Release 10.1A: OpenEdge Development:
Progress 4GL Reference

WIDGET-HANDLE function

Converts a string representation of a widget handle to a valid widget handle.

Syntax

WIDGET-HANDLE ( widget-handle-string )

Caution: Use this function only to convert a widget handle previously stored as a string value back to a valid widget handle. If you convert an arbitrary string to widget handle using this function and then reference the new widget handle, a system error will occur. The VALID-HANDLE function references a widget handle to validate the handle. If you use the VALID-HANDLE function to validate a widget handle generated from an arbitrary string value, a system error will occur. widget-handle-string

A string representation of a widget handle. Since widget handles are integer values, the string must contain only numeric characters.

Example

The following procedure creates a frame, stores the widget handle of the frame as a string value, deletes the frame, converts the string representation of the frame widget handle back to a widget handle, and then tests if the widget handle is valid:

r-widhd.p

DEFINE VARIABLE whand AS WIDGET-HANDLE. DEFINE VARIABLE chand AS CHARACTER. CREATE FRAME whand. chand = STRING(whand). DELETE WIDGET whand. whand = WIDGET-HANDLE(chand). MESSAGE VALID-HANDLE(whand) VIEW-AS ALERT-BOX INFORMATION BUTTONS OK.

The VALID-HANDLE function returns a FALSE value because the frame was deleted and the widget handle is no longer valid.

Notes

The WIDGET-HANDLE function can convert the string representation of procedure and system handles, as well as widget handles.
For SpeedScript, the only valid use is to convert the handle of a QUERY object that you create using the CREATE WIDGET statement.

See also

CREATE widget statement, DATE function, DECIMAL function, INTEGER function, STRING function, VALID-HANDLE function