Defining a property as Blank() with the correct type |eg. Blank screen.

[PeterCBell_au]

Within components there are times when the compiler fails to recognise a parameter type and errors default values.

For example, if I want to set the default value of a screen parameter to Blank(), how is that done.

Entering nothing or Blank() gives an error.

Even more difficult for a record since the app studio doesnt know what the variable type is... {v:1, scrn:Blank()} unless it is making some sort of deduction from later use of .scrn

It seems to me that variables and parameters are equivalent to the old VB6 variant type, with the type assigned by first use and other rules. Sometimes the assigning logic fails, particularly in components which can lack other context.

Should we be able to pass a type to Blank? eg. Blank(of Screen), Blank(of Date), Blank(of Number), Blank(of Text), ....

[JorisdG]

For regular scalar values, you should be able to use the constructor method and pass in Blank()... for example, Value(Blank()) or Text(Blank()).

That said, I'll look into why just Blank() doesn't work as a default value, because a type was defined for the property already anyway.

[PeterCBell_au]

Thanks Joris.

 I didnt know about the Value(Blank()), etc trick! Are dates a scalar?

 I assume you will be able to fix blank screens as a default in components when a parameter is defined as such.

 What about when defining a record/table default schema {a:1,scrn:....} in a component (in an app can usually use scrn:App.ActiveScreen to tell it the scrn property type).

While writing about types, is support for the document type (as returned by the PDF function) in components on the list.

[JorisdG]

Correct, dates are scalars.

Looks like support for screens was explicitly removed for function properties for now until we have data flow support. This is apparently also the cause of your crash in the other thread - your property type was screen, it was removed and now when it loads the property it crashes. I'll follow up there.

I'm not sure about document types but I can follow up on that.

[PeterCBell_au]

Thanks Joris

 So most of my problems creating reusable code using component libs appear to await data flow support.

 Do you have a rough time frame for that being released?