Transaction Tracker

Transaction Tracker

A transaction object that keeps track of the DataWindows and DataStores using it, so it can re-attach all of them with one call after a reconnect. PowerBuilder 2025, no PFC. Includes a demo and unit tests.

When a PowerBuilder transaction disconnects and connects again, every DataWindow and DataStore that used it has to call SetTransObject again. Transaction Tracker keeps a list of those objects so the transaction can do it for you: n_tracked_trans.of_Reconnect() disconnects, connects and re-attaches every registered object in one call.

What's included (src\tracker.pbl)

• n_tracked_trans: a transaction that keeps a list of registered objects. It has of_Register, of_Unregister, of_GetReferences, of_Count, of_Prune, of_Reattach, of_Reconnect, and of_Init to read connection settings from an INI file.
• u_tracked_dw and n_tracked_ds: a DataWindow control and a DataStore. Call of_SetTransObject(name, transaction) instead of SetTransObject; the object registers itself, moves off any previous transaction, and unregisters when it's destroyed.
• n_trans_ref: one entry in the list (name plus the DataWindow or DataStore).

Registration rules

• Names must be non-empty and unique within a transaction. A name already used by another object is rejected (NAMEINUSE, -2), as is an empty or null name (INVALIDARGUMENT, -1).
• Registering the same object again renames it.
• Objects are unregistered by reference, not by name, so removing one object never removes another's entry.
• Entries for objects destroyed without unregistering are dropped automatically.

The demo

The tracker application connects SQLCA (an n_tracked_trans) using tracker.ini and opens a window with:

• a list DataWindow and a detail DataWindow, each with a button to attach it to SQLCA and retrieve;
• buttons to create and destroy a list DataStore and a detail DataStore;
• a Reconnect SQLCA and re-attach button, which reconnects the transaction and reports how many objects were re-attached;
• a listbox showing each registered object's name, type (DataWindow or DataStore) and DataWindow object, so you can watch entries appear when objects attach and disappear when they're destroyed.

Requirements

• PowerBuilder 2025 (solution format: TransactionTracker.pbsln).
• For the demo: a database with a project table (project_id, name, project_leader, start_date, end_date). The demo was built against the PEAT demo database on SQL Server. Copy tracker.ini.example to tracker.ini next to the exe and fill in your connection.
• For the tests: PBUnit 2025, downloaded and extracted into tests\framework. No database is needed; the tests use the Microsoft Text Driver included with Windows. Run pwsh -File tests\run_tests.ps1, which builds the test project with PBAutoBuild and runs 12 tests.

License

MIT License. PBUnit 2025 is a separate project with its own license.