Code not executing unless showmessage or showdialog preceds it!?

I know how to set breakpoints but I dont know how this will help - I'm sure its my stupidity.      

I can confirm that the following is true:


fillform(browser,'username',uname); // DOES NOT WORK
if not fillform(browser,'username',uname) then showmessage('it just posted'); // does work and doesnt make any sense in any way whatsoever

Please elaborate on how you suggest I continue.

If it helps: I can also showmodal a form that I have and it works. if i just SHOW it, it will not work.

twilight zone here we come

maybe you wanna show us your fillform code?

Here is the code for fillform

function tform1.FillForm(WebBrowser: TWebBrowser; FieldName: string; Value: string): Boolean;
var
  i, j: Integer;  
  FormItem: Variant;  
begin  
  Result := False;  
  //no form on document
  if WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.all.tags('FORM').Length = 0 then  
  begin
    Exit;
  end;
  //count forms on document  
  for I := 0 to WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.forms.Length - 1 do  
  begin  
    FormItem := WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.forms.Item(I);  
    for j := 0 to FormItem.Length - 1 do  
    begin
      try  
        //when the fieldname is found, try to fill out
        if FormItem.Item(j).Name = FieldName then
        begin  
          FormItem.Item(j).Value := Value;  
          Result := True;
        end;  
      except  
        Exit;  
      end;  
    end;  
  end;
end;

Not my code, and isnt affecting the situation.   I've now tried it both ways and it doesnt work

Any other suggestions?

Well can we start at the very beginning?

The procedure show red dots for the generated code in the Delphi IDE?

We can break on Result:=false?

Do we get a value for ...forms.length? (I'd assign this to a local Integer and break on the assignment).

What do we get for FormItem?

Again, try to compile with Optimisation turned OFF and see if your code executes correctly this time?

Bigrat,
the problem here is that the fillform code is not even executing.  if i put a logger.add('the fillform proc is working');exit; in the procedure it will not even be executed unless I do the insane showmessage.   I appreciate that this is impossible, but I'm suggesting that there might be some bizarre IDE error

Dragonslayer,
the FIRST thing I did was turn off the optimization, and it is still off.  


Is there something ABOUT showmessage that we can do, that doesnt interrupt or require user input so that I can get this app runnning in the mean time? I've tried a showmodal, then automatically dismissing it but that doesnt work well at all, and of course I realize its a complete bandaid.

Let's try to see whether fillform is indeed not called?

Instead of initialising your Result := False in fillform, try a Result := True; and see if you get anything in your log?

Done, and nothing in the log.  insanity prevails

Hmm... then I'm stumped~!

If the procedure is shown with red dots on the left then it is compiled and linked into the executable. Therefore one can place a breakpoint on the first statement in the procedure (usually the begin has a dot next to it).

If the break point is NOT invoked then the procedure is NOT being called. Therefore it is necessary to investigate the procedures from which the procedure is called.

So

1. How is the procedure defined (private or is it a message procedure, or virtual or what?)
2. from where and under what circumstances is it being called?

You'll need to post the code I'm afraid. If it is very large I'll accept an E-mail with all due confidentiality of course. It's in my profile.

I'm under an NDA for function right now.   I cant send the full code.    I have made a number of changes and can identify a few more symptoms at least:

function tform1.FillForm(WebBrowser: TWebBrowser; FieldName: string; Value: string): Boolean;
var
  i, j: Integer;  
  FormItem: Variant;
begin
logger.add('got inside fillform with '+ value+' '+fieldname );// always shown regardless of showmessage or not showing message**********
   result :=TRUE;
  //no form on document
  if WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.forms.Length = 0 then
  begin
  logger.add('exiting because there are no forms on the page');//never shown up in a log because the preceding if is never satisfied**********
    Exit;
  end;
 logger.add('about to count forms');
  //count forms on document  
  for I := 0 to WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.forms.Length - 1 do  
  begin
  logger.add('on iteration'+inttostr(I));// even though the form I am filling is item 1, this only ever iterates to 0 unless the showmessage is there**********
    FormItem := WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.forms.Item(I);  
    for j := 0 to FormItem.Length - 1 do
    begin
      try
        //when the fieldname is found, try to fill out
        if FormItem.Item(j).Name = FieldName then
        begin
        logger.add('*** about to set value of '+inttostr(j)+'item with '+value);// not executed unless the if / showmessage is there**********
          FormItem.Item(j).Value := Value;  
          Result := True;
        end;
      except  
        Exit;  
      end;  
    end;  
  end;
end;


Any ideas?    When I change the first Result to = TRUE, I have to change my IF to make the code execute. in other words:
if fillform(browser,'f_comments',comment)then showmessage('damn it');

whereas when I set it to FALSE by default I need to reverse this to:
if NOT fillform(browser,'f_comments',comment)then showmessage('crap');

Here is my declaration:
function FillForm(WebBrowser: TWebBrowser; FieldName: string; Value: string): Boolean;

thanks for helping guys!

perhaps an exception was thrown the first round thru, and the procedure exited?

Try instead:

try
  if FormItem.Item(j).Name = ...
except
  on E: Exception do
  begin
    logger.add('Exception occured due to: ' + E.message + ' ... exiting!');
    Exit;
  end;
end;

That way, you can see clearer the cause of the problem.



DragonSlayer.

I'M GOING INSANE

This is all physically impossible!

Please look below to see a bit of code that makes it ALL WORK
look for the ****************************
basically just showing what iteration I'm on within the form will make it work.   this just cant be possible!

function tform1.FillForm(WebBrowser: TWebBrowser; FieldName: string; Value: string): Boolean;
var
  i, j: Integer;  
  FormItem: Variant;
begin
logger.add('got inside fillform with '+ value+' '+fieldname );
   result :=TRUE;
  //no form on document
  if WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.forms.Length = 0 then
  begin
  logger.add('exiting because there are no forms on the page');
    Exit;
  end;
 logger.add('about to count forms');
  //count forms on document  
  for I := 0 to WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.forms.Length - 1 do  
  begin
  logger.add('on iteration'+inttostr(I));
    FormItem := WebBrowser.OleObject.Document.forms.Item(I);  
    for j := 0 to FormItem.Length - 1 do
    begin
showmessage(inttostr(j));// THIS MAKES IT WORK. it shows messages for 1,2,3 then it WORKS.**********************************************
      try
        //when the fieldname is found, try to fill out
        if FormItem.Item(j).Name = FieldName then
        begin
        logger.add('*** about to set value of '+inttostr(j)+'item with '+value);
          FormItem.Item(j).Value := Value;  
          Result := True;
        end;
      except  
        Exit;  
      end;  
    end;  
  end;
end;

as in the previous posting (from another Q), just create some useless calculation that forces j to be reevaluated/used and see if it works? (remember to turn Optimisation off)

var
  s: Integer;
...
  for j := 0 to FormItem.Length - 1 do
  begin
    s := j + 1;



DragonSlayer.

I'm getting to the point where I'll just deal with the messages if I have to.   is there a way to programatically check for the existance of a showmessage box and dismiss it?

cross post there.   I added your code again to no avail.   no change

I have just compiled this in delphi 7 (I've been using 2005) and its just as bad there.   identical

to clarify my insanity:

this does NOT fill the form:
if not fillform(browser,'f_comments',comment) then form1.Caption :='NOT WORKING';

this DOES fill the form:
if not fillform(browser,'f_comments',comment) then showmessage('NOT WORKING');

Does anyone have ANY reasonable explaination for this?

I have nothing more to add to this >_<

A shame.  thanks for your attempt regardless.  I think it might be gremlins.

I have taken a change in course.   here is my answer

http://thecoadletter.com/article/0,1410,26531,00.html

I am using that.  

I do need one thing.  I need the value of a hidden field in one of my previously loaded pages in order to post directly to it. the field is called "sect"   Anyone that can give me a nice function that will grab the value of this hidden field gets my points.  I hope everyone hasnt left alread.

>>Does anyone have ANY reasonable explaination for this?

Yes, the ShowMessage stops the GUI thread allowing fields to be displayed. The other method simply sets a field which then may ort may not be displayed since it *might* be overwritten later.

What you have not done here is to tell us HOW you establish that something doesn't work.

As far as extracting the hidden field value, I see no other alternative than the way you have done it so far - namely navigating through the document. So getting this to work will solve all problems.

Bigrat,
Can you think of any other way of stopping the GUI thread?   perhaps I can do it right before my code.  i'm not a great programmer obviously and I dont fully understand what you're getting at

What I am getting at is that if you are looking at the screen to establish whether an action has been performed and do not see its results, it does not mean that the action has not been performed. It may have been performed and the screen may have been subsequently overwritten. A similar situation can occur with log files. Namely one operns the file, writes something into it and closes it. I cannot remember how often I do this and find nothing in the file since it was reopened elsewhere and emptied!

The point about the ShowMessage is that it stops the program there and then allowing you to look at the screen or log or whatever. You see the action complete, but removing it shows otherwise. Naturally it may be possible that you have found a bug - that is notz totally excluded - but it is unlikely if code has been produced and if the breakpoint occurs. I listed some points eariler to which you have not responded. One must eleiminate all that is possible before one goes on to investigate the less likely.

Bigrat,
In executing your above recommendations in testing I have verified that the code inside only actually completes execution to the required point when my if-Not code is implemented.   the log does not show anything, the form is not posting, nothing is working unless I do it like that.   I've given up.   I will grant points to anyone who posts my own code solution code back at me.