Managing Designer Libraries

The suggested method of using forms in Designer libraries is to do the following:

• nOpen a library with dl_open().
  
  
• nRead any number of forms or windows in with dl_fmget(), dl_wnget(), and/or dl_mnget(). By default, dl_fmget(), dl_wnget(), and dl_mnget() lock the library before reading the form, then read the form or forms from the library, and then unlock the library.
  
  
• nClose the library with dl_close() before exiting the program.

However, this method should be weighed against the possibility of destroying the integrity of the Designer library during the time that the library is open and during the time that the library is unlocked.

Methods are available to protect the integrity of a Designer library, including the following: automatic library locking by dl_fmget(), dl_wnget(), and dl_mnget(), manually locking and unlocking the library, and making the library READONLY.

In addition, you should consider what happens during the development stages. While the library is locked by the application, no other user can get forms from this library to edit with the Designer.

This chapter discusses the methods you can use to maintain the integrity of your Designer libraries, both during the development of your application and after its release, while maximizing your application's performance.

More:

Handling Library Locking

Opening/Closing and Locking/Unlocking Methods