Question:
I am using a simple grid with names and numbers, and I have the fields set as required in the database. I would like to know how to trap the errors in a TDBGrid.

To give you some background:

I have defined/created a table using Database Desktop. I am trying to use the TDBGrid as an interface for the user to edit the table. The table contains a Date field, two Alpha fields and several Numeric fields. All of the fields are marked as “required.”

Since the fields are “required,” if I “clear” any of the grid’s cells and press the up or down arrow to select another record (I assume thegrid is sending a post event), I get the following error:

Project TEST.EXE raised exception class EdatabaseError with message ‘Field’ (whichever field is empty) must have a value. Process stopped. Use Step or Run to continue. [OK]

This is what I’m looking to trap. I assumed I would detect this in n errorhandler and set focus to the field that caused the error.

One additional piece of info: After the above error message, I can press the Run button and get the following dialog box:

Field ‘Player’ must have a value [OK]

Press OK, and you’re back at the record and cell you were editing.

I would like to trap the “EdatabaseError” error, display a similar dialogbox, and set focus back to the empty cell. It sounds simple; however, I have been unable to find any examples using a TDBGrid. All of the examples I have seen use a “TEdit” box, assign the value to the field and post to the table using a try .. except.

Is there a way to do what I am attempting? I would like to make it ageneral error handler by “typecasting” or any other means you cansuggest.

Answer:
First, look in the online help under TTable. Select the “Events”hyperlink, and look up the OnEditError event. This is where you should beable to trap the message. The OnEditError procedure is as follows:

procedure(DataSet: TDataSet; E: EDatabaseError; var Action: TDataAction) ofobject; 

When you do an event handler for this, it’ll look like so:

procedure Table1EditError(DataSet: TDataSet; E: EDatabaseError; var Action:TDataAction)beginend; 

What you’ll do in the method is get the message property value of theEDatabaseError exception:

procedure Table1EditError(DataSet: TDataSet; E: EDatabaseError; var Action:TDataAction)var  errMsg : String;begin  errMsg := E.Message;  {Find the sub-string that shows a required field error – usu.   “must have a value” works.}  if (Pos(‘must have a value’, errMsg) > 0) then    {Do whatever processing you want in response to this error}end; 

This should work. However, note that I’m doing this off the top of my head, socheck this stuff out well.