Thank you for the feedback, but still no luck.
datawindowchild idwc_reason
...
L1 = dw_1.GetChild("reason", idwc_reason)
L1 = idwc_reason.SetTransObject(i_tr_sql)
// these commands returned 1
//then these statements
// change dddw that filters out system codes for CSR/Award staff
IF (g_str_user.s_role_name = 'STAFF') then
s1 = dw_1.Modify("reason.DDDW.Name = 'd_adm_commlog_reason_csr'")
L1 = dw_1.GetChild("reason", idwc_reason)
L1 = idwc_reason.SetTransObject(i_tr_sql)
END IF
//s1 returned empty string, L1 retuned -1
and the line
idwc_reason.dataobject = 'd_adm_commlog_reason_csr'
returns the error "Incompatible property dataobject for type datawindowchild'