How to delete a record in a connected database?

Question

We are encountering a problem using the delete function for removing a record in a connected database table. The database is an excel-file and we are able to add a new record, update existing records but not delete records. We are using the following script in FormCalc since I read that the function does not work in JavaScript:
$sourceSet.DataConnection.delete()
The error message returned is:
"Deleting data in a linked table is not supported by this ISAM."
We are also curious to know how we can reload the connection so that for example a drop-down list containing values from each record in the table is updated automatically when we insert a new record.
Thanks!
Annika

Answer 1

You also asked:<br /><br /><font color="grey"><i>We are also curious to know how we can reload the connection so that for example a drop-down list containing values from each record in the table is updated automatically when we insert a new record.</i></font><br /><br />You should be able to achieve this quite easily using the Data Drop Down List from the Library palette's Custom tab. This object has a pre-defined Initialize script which populates the list with items from a data connection you specify.<br /><br />While the object is pre-configured to load items from the data connection only upon initialization (which only occurs when the form is loaded and after a data merge), you could move the script into a Script Object function and call it whenever you insert a new record (just after the statement which inserts the record).<br /><br />This is the script from the Initialize event of the Data Drop Down list put into a Script Object function called LoadDropDownList which takes the drop down list to populate using the data connection as a parameter:<br /><pre>function LoadDropDownList(oDropDownList)<br />{<br />     /*     This dropdown list object will populate two columns with data from a data connection.<br />     <br />          sDataConnectionName - name of the data connection to get the data from.  Note the data connection will appear in the Data View.<br />          sColHiddenValue      - this is the hidden value column of the dropdown.  Specify the table column name used for populating.<br />          sColDisplayText          - this is the display text column of the dropdown.  Specify the table column name used for populating.<br />     <br />          These variables must be assigned for this script to run correctly.  Replace <value> with the correct value.<br />     */     <br />     <br />     var sDataConnectionName = "&lt;value&gt;"; //     example - var sDataConnectionName = "MyDataConnection";<br />     var sColHiddenValue = "&lt;value&gt;"; //     example - var sColHiddenValue = "MyIndexValue";<br />     var sColDisplayText = "&lt;value&gt;"; //     example - var sColDisplayText = "MyDescription"<br />     <br />     //     Search for sourceSet node which matchs the DataConnection name<br />     var nIndex = 0;<br />     while(xfa.sourceSet.nodes.item(nIndex).name != sDataConnectionName)<br />     {<br />          nIndex++;<br />     }<br />     <br />     var oDB = xfa.sourceSet.nodes.item(nIndex);<br />     oDB.open();<br />     oDB.first();<br />     <br />     //     Search node with the class name "command"<br />     var nDBIndex = 0;<br />     while(oDB.nodes.item(nDBIndex).className != "command")<br />     {<br />          nDBIndex++;<br />     }<br />     <br />     //     Backup the original settings before assigning BOF and EOF to stay<br />     var sBOFBackup = oDB.nodes.item(nDBIndex).query.recordSet.getAttribute("bofAction");<br />     var sEOFBackup = oDB.nodes.item(nDBIndex).query.recordSet.getAttribute("eofAction");<br />     <br />     oDB.nodes.item(nDBIndex).query.recordSet.setAttribute("stayBOF", "bofAction");<br />     oDB.nodes.item(nDBIndex).query.recordSet.setAttribute("stayEOF", "eofAction");<br />     <br />     //     Clear the list first so that we replace any existing items<br />     <b>oDropDownList</b>.clearItems();<br />     <br />     //     Search for the record node with the matching Data Connection name<br />     nIndex = 0;<br />     while(xfa.record.nodes.item(nIndex).name != sDataConnectionName)<br />     {<br />          nIndex++;<br />     }<br />     var oRecord = xfa.record.nodes.item(nIndex);<br />     <br />     //     Find the value node<br />     var oValueNode = null;<br />     var oTextNode = null;<br />     for(var nColIndex = 0; nColIndex < oRecord.nodes.length; nColIndex++)<br><br />     {<br><br />          if(oRecord.nodes.item(nColIndex).name == sColHiddenValue)<br><br />          {<br><br />               oValueNode = oRecord.nodes.item(nColIndex);<br><br />          }<br><br />          else if(oRecord.nodes.item(nColIndex).name == sColDisplayText)<br><br />          {<br><br />               oTextNode = oRecord.nodes.item(nColIndex);<br><br />          }<br><br />     }<br />     <br />     while(!oDB.isEOF())<br />     {<br />          <b>oDropDownList</b>.addItem(oTextNode.value, oValueNode.value);<br />               oDB.next();<br />     }<br />     <br />     //     Restore the original settings<br />     oDB.nodes.item(nDBIndex).query.recordSet.setAttribute(sBOFBackup, "bofAction");<br />     oDB.nodes.item(nDBIndex).query.recordSet.setAttribute(sEOFBackup, "eofAction");<br />     <br />     //     Close connection<br />     oDB.close();<br />}</pre><br />The required modifications to the original script are in bold.<br /><br />The easiest way to create the Script Object is to right-click on the top-level form object ("form1" by default) in the Hierarchy palette and select the <i>Insert Script Object</i> option. This will insert an un-named Script Object which you should then rename to something meaningful like, "ScriptObject". Once you've done this, you can call the function from any event on any object on your form with the following JavaScript:<br /><pre>ScriptObject.LoadDropDownList(&lt;SOM expression for drop down list&gt;);</pre><br />If you were calling this function on an "add record" button's Click event, the drop down list was named "DropDown" and both objects were in the same subform, you would do this:<br /><pre>ScriptObject.LoadDropDownList(DropDown);</pre><br />Stefan<br />Adobe Systems