with this code, I can simply copy & paste it into other apps, without modification.

This code looks for a macro file in this format (assuming you are using the Sesame default directory structure):
C:\Sesame\Data\Backup [AppFileName].mac

Example:
C:\Sesame\Data\Backup Price List.mac

The macro is needed because the @SelectTreeItem function only opens the file selection window where you select or type a filename for the backup copy. The macro I recorded simply contains a mouse-click in the Filename text box (be sure to click so the cursor is at the end of the default "Data\" subdirectory), and then contains the keystrokes to type out the name of the backup copy, then mouse-clicks on Accept.

I don't think it's safe to just click on the filename in the list rather than typing it out. The list of files can (and is likely to) change, and I'm not sure whether Sesame records the name you click on, or if it just records where you clicked - better to be safe than sorry.

I just checked, and the next release will have a new funtion named @Application(), which can be used on the @SelectTreeItem line to return the name of the application as it appears at the top of the menu tree.

THEN the code can be completely portable without the need for modification.

@Exit will not exit out of Sesame - it only exits the FORM. You will need to use a macro to exit totally out of Sesame.

While recording a macro, Sesame will NOT exit if you select File/Exit, which is good, because this allows you to actually save a macro that WILL close Sesame during playback.

So, try something like this:

var success as Int

@Save

success = @SelectTreeItem("NewSesameApplication!Application Utilities!Backup Application")

if success = 1 then
 {
 @macro("D:\My Documents\Sesame\Data\Backup bpi.mac")
 @macro("D:\My Documents\Sesame\Data\ExitSesame.mac")
 }
 

The ExitSesame.mac simply needs to have:
1) Click on File
2) Click on Exit

Or you could just re-record your Backup bpi.mac macro with those 2 steps added on.

Edit:
BTW, this code assumes that the button containing it will be on your data form.

Well Carl after sometime trying to get this the way I want it I have come up with this:  I got the save, backup, exit button to work.  And then I decided I didn't want  the exit part.  So I took that out.  I still wanted to open my database to the add data form with a shortcut on the desktop.  So I recorded a macro to do that.  The database opens just fine with the macro.  Here's the problem.  When I open my database with the open macro the save/backup macro doesn't work.  If I take the open macro out, the save/backup works.  Here's what my shortcut target looks like:

C:\Sesame\Program\Sesame.exe "D:\My Documents\Sesame\Data\bpitest.db" -macro "d:\my documents\Sesame\Data\openbpi.mac

The code for the Save/Backup button is the same as above.

The Sesame program (sesame.exe) resides on the C:\ of my computer, the .db files are located on a drive image (D:\) for backup/safety purposes.  Could that affect the way these work together?

Any suggestions on why this is happening?  ??? ???

Ray,

When I go to save the new backup macro, I can't save it in the same directory.  I only have one database root directory to choose from:  C:\Sesame\Program

All my .db files and the open macro is saved on the drive image (D:\).  When I open Sesame with a macro I cannot choose to save the backup macro in D:\.

Thats why I resorted to recording them seperate of each other.  This also causes a problem with the path of the backup .db files.  I get the same problem.  Can't save to the D:\.

Suggestions  ??? ??? ???

That was it!!  Ray was right about recording the macro, and poppy was right with the open in command.  You all have been a great help to me with this. I appreciate it.