sa-application interface software expert version 5.0 designer guide

Copyright © 1997 by Software Artistry, Inc.

All rights reserved

Interface Designer Guide

SA-ApplicationSoftware ExpertVersion 5.0

All rights to this publication are reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, for any purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use without the written permission of Soft-ware Artistry, Inc.

SA-Application Software Expert and SA-Expert Advisor are trademarksof Software Artistry, Inc.

IBM, OS/2, DB2/2, and ECCO are registered trademarks of InternationalBusiness Machines Corp.

Microsoft , Windows, Windows NT, and Windows 95 are registeredtrademarks of Microsoft Corp.

Oracle, Oracle 7, SQL*DBA, SQL*Net, and SQL*Plus are trademarks ofOracle Corp.

SYBASE, Transact-SQL, and DB-Library are trademarks of Sybase, Inc.

Crystal Reports is a trademark of Crystal Technology, Inc.

Any other products mentioned in this document are trademarks of their re-spective companies.

Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7Purpose of This Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Audience Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Overview of the Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Document Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10The SA-ASE 5.0 Documentation Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Resource Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Starting and Quitting the Interface Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16OK and Apply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Customizing the Interface Designer with Preferences . . . . . . . . . 18

Chapter 2 Designing Forms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Opening Resource Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Working with Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Chapter 3 Designing Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Overview to Control Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Common Control Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Specific Control Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Working with Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Chapter 4 Designing Notebooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Notebook Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Table of Contents

Using Notebook Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Creating Notebook Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63Working with Notebook Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Chapter 5 Building Additional Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Pattern Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70Formatting Text Boxes with Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72Creating Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75Creating and Working with Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Creating Hypertext Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85Creating Online Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Chapter 6 Using Forms in SA-Script Programs . . . . . . . . . .91Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Form Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92Parsing Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Appendix Geometry Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96Dialog Coordinates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .105

No one who writes documentation for software does so alone. It is impossible to produce good documentation without the knowledge and help of the people who create the software and understand its function for the end user.

The following people deserve much credit in the development of the SA-ASE 5.0 Interface Designer Guide.

The development team

The members of the development team for this project were:

• Dave Marquam

• Carl Sampson

• Sean Vyain

• Doug Wood

The editors The editors for this project were:

• Danna Cardwell

• Anne Block

Acknowledgements

6 SA-Application Software Expert 5.0

This chapter covers the following topics:

•Purpose of This Book

•Audience Considerations

•Overview of the Contents

•Document Conventions

•The SA-ASE 5.0 Documentation Set

About This Guide


Purpose of This Book

What this book contains

The SA-ASE 5.0 Interface Designer Guide is a reference book that describes the Interface Designer. This new tool can be used to create forms, menus, toolbars, patterns, and string tables for SA-Script GUI applications.

What you will be able to do

This book serves as a reference guide when you:

•Create forms, menus, toolbars, and string tables for GUI applications

•Create notebooks

•Test forms and their controls

•Use forms in an SA-Script program

Audience Considerations

Who should read this book

This book is intended for users who configure and customize SA-Script applications at your site.

What you should know before beginning

Before you use this book, you should be familiar with:

• The SA-ASE development tools

• Customization practices at your site, and how your function relates to the customization process

• Operating systems used at your site

Overview of the Contents

Interface Designer Guide 9

Overview of the Contents

What is in this book

The SA-ASE 5.0 Interface Designer Guide contains the following chapters. Primary chapter topics are noted as well.

•Chapter 1, “Introduction,” discusses the basic features of the Interface Designer.

•Chapter 2, “Designing Forms,” discusses resource files, forms, and how to create basic forms.

•Chapter 3, “Designing Controls,” discusses the addition of controls to a form and how to set control properties.

•Chapter 4, “Creating Notebooks,” discusses how to build a notebook in the Interface Designer.

•Chapter 5, “Building Additional Features,” discusses how to format text boxes with patterns, how to design menus and toolbars, how to use string editors, and how to create hypertext controls.

•Chapter 6, “Using Forms in an SA-Script Program,” discusses how forms are called by a SA-Script program.

•Appendix, “Geometry Management,” discusses the sizing relationship of controls to forms and how to manage them.

How to use this book

This book is intended as a reference to assist you in using the Interface Designer. You can refer to any part of the book without reading preceding chapters.


Document Conventions

Introduction There are several conventions used throughout this book to identify different text use or to point out particularly important information.

Instructions for Windows, OS/2, and UNIX users

This book contains only one set of instructions for the Windows, OS/2, and UNIX operating systems. Procedures should be the same for all operating systems. Graphics for this guide were created in the Windows 95 operating system.

Procedure methods

There is often more than one way to accomplish a task using the Interface Designer. Instructions appear in one of the following methods:

•Menu

•Pop-up menu

•Double-clicking an object

Text use • Italic text is used in procedures to indicate text that you must substitute in the course of a procedure.

Type the file name: SAIDEV

Note: UNIX file names do not necessarily have extensions.

• Italic text is also used for new terms.

client/server architecture

• Bold text is used for variable and data source names when they appear in text references.

SQLFetch

Document Conventions


• Bold text also denotes text that you must type, either at a command prompt or in a text box.

Type login

• Monospace fonts are used for code examples.

Function Add Data : INTEGER IS

Icons used in this book

Icons appear occasionally as a means of emphasizing a particularly important point.

Always read notes. Notes are important points that you should understand. They offer important information, and they explain special circumstances. The following is an example of a note.

Note: This is an example of a note.

Cautions occur when user actions might adversely affect data integrity.

Caution: This is an example of a caution.

Product names

Software Artistry products are referred to by the following names throughout the documentation set:

Product Name Referred to as

SA-EXPERTISETM for CRM EXPERTISE

SA-EXPERTISETM for ESM EXPERTISE

SA-Application Software Expert

ASE

SA-Expert Administrator Expert Administrator

SA-Expert Advisor Expert Advisor

SA-Expert Evolution Expert Evolution


The SA-ASE 5.0 Documentation Set

Other books in the set

The following books, in addition to the SA-ASE 5.0 Interface Designer Guide, comprise the total SA-ASE documentation set:

• SA-ASE 5.0 Tools and Utilities Guide - A book that describes the SA-ASE Integrated Development Environment and the various tools contained in it. The book provides detailed information and procedures to help you learn to use the tools in your environment.

• SA-ASE 5.0 SA-Script Language Reference - A book that provides command references for SA-Script and for the APIs used with SA-Script. The command references include syntax, return codes, and system constants.

• SA-ASE 5.0 SA-Script Programming Guide - A book that provides information about SA-ASE and the SA-Script programming language.

• SA-ASE 5.0 Legacy APIs Guide - A book that contains information about the EHLLAPI and CPIC APIs in SA-ASE.

• SA-ASE 5.0 SA-Script Text Retrieval Guide - A reference book that explains the use of the Fulcrum SearchServer text retrieval engine.

• SA-ASE 5.0 Tutorials - A book that contains tutorial exercises for the primary functions found in SA-ASE.

SA-Expert Foundation Manager

Expert Foundation Manager

SA-Expert Mail Agent Expert Mail Agent

SA-Expert Quality Expert Quality

SA-Expert Support Expert Support

SA-ExpertView ExpertView

SA-Expert Web Expert Web

Product Name Referred to as


•Overview

•Forms

•Starting and Quitting the Interface Designer

•Customizing the Interface Designer with Preferences

1Introduction

Introduction


1

Overview

What is the Interface Designer?

The Interface Designer is the tool used to create forms, menus, toolbars, and string tables for SA-Script GUI applications that you build.

Terminology conventions

The following terms are used frequently in this book:

•form - forms are created in the course of application development. Forms are used to create both dialog boxes and windows.

•resource file - a resource file is the file that you create within the Interface Designer when you create forms. Each resource file can contain multiple forms.

•dialog box - in this book, a dialog box refers to a part of the Interface Designer. Any dialog box that is part of the Interface Designer is referred to by its full name, followed by the words “dialog box,” such as, “the Preferences dialog box.”

•notebook - a notebook is a form that categorizes or organizes other forms. Forms contained in a notebook are considered subforms; the notebook is the top-level form. (A notebook is similar to a directory, subforms are similar to subdirectories.)

Forms

Introduction Forms provide an integral component to any GUI application. Forms present information to, and receive information from, end users.

Resource Files


Description of forms

Forms are special windows that can contain numerous types of controls. Controls are objects on a form that can be manipulated by the end user. Examples of controls include option buttons, text boxes, and check boxes.

Process used to build forms

The process of building a form involves the following steps.

1. Creating or opening a resource file.

2. Adding a new form to the resource file.

3. Customizing the form properties, size, and position.

4. Adding controls to the form.

5. Customizing the control properties, size, and position.

6. Saving the control properties, size, and position.

7. Saving the resource file (the file parses automatically when saved).

8. Testing the forms in the resource file.

Resource Files

Introduction Resource files (also known as .df files) are the physical text files created when you create definitions for forms. With the Interface Designer, you can open the resource file first, then access any form associated with the file.

Introduction


1

Starting and Quitting the Interface Designer

Starting the Interface Designer

There are several ways to launch the Interface Designer depending on your operating system. The following are GUI procedures for Windows, OS/2, or X Motif for UNIX. You can also start the I-Designer from the command prompt of any supported operating system mentioned.

To start the Interface Designer:

If you are using... then...

Windows 95or NT 4.0

• From the Start menu, point to Program, point to SA-ASE, and then choose SA-Interface Designer.

Result: The Interface Designer window appears.

Windows NT 3.5.1 • In the SA-Application Software Expert folder, choose the Interface Designer icon.


OS/2 • In the SA-Application Software Expert folder, choose the Interface Designer icon.


X-Motif on UNIX 1. Make sure that the directory and path point to the location for Soft-ware Artistry products.

2. At the command prompt, type i-design.

3. Press ENTER.

Result: The Interface Designer appears.

OK and Apply


Quitting the Interface Designer

To quit the Interface Designer:

1. From the File menu, choose Exit.

Result: A prompt appears for you to confirm unsaved changes.

2. Choose OK to save your changes.

Result: The Interface Designer closes.

OK and Apply

Overview In nearly every dialog box in the Interface Designer you can implement your changes with the OK or Apply buttons.

Either button implements your changes immediately. The difference is that the OK button implements your changes while closing the dialog box where you made the changes. The Apply button implements your changes while keeping open the dialog box where you made the changes.

When should apply be used?

Use Apply when you want to preview your changes without closing the dialog box. For example, if you want to try several different preference colors for your controls, using the Apply button saves you from having to choose preferences from the options menu after each color selection.

Introduction


1

Customizing the Interface Designer with Preferences

Introduction You can customize the Interface Designer’s environment using preferences. Preferences affect the function and appearance of the Interface Designer, as well as the appearance of controls on forms you create.

Setting general preferences

To set general preferences:

1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences.

Result: The Preferences dialog box appears and displays the General tab.

2. To align controls to the nearest grid coordinate, select the Snap To Grid check box. Otherwise, continue with step 3.

3. To automatically display the Properties dialog box when you create a new form or control, select the Auto Property Sheets check box. Otherwise, continue with step 4.

4. To draw or create multiple controls simultaneously, select the Draw Multiple Controls check box. Otherwise, continue with step 5.

5. To initially display the control palette in its own window, select the Detached Control Palette check box. Otherwise, continue with step 6.

6. To display the Menus tab in the SA-ASE Interface Designer window, select the Show Menu Page check box. Otherwise, continue with step 7.

Customizing the Interface Designer with Preferences


7. To display the Toolbars tab in the SA-ASE Interface Designer window, select the Show Toolbar Page check box. Otherwise, continue with step 8.

8. In the Editor box, type the name of the text editor you want to use to correct .df file parse errors.

9. In the Grid Spacing box, type your preferred point size for your form grid lines.

10. Choose Apply or OK.

Setting colors preferences

Colors preferences are used to set the background and foreground colors of forms as well as selected and active controls as you use the Interface Designer. (This does not affect the color of a form when your interface is integrated with an SA-Script application.)

To set colors preferences:

1. From the Options menu, choose Preferences.

Result: The Preferences dialog box appears.

2. Choose the Colors tab.

Result: The Colors tab appears.

3. From the Canvas Background list box, select the back-ground color of the form.

4. From the Canvas Foreground list box, select the grid point colors in the canvas foreground.

5. From the Selected Control list box, select the border color for a selected control.

Introduction


1

6. From the Active Control list box, select the border color for the active control.

Note: The Selected Control and Active Control settings are used when you align and size controls. The selected controls align or are sized according to the position or size of the active control. This is explained in detail in the chapter “Designing Controls.”


Saving preference selections

You must save your preference selections if you want them to remain in your next session of the Interface Designer.

To save your preference selections:

•From the Options menu, choose Save Preferences.

Result: The Preferences are saved.


•Overview

•Opening Resource Files

•Working with Forms

2Designing Forms

Designing Forms


2

Overview

Introduction This chapter introduces the basic information you need to use the Interface Designer. The chapter also describes the procedures you follow to create basic forms.

The complexity of the forms you build depends on your environment and the applications you develop at your site. For more information about using controls, enhancing form designs, and creating notebooks, please consult the chapters that follow this one.

Opening Resource Files

Opening a new resource file

Starting the Interface Designer automatically creates a new resource file. You can create another resource file by using the following procedure. (Only one resource file can be open at a time.)

To open another resource file:

•From the File menu, choose New.

Result: A new resource file opens.

Note: Only one resource file can be open at a time.

Resource files can also be accessed from the command prompts of any operating system by typing:

i-design myfile (where myfile is the name of the resource file)

The .df extension is automatically added to the file name.

Opening Resource Files


Opening an existing resource file

To open an existing resource file:

1. Open the Interface Designer.

2. From the File menu, choose Open.

Result: A file selection dialog box appears.

3. Select the resource file you want to open.

Result: The resource file opens. The Forms tab is active and shows a list of the forms that belong to the resource file.

Designing Forms


2

Working with Forms

Creating a new form

To create a form:


2. On the Forms tab, choose New Form.

Result: A new form appears.

Note: Every form you create appears in the Form ID column with a default name in the format, NEW_FORM1. Notebook form names follow the format, NEW_NOTEBOOK1.

Opening an existing form

To open an existing form:




3. Select the resource file and choose OK.

Result: The resource file opens. The Forms tab is active, and shows a list of the forms that belong to the resource file.

4. Double-click the name of the form you want to use.

Result: The form appears.

Note: To open multiple forms at once, use the SHIFT key while selecting the forms and choose Update.

Closing a form To close a form:

1. Right-click the form.

Result: The pop-up menu appears.

2. From the Form menu, choose Close.

Result: A prompt appears for you to save any changes to the form.

Working with Forms


3. Save your changes or close without saving.

Result: The form closes.

Deleting a form

You cannot delete a form that is used as a subform in a notebook.

To delete a form:

1. On the Forms tab, select the form you want to delete in the Form ID column.

2. From the Edit menu, choose Cut.

Result: The selected form is deleted from the Form ID col-umn. If you decide that you don’t want the form deleted, you can choose Paste to return it to the Forms tab.

Testing a form Testing forms is an easy way to preview the appearance of controls. Besides typing in text boxes or selecting items from a list you can also review the following:

• Tab order

• Control position and size

• Default selections in controls

• Selections in lists and combo boxes

• Display masks for text boxes with patterns

• Appearance of images and icons

• Property settings for controls and forms

• Hypertext links to controls

Though you can test a form any time, it is more valuable to test forms that have controls, otherwise you will see an empty form.

To test a form:




Designing Forms


2

3. Select the resource file and choose OK.

Result: The resource file opens. The Forms tab is active, and shows a list of the forms that belong to the resource file in the Form ID column.

4. From the Form ID column, double-click the name of the form you want to test.

Result: The form appears.

5. Choose Test.

Result: A test form appears.

6. To close the test form, click the close menu.

Form properties

For each form, you can set properties that determine how the form looks and behaves. Properties are set for each form, and do not have to be identical with other forms in the same file.

The figure shows the Forms Properties dialog box, with the Base tab as the default.

From the Base tab you can set the following properties:

•Form Name - a meaningful form name which appears on the Form ID column and is used by SA-Script to load the form

•Position and Size - the coordinates that are used for geometry management in a form

Working with Forms


Note: Position and size coordinates only apply to forms, not subforms. They do not apply to subforms in notebooks.

•Description - a description of the form that you want to appear in the form list

The figure shows the Help property tab:

From the Help tab, you can set properties for:

•Help Text - path to a help file from another source or help information that you type in the Help text box (only one method can be used). Form help displays in the ASE Hypertext Viewer.

For more information on adding help to your application, see the chapter, “Building Additional Features.”

Designing Forms


2

This figure shows the Form properties tab:

From the Form tab, you can set properties for:

•Title - the text of the title that appears on the dialog box form title bar. If you choose to have a title, the Title check box should also be selected.

•Icon file - an icon file for use with the form

•Styles - the styles that affect the appearance and behavior of the form. The styles are:

• Title - determines whether a title bar appears on the form

• Resize - determines whether the form can be resized

• Minimize Button - determines whether the form has a minimize button

• MinMax Button - determines whether the form has both a minimize and maximize button

• System Menu - determines whether the form has a system menu icon. If you select this, select the Title and MinMax buttons as well.

• Toolbar - determines whether space is allocated for a tool bar on the window

• Menu - determines whether space is allocated for a menu bar on the window. If a menu has the same file name as the form, the menu is automatically loaded when the form is loaded.

Working with Forms


• Task List - indicates that space is allocated for a task list showing active files or documents

• Start on Blank Field - determines whether the insertion point appears in the first empty text box as defined in the tab order, when the form opens

•Position - determines the initial form location on the desktop

•Synchronize Form Coords - allows you to set the initial form size and location across multiple platforms

•Synchronize Control Coords - allows you to set the control locations in a form across multiple platforms

The figure shows the Tab Order property tab:

From the Tab Order tab, you can set the sequence used to progress through form controls using the TAB key. Use the Move Up or Move Down buttons to set the tab order.

Designing Forms


2

Setting form properties

Note: If you set your preferences to show property sheets automatically when a new form or notebook is created you can skip steps 3 and 4.

To set form properties:

1. Open a resource file.

2. From the Form ID column on the Form tab, double-click the the form you want to use.

Result: The selected form appears.

3. Double-click or right-click anywhere in the form, except the title bar.

Result: A pop-up menu appears.

4. From the pop-up menu, choose Properties.

Result: The Form Properties property sheet appears.

5. Set the form properties.

6. When you are satisfied with the properties you selected for your form, choose Apply or OK.


•Overview

•Overview to Control Properties

•Common Control Properties

•Specific Control Properties

•Working with Controls

3Designing Controls

Designing Controls


3

Overview

Introduction The number of controls you can add to a form is limited only by the size of the form. You can resize a form to allow additional space for controls.

Caution: If you resize a form during development, you need to save it with that same size. Otherwise, the form will not appear correctly to end users.

The process of adding controls to a form is the same for any control that you add to the form.

Overview to Control Properties


Overview to Control Properties

Overview Each control has a property sheet with the following tabs:

•Base

•Help

•Control (where control is replaced with the actual name of the selected control)

The Base tab and Help tab properties are covered in the following sections.

Common Control Properties

Base tab properties

This section describes the Base tab properties that are common to all controls.

The figure shows the Base tab on the Control Properties dialog box:

From the Base tab, you can set properties for:

•Control ID - a meaningful control ID to make it easier for you to set the tab order

Designing Controls


3

•Attachments - attachments maintain the position of controls in a form when the form is resized. Attachments can either be fixed, where a control remains in a specific location on a form no matter what the size of the form, or percentage, where a control location moves in proportion to the size of the form. For more information on setting control attachments, see the appendix, “Geometry Management.”

•Size - coordinates used to adjust the height and width of the control

•Offsets - coordinates used with percentage attachments that set the amount of “buffer space” between the control and the form borders. For more information on setting offsets, see the appendix, “Geometry Management.”

•Hidden - sets the control as hidden or visible. Select this check box if you want to define certain controls with permissions. For example, you might want to select this field if you want certain fields visible only to managers or supervisors.

•Disable - sets the control as active or inactive

•Synchronize Coords - sets a fixed location for the control across multiple platforms

•Description - a definition of the function of the control

Specific Control Properties


Help tab properties

This sections describes the Help tab properties that are common to all controls.

The figure shows the Help tab:

From the Help tab, you can set properties for:

•Help Text - path to a help file from another source or help information that you type in the Help text box (only one method can be used). Control help displays in the ASE Hypertext Viewer.

For more information on adding help to your application, see the chapter, “Building Additional Features.”


Overview Each control has specific properties, in contrast to the properties common to all controls. This section describes the specific properties for each control.

Designing Controls


3

Button properties

This section describes the specific properties for a button control.

The figure shows the Button tab:

From the Button tab, you can set the following function and appearance properties for a button:

•Button Text - the text that appears on the button

•Image File - the path and file name that contains the image that appears on the button.

Note: If you specify an image to appear on the button, the button text you specify becomes a tooltip.

•Action - the action that the button should perform. The following are valid actions:

• Accept - accepts any values typed in the form

• Cancel - closes the dialog box with no changes implemented

• Help - displays the help topic for the form

• None - a button whose function is determined by the application. For example, you can associate any kind of function to this button since its purpose is open to you.

•Display Image - select this box to specify an image file.



•Default Button - determines whether the button is the selected one when the form is opened

Check box properties

This section describes the specific properties for a check box control.

The figure shows the Check Box tab:

From the Check Box tab, you can set the following label and appearance properties for a check box:

•Checkbox Label - the text that appears next to the check box

•Initial Value - determines whether the check box is initially selected or not. Choosing true selects the check box, while false leaves check box empty.

•Style - determines whether the selected check box is circular or square. Square is the default if box is unchecked.

Designing Controls


3

Clock properties

This section describes the specific properties for a clock control.

The figure shows the Clock tab:

From the Clock tab, you can set the following clock type and display style properties for a clock:

•Clock Type - determines whether the clock has conventional twelve-hour or military twenty-four hour display

•Border - determines the appearance of the border around the clock. The following are valid borders:

• Raised - determines whether the lines appear raised above the form

• Lowered - determines whether the lines appear lowered below the form

• Field Border - determines whether the lines appear static, not raised or lowered, bordering the clock

• None - no lines bordering the clock



Combo box properties

This section describes the specific properties for a combo box control.

This is a Combo Box tab:

From the Combo Box tab, you can set the following sort, box type, and content properties for a combo box:

•Sorting - determines the sort order of list items. The following are valid sort methods:

• Ascending - lists items starting with “A” at the beginning

• None - no sorting applied to the items

•Type - determines the type of a selection a user can make. The following are valid types:

•Default - where a user can select an item in the list box

•Read-Only - where a user can view items in the list box but cannot select

•Mandatory - determines whether the user must select a value from the combo box

•IME - determines whether the Input Method Editor (IME) is used to reflect local language characters instead of English

•Initial Contents - determines whether an initial value displayed in the combo box

•Starting ID - if you selected a default item to appear in the combo box, you must enter the ID in this field

•Input Length - the maximum number of characters users can type in the combo box

Designing Controls


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Entry field properties

This section describes the specific properties for an entry field control.

This is the Entry Field tab:

From the Entry Field tab, you can set the following function and pattern type properties for an entry field:

Note: Users can only type one line of text in an entry field. Use the Multi-Line Edit control for more lines.

•Initial Value - the default value. If you do not type a value, the entry field appears empty when the dialog box appears.

•Pattern Type - the following are valid, predefined pattern types, except for the Custom option where you would design your own. For more information on patterns, see the chapter “Building Additional Features.”

• None - no pattern type

• Integer - whole numbers only

• Real - real numbers only

• Time - time format, such as mm/dd/yyyy

• Date - date format, such as hh:mm:ss

• Password - a password format pattern

• Custom - a pattern that you design



Note: The Pattern and Maximum Length fields are active depending on the Pattern Type you select.

•Pattern - (only available for custom patterns) The pattern name.

•Maximum Length - The maximum amount of characters users can type.

•Read Only - determines whether the entry field is read only

•Mandatory - determines whether users must type a value in the entry field

•Caps Only - determines whether entries appear in all capital letters regardless of the case the user uses.

Group box properties

This section describes the specific properties for a group box control.

This is the Group Box tab:

From the Group Box tab, you can set the following title and style properties for a group box:

•Title - the name of the group box

•Style - determines how the title should be aligned

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Hypertext properties

This section describes the specific properties for a hypertext control.

This is the Hypertext tab:

From the Hypertext tab, you can set the following style and starting text properties for a hypertext control:

•Style - the formatting style in the hypertext box. The following are valid styles:

• No WordWrap - user must use hard carriage returns to manually wrap text to the next line

• No Format - automatic wordwrap

• None - no line format

•Starting Text - determines whether any initial text should appear in the hypertext control



Image properties

This section describes the specific properties for an image control.

This is the Image tab:

From the Image tab, you can set the following appearance properties for an image:

•Filename - the path of the file containing the image

•Border - determines the appearance of the border around the image. The following are valid borders:

• Raised - determines whether the lines appear raised above the form

• Lowered - determines whether the lines appear lowered below the form

• Field Border - determines whether the lines appear static, not raised or lowered, bordering the image

• None - no lines bordering the image

•Style - determines the appearance of the image in the form. The following are valid styles:

• Scroll Bars- so users can scroll to view the entire image

• Clip - crops the image to fit in the border

• Scale - scaled to a smaller size to fit in the border

Designing Controls


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List box properties

This section describes the specific properties for a list box control.

This is the List box tab:

From the List Box tab, you can set the following sort and content properties for a list box:

•Sorting - determines the sort order of list items. The following are valid sort methods:



•Horizontal Scroll - determines whether a horizontal scroll bar appears

•Mandatory - determines whether the user selects an item

•Initial Contents - the default list items. You should rename these otherwise the default names appear in the list box.

•Starting ID - this box is read-only and reflects the contents of the Initial Contents box



Multi-line edit box properties

This section describes the specific properties for an MLE control.

This is the MLE tab:

From the MLE tab, you can set the following function and appearance properties for an MLE:

•Horizontal Scroll - determines whether a horizontal scroll bar appears on the MLE

•Vertical Scroll - determines whether a vertical scroll bar appears on the MLE

•Caps Only - determines whether entries appear in all capital letters regardless of the case the user uses

•IME Local - determines whether the Input Method Editor (IME) is used to reflect local language characters instead of English

•No WordWrap - determines whether the user must use hard carriage returns to manually wrap text to the next line

•Read Only - determines whether the MLE should be read only

•Mandatory - determines whether users must type in the MLE

•Input Length - determines how many characters users can type in the MLE

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Option button group properties

This section describes the specific properties for an option button group control.

This is the Option Button tab:

From the Option Button tab, you can set the following label and appearance properties for an option button group:

•Option Button Group Title - the title of the group box that surrounds the option buttons

•Initial Selection - determines whether a button should be initially selected

•Button Labels - the default option button labels.You should rename these otherwise the default names appear in the option button group.

•Title Position - the alignment of the group box title

•Style - determines whether the option buttons have a vertical or horizontal orientation



Slider properties

This section describes the specific properties for a slider control.

This is the Slider tab:

From the Slider tab, you can set the following scale and label properties for a slider:

•Scale - the following are valid scale options:

• Number of Ticks - the number of scale marks

• Distance - the distance between each scale mark

•Orientation - determines whether the slider has a vertical or horizontal orientation

•Snap - determines whether the slide rule moves to the nearest scale mark

•Labels - titles of scale marks. The order the labels appear here determines their order in your application.

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Sub form properties

This section describes the specific properties for a subform control. You should use sub forms in the place of often used areas in forms. For example, if you have three buttons that appear as a group in several forms, instead of adding the three buttons to every form where they should appear, you can create one sub form control that contains the three buttons and refer to the subform control in each form. In other words, creating the buttons once for use in several forms.

Sub forms can also be used for grouping sections of a form to aid in geometry management. For more information, see the appendix “Geometry Management.”

This is the Sub Form tab:

From the Sub Form tab, you can set the following title, location, and style properties for a subform:

•Title - the title of the sub form that appears in the border

•Form - the location of the file containing the sub form

•Border - determines the appearance of the border around the sub form. The following are valid borders:

• Raised - determines whether the lines appear raised above the sub form

• Lowered - determines whether the lines appear lowered below the sub form

• Field Border - determines whether the lines appear static, not raised or lowered, bordering the sub form

• None - no lines bordering the sub form



Table properties

This section describes the three specific tabs for a table control: Table, Columns, and SQL.

This is the Table tab:

From the Table tab, you can set the following sort, scrolling, and selection properties for a table:

•Sorting - determines the sort order of table items. The following are valid sort methods:



•Horizontal Scroll Bars - determines whether a horizontal scroll bar appears on the MLE

•Multiple Selection - determines whether users can select more than one item at a time in the table

Danna:Sean Vyainsays he’ll have thesame sort options for everything. Obviously my screen shot willhave to be updatedwhen he changes it.

Designing Controls


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From the Columns tab, you can set the following column heading and size properties for your table.

This is the Columns tab:

From the Columns tab, you can set the following heading and column properties for a table:

•Name- name of the column in the database

•Heading - name of the column the user views on screen

•Width - how many characters, horizontally the column should contain



From the SQL tab, you can set the following record limit and SQL statement properties for your table.

This is the SQL tab:

From the SQL tab, you can set the following record limit and SQL statement properties for a table:

•Record Limit - the maximum amount of records your table should contain

•SQL Statement - any SQL statement, SA-Script or otherwise, can be typed in this box

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Text box properties

This section describes the specific properties for a text box control.

This is the Text tab:

From the Text Box tab, you can set the following label and alignment properties for a text box:

•Label Text - the title of the text box

•Horizontal Position - the horizontal alignment of the text inside the text box

Setting control properties

To set control properties:

1. Right-click the control you want to set properties for.

Result: The pop-up menu displays.

2. Choose Properties.

Result: The Control Properties sheet for the control appears.

Note: If you selected the Auto Property Sheets form preference, the Control properties sheet appears automatically when you create a new form or control.

3. Set the properties.


Working with Controls



Adding controls

To add a control:


2. Double-click the form you want to add a control to.

3. Click a control button on the control palette.

4. Click on the form where you want the control to appear and size the control with your mouse pointer.

Note: You can apply exact sizing to controls using the Base property tab.

Result: The control appears on the form with attachments. After you have added all the controls, then you need to con-figure the attachments.

Setting attachments

When you add a control it has two default attachments. Both attachments are fixed as the default, meaning that the control is in a set position on the form and will not move, regardless of how the form is resized. You can change attachments so a control moves proportionally when the form is resized by setting them as percentage attachments.

Attachments are set in the attachment editor, shown below the control palette. Fixed attachments are represented with solid lines, while percentage attachments are represented with dashed lines. For more information on attachments, see the appendix “Geometry Management.”

To set attachments:

1. Add a control to a form.

Result: The control appears on the form with two, fixed attachments. A likeness of the control also appears in the attachment editor.

2. To add a third attachment, click on a control side without any attachments.

Designing Controls


3

Result: A third, fixed attachment line appears.

3. To set a fixed attachment as a percentage attachment, click on a fixed attachment.

Result: The solid, fixed attachment line changes to a dashed, percentage attachment line.

Note: You can add attachment lines to all four control sides by pressing SHIFT as you add the control to the form.

Moving controls

Note: Before moving a control make sure no controls are selected on the control palette.

To move a control:

1. Click the control to move.

2. Drag the control to its new location.

Note: You can move multiple controls by pressing the SHIFT key and clicking each control to move and dragging them to their new location.



Copying controls

To copy a control:

1. Click the control to copy.

2. Right-click the control.


3. From the pop-up menu, choose Edit.

4. From the Edit menu, choose Copy.

5. From the Edit menu, choose Paste.

Result: The new control appears as the selected control on top of the original control.

6. Move the selected control to the desired location and dese-lect the control.

Resizing controls

To resize a control:

1. Select the control you want to resize.

2. Either resize the control with the mouse pointer or double-click the control to open the Control Properties property sheet. Sizing is complete if you use the mouse pointer.

3. Under Attachments, change the measurements.


Result: The control is resized.

Resizing controls to the active control

Besides sizing controls manually, you can use the pop-up menu to size them to the active control. The active control is the “standard,” or the control that defines alignment for other selected controls. The active control is identified with a different color than the selected controls.

To size a control:

1. Press the SHIFT key and click each control you want to size. Select the active control last.Result: Each selected control is highlighted. The active control appears in a different color.

2. Right-click the active control.


Designing Controls


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3. Point to Same Size and choose the appropriate sizing com-mands.

Result: The controls change size according to your selec-tion.

Aligning controls to the active control

To align controls:

1. Press the SHIFT key and click each control you want to align. Select the active control last.Result: Each selected control is highlighted. The active control appears in a different color.

2. Right-click the active control.


3. Point to Align and choose the appropriate alignment com-mands.

Result: The controls change alignment according to your selection.

Finding missing or obscured controls

As you add controls to a form you may find that the placement of some controls may obscure or completely hide other controls, especially when the form is resized smaller. You can find controls using the pop-up menu.

To find controls:

1. Right-click anywhere in the form except the title bar.


2. From the Edit menu, choose Find Controls.

Result: The Select a Control box appears.



3. Select any of the following check boxes to find the con-trol(s):

• All - displays all the controls in the list so you can select which ones to move

• Off form - displays only the controls in the list that do not appear in the current form size

• Zero Size - displays only the control(s) in the list that are so small they cannot be seen on the form

• Obscure - displays only the control(s) in the list that are obscured by another control

4. Choose Select to choose which controls to affect.

5. Choose one of the following:

• Raise - to bring to the front any controls obscured or hidden by another control

• Move - to move the hidden controls to the top-left corner of the form

Bringing a control to the front

As you add controls to a form you may find that the placement of some controls may obscure or completely hide other controls. You can bring smaller controls in the front of larger controls using the pop-up menu.

To bring controls to the front:

Designing Controls


3

Sending a control back

Use the Send to Back menu command only with the group box control. The group box is a visual device that encloses a set of related options or controls. The group box must appear behind the controls, otherwise it would hide them.

To send a group box control to the back:

1. Right-click the group box control.


2. Choose Send To Back.

Result: The group box appears behind the controls.

Note: You can also bring a partially hidden control to the front again by choosing “Bring to Front” from the pop-up menu.

Deleting controls

To delete a control:

1. Right-click the control to delete.


2. From the Edit menu, choose Delete.

Result: The control is deleted from the form.


•Overview

•Notebook Properties

•Using Notebook Properties

•Creating Notebook Tabs

•Working with Notebook Tabs

4Designing Notebooks

Designing Notebooks


4

Overview

Introduction Notebook forms are a useful means of organizing related forms in an application. In a notebook, each tab has a corresponding form in a resource file.

To create a notebook you must:

1. Create forms that will be the notebook tabs

2. Define the notebook and set its properties

3. Define the notebook tabs

4. Set the properties in the notebook tabs

The sections that follow give you the basic information for adding a notebook and setting its properties, defining the notebook tabs, and testing the notebook.

Note: Notebook properties override the properties of the forms they contain.

Adding a notebook

To add a notebook:


2. Open a resource file that has forms associated with it.

Result: The resource file opens. The Forms tab appears.

3. On the Forms tab, choose Add Notebook.

Result: A new notebook appears.

Notebook Properties


Notebook Properties

Notebook properties summary

Notebooks are similar to forms in that they, too, have properties that you can set to determine how the notebooks look and behave. You use the Pages tab to define forms as tabs in the notebook.

This figure shows the Pages tab of the Form Properties dialog box.

From the Pages tab, you can set properties for:

•Tab Position - indicates the physical location of a tab on a notebook page

Note: In Windows, tabs can only be located on the top.

•Tab text - indicates the tab text of the tab

•Form - indicates the name of the form contained within the .df file

You can also arrange the tabs. See the section “Rearranging notebook tabs” on page 64 for instructions.

Designing Notebooks


4

Using Notebook Properties

Setting notebook properties

Setting properties for a notebook is similar to setting properties for a form. You can set different properties for each notebook in a resource file.

Note: If you set your preferences to show property sheets automatically when a new form or notebook is created you can avoid steps 3 and 4.

To set properties for a notebook:


2. Do one of the following:

• If a notebook exists, double-click its file name in the Form ID column on the Forms tab.

• If you need to add a notebook, from the Forms tab, click Add Notebook.

3. Position the mouse pointer anywhere in the notebook, except the title bar, and right-click.



Result: The Form Properties properties sheet appears.

Creating Notebook Tabs


5. Set the properties for the notebook.

6. Choose OK.

Creating Notebook Tabs

Adding tabs to a notebook

You create notebook tabs from the forms in a resource file. Like forms, you can set different properties selected for each tab in a notebook.

To add a tab to a notebook:


2. Open a resource file that contains at least one form.








6. Choose the Pages tab.

Result: The Pages tab appears.

7. Under Form Name, select the name of the form that you want to include as a tab in the notebook.

8. In the Tab Text box, type the text that you want to see on the tab.

9. Under Tab Position, select the position where you want the tab to appear.

10. Choose Add.

Result: The tab text appears in the Tab Text group box with the form description.

11. Choose Apply.

Result: The notebook tab appears on the notebook form.

Designing Notebooks


4

12. Review the notebook pages.

13. Use the following table to decide your next action.

Working with Notebook Tabs

Rearranging notebook tabs

You can rearrange the tabs in the notebook form.

To rearrange notebook tabs:












7. Under Notebooks, select the tab you want to rearrange.

If... then...

the tab properties are not complete, or you want to make further additions or changes.

do so now.

the tab properties are complete.

choose OK.

Result: The tab appears on the notebook.



8. Choose Move Up or Move Down.

Result: The notebook page moves to the position you chose.

9. Choose Apply.

10. Review the appearance of the notebook form and the page positions.

11. Use the following table to decide your next action.

Editing notebook tabs

Editing notebook tabs involves editing the page properties, not the form associated with the tab.

To edit a notebook tab:











If... then...

the tab properties are not complete, or you want to make further additions or changes.

do so now.

the tab properties are complete.

choose OK.

Result: The tab appears on the notebook.

Designing Notebooks


4


7. Make changes to any of the properties on the Pages tab that need to be altered.

8. Choose Apply.

Result: The changes are applied to the notebook.


Result: All applied properties take effect on the notebook tabs.

Removing notebook tabs

You can delete every notebook tab without deleting the notebook, but every notebook must have at least one tab; otherwise an error message appears.

To remove notebook pages:












7. Under Notebooks, select the page you want to delete from the list.

8. Choose Delete.

Result: The notebook page is deleted from the list.


Result: The selected notebook tabs are deleted from the notebook.



Deleting notebooks

To delete a notebook:


2. Open the resource file that contains the notebook that you want to delete.

Result: The resource file opens with a list of forms and notebooks in the Form ID column on the Forms tab.

3. Select the notebook you want to delete.

4. Choose Delete.

Result: The notebook is deleted and removed from the list of forms.

Designing Notebooks


4


•Overview

•Pattern Components

•Formatting Text Boxes with Patterns

•Creating Menus

•Creating and Working with Toolbars

•Creating Hypertext Controls

•Creating Online Help

5Building Additional Features

Building Additional Features


5

Overview

Introduction Adding enhancements, such as menus, toolbars, patterns, and online help can make your application more useful. You must first set menu and toolbar styles before you can add these enhancements. Then, rename the menu and toolbar with the same name as the form and they will automatically “attach” to the form.

Pattern Components

What are patterns?

Patterns are templates for text boxes and are used to provide visual cues to users regarding the format of typed information. Patterns are specified as part of the control description in a resource file.

Pattern types There are six possible pattern types:

• Date and Time - provides locale-aware entry masks for typing dates and times

• Integer - provides entry masks for typing integers

• Real - provides entry masks for real values

• Password - replaces all typed characters with *

• User-defined - allows custom descriptions for typing text in text boxes

Pattern Components


Entry and display masks

Every pattern consists of an entry and display mask. Entry masks consist of blank and non-blank characters and do not appear to users, but restrict what can be typed. For example, you may want to restrict users to only typing numbers in a social security field, and only alphabetic characters for a name field. Both entry masks are defined using character flags.

Display masks are visual cues to users for what should be typed in a text box. For example, a display mask for a social security number looks like this:

nnn-nn-nnn

and a display mask for a phone number looks like this:

nnn-nnn-nnnn

unlike entry masks, display masks appear to users.

Character flags

Entry masks are composed of character flags and define what a user can type in a pattern. Character flags can be one of the following:

• Alpha = restricts entries in a text box to alphabetic characters only

• Numeric = restricts entries in a text box to numeric characters only

• Any = entries can be alpha-numeric and include symbols as well

Valid characters

Character flags can be customized using valid characters. For example, if you create a control where a driver’s license number is entered, and the number begins with a capital letter, you could select the numeric character flag and customize it with the “A,” valid character. This allows the user to enter the one uppercase alpha letter in the first position, while the rest of the field remains numeric.

The following are valid character types:

• a = upper or lowercase alpha

• l = lowercase alpha



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• A = uppercase alpha

• # = numeric

• V = valid character list

• 0 = alpha-numeric

• SPACE = no characters allowed (read-only to users)

Fill flags Fill flags consist of the following:

• Reverse - makes a pattern fill from right to left

• Fill all - makes a pattern invalid until a valid character is typed for every non-blank position in the entry mask

Formatting Text Boxes with Patterns

Creating patterns

The predefined patterns in the Interface Designer cover most any type of control you will add to a form. However, use the following procedure if you prefer to create your own patterns.

To create a pattern:


2. Open a resource file that contains a form for which you want to define patterns.

3. Choose the Patterns tab.

Formatting Text Boxes with Patterns


4. Choose Add.

Result: The Pattern Artist dialog box appears.

5. Type information as appropriate for your application.

• Pattern ID - the name of the new pattern

• Description - the description of the pattern

• Display Mask - the format that describes the pattern. Characters in this text box are seen by end users. For example, a date display mask might be mm/dd/yy.

• Entry Mask - the format interpreted by the Interface Designer. For example, an entry mask for a date pattern can be mm/dd/yy. If there is a space in the Entry Mask text box, the character used in the Display Mask replaces the space.

• Valid Characters - the type of characters that are typed, relative to the character flag selected. Valid characters are:

• a - upper or lowercase alpha

• l - lowercase alpha

• A - uppercase alpha

• # - numeric

• V - valid character list

• 0 - alpha-numeric

• SPACE - no characters allowed (read-only to users)



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• Fill Character - a character that is inserted in a text box when a control entry is incomplete.

• Test Pattern - the test pattern

• Characters - places a restriction on what type of data users can type in the pattern:

• Alphabetic

• Numeric

• Any characters

• Fill - specifies how fill characters can be inserted:

• Reverse - inserts characters from right-to-left

• Fill all - inserts characters in all non-blank spaces


Result: The Patterns tab appears with the updated informa-tion.

7. Associate the pattern with a text box on the form. For more information about specifying patterns with text box control, see the chapter, “Designing Controls.”

Applying patterns to text boxes

You can apply predefined and user-defined patterns to text boxes.

To apply patterns to a text box:



3. Open the form that you want to use.

4. Double-click the text box to which you want to apply a pat-tern.

Result: The control properties appear.

5. Choose the Text Box tab.

Result: The Text Box tab appears.

6. From the Pattern Type list, select the pattern you want to use.

Creating Menus



Result: The pattern is applied to the text box.

Disassociatingpatterns from text boxes

Patterns can be disassociated from any text box, including those in run time applications. If a pattern is disassociated from a text box, then any character can be typed in the text box.

To disassociate a pattern from a text box:


2. Open a resource file that contains the form.


4. Double-click the control from which you want to disassoci-ate the pattern.

Result: The properties sheet appears.

5. Choose the Text Box tab.

Result: The Text Box tab appears.

6. From the Pattern Type list, select None.

Result: The pattern is removed from the text box.

Creating Menus

Introduction Menus are often used in forms to access commands without using a command prompt. This section discusses how to create menus for forms that become windows.

The Interface Designer allows you to build menus with submenus.

Note: You must first set menu and toolbar styles before you can add these enhancements. Then, rename the menu and toolbar with the same name as the form and they will automatically “attach” to the form.



5

Creating window menus

You can create a menu when you create a new form for a window, or when you work with an existing form. In this instance, instructions are for an existing form.

Note: It is not required to associate menus with forms.

To create a menu:



3. Choose the Menu tab.

Result: The Menu tab appears.

4. Choose Add.

Result: The Menu Designer dialog box appears.

5. Click the menu name.

Result: The name associated with the menu appears in the Menu Name box.

6. Choose the Menu Name browse button.

Result: The Unique ID dialog box appears.

Creating Menus


7. In the text box, type a unique menu name and choose OK.

Result: The Unique ID dialog box closes and the menu name you entered appears in the Menu Name text box on the Menu Designer dialog box. The menu name is for devel-opment purposes only and does not appear to your users

8. In the Menu Text box, type the text that you want to appear on the menu.

9. Under the Style group box, select a style:

• Separator - allows a separator between menu commands

• Disabled - determines whether a menu selection is available or not

• Checkable - allows a menu command to switch on or off when a user chooses it

• Checked - determines the default state of a checkable menu command

Note: If you select Separator, a blank separator line appears on the menu. This causes any text previously associated with the menu command to disappear.

10. Choose Update.

Result: The menu reflects the changes.



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11. Choose OK.

Result: The Menu Designer dialog box closes and the Menus tab appears.

Note: You can add another menu at the same menu level by clicking Add After.

Adding submenus

Submenus appear under menus. You can create submenus to a menu as well as nest another submenu of a submenu.

The following graphic shows submenus of the Format menu:

The following graphic shows a submenu of the Size submenu:

To add a submenu:



3. Choose the Menu tab.

Result: The Menu tab appears.

4. Choose the menu you want to add a submenu to and click Update.

Result: The Menu Designer dialog box appears.

Creating Menus


5. Click the menu in the menu list to which you want to add a submenu.

6. Choose Add Under.

Result: A new sub-menu with the default name NEW_ITEM1 appears under the selected menu.

7. Click the new submenu name.

Result: The Menu Name and Menu Text boxes populate with default information.

8. Specify a unique name, menu text, and help (if needed).

9. Choose Update.

Result: The default submenu is replaced by the new menu text, as well as the other information you specified.

10. Choose OK.

Result: The Menu Designer closes and the Menus tab appears.

You can add a submenu to a submenu by repeating this procedure. To do this, select the submenu instead of a menu before clicking Add Under.

Note: You can add another submenu at the same submenu level by clicking Add After.

Testing menus To test a menu:

1. Select a menu in the tree structure.

2. Choose Test.

Result: A pop-up menu appears with the menu structure and text you created.



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3. Click anywhere to close the pop-up menu.

Result: The pop-up menu closes.

4. Choose OK.


Deleting menus

To delete a menu:

1. Click a menu or submenu in the tree structure.

2. Click Delete.

Result: If you selected a menu or submenu that is a “parent” to other submenus, a prompt appears that asks you whether to update the modifications to the menu. Otherwise, the selected menu is deleted and removed from the list of menus.

3. Choose OK.


Creating and Working with Toolbars

Introduction Toolbars allow programs to behave in a manner that is more “user-friendly” than might be the case otherwise. The buttons on a toolbar act as visual mnemonics; that is, a button represents a menu command that the user does not have to remember. Buttons also makes frequently used commands more accessible.

This section describes how to add a toolbar to a form that becomes a window.

Creating Toolbars

A toolbar can be added to a form at any time.

To create a toolbar:




2. Choose the Toolbars tab.

Result: The Toolbars tab appears.

3. Click Add.

Result: The Toolbar Properties dialog box appears. A default toolbar name, NEW_TOOLBAR1, appears in the Toolbar Name text box.

Note: If you selected the Auto Property Sheets form preference, the Toolbar Properties properties sheet appears automatically when you create a new toolbar.



5

4. Choose the Toolbar Name browse button.

Result: The Unique ID dialog box appears.

5. In the text box, type a unique name to replace the default toolbar name and choose OK.

Result: The Unique ID dialog box closes and the toolbar name you typed appears in the Toolbar Name text box in the Toolbar Properties dialog box.



Creating toolbar buttons

To add a toolbar button:



Result: The Toolbars tab appears.

3. Click the toolbar to which you want to add a button.

4. Click Update.

Result: The Toolbar Properties dialog box appears.

5. In the Item ID text box, type a string ID to represent the but-ton for development purposes.

6. Click the Icon File browse button.

7. Select the icon file you want to appear on the button.

8. To create tooltip text for the button, type text in the Help Text box.

9. Choose Add.

Result: The button appears in the list represented by the item ID, icon file, and help text information you typed.

10. To add additional buttons to the toolbar, repeat steps 5-9 as needed.

11. If you want the buttons in a different order than that in which you added them, use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to rearrange the order.

Note: The button at the top of the list appears at the top of the toolbar if the toolbar appears vertically, and the first button on the left side if the toolbar appears horizontally.

12. Choose Update.

Result: The Item ID, Icon File, and Help Text fields clear and the toolbar is updated.

13. Choose OK.

Result: The Toolbar Properties dialog box closes.



5

Creating separators between buttons

Separators enhance the appearance of a toolbar because they allow space between buttons, which makes the toolbar easier to use visually.

To add a separator to a toolbar:


2. Open a resource file containing the form you want to work with.


4. Double-click the toolbar name you want to use.

Result: The Toolbar Properties dialog box appears.

5. From the toolbar list, click the name of the toolbar form you want to use.

6. Choose Separator.

Result: The separator appears at the bottom of the list of toolbars.

7. Choose Move Up or Move Down to move the Separator between the toolbar buttons.

8. To add additional separators, repeat steps 6-7.

9. If you want the buttons in a different order than that in which you added them, use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to rearrange the order.

10. Choose Update.

Result: The Item ID, Icon File, and Help Text fields clear and the toolbar is updated.

Creating Hypertext Controls


11. Choose OK.

Result: The Toolbar Properties dialog box closes.

Note: You can rearrange the position of buttons and separators at any time using the Move Up and Move Down buttons.


Introduction Hypertext controls provide online information to end users and can include text, sound, and images. They can also be linked to external programs. Hypertext controls do not replace online help, but are an alternative method of displaying information.

Hypertext controls are visible as long as a form is open. Hypertext controls appear as a multi-line entry box with text. Text can be represented as colored text or as a button.

Types of hypertext buttons

Buttons appear in a different color from regular text at run time. When the button is clicked, the ASE Hypertext Viewer appears containing the linked item.

The following are the types of buttons you can create:

• Numerical

• Alphabetic

• Image

• External file

• Search string

• External program

• Marker tag



5

Creating hypertext buttons

Buttons are created using hypertext string tags.

To create a hypertext button:


2. Open a resource file that contains the form you want to use.


4. From the Control Palette, click the Hypertext button.

5. On the form, click your mouse pointer where you want the button to appear and drag the mouse pointer until the button outline is the size you want.

Result: The button appears on the form.

Note: If you selected the Auto Property Sheets form preference, the Control Properties properties sheet appears automatically when you create a new control.

6. Right-click the hypertext control .


7. Choose Properties.

Result: The Control Properties sheet for the control appears.

8. Set Base or Help tab properties as needed.

9. Choose the Hypertext tab.

Result: The Hypertext tab appears.



10. Select a style to apply to the hypertext button.

• No WordWrap - user must use hard carriage returns to manually wrap text to the next line


• None - no line format

11. In the Starting Text box, type the appropriate hypertext tag. The hypertext tags are:

Note: In each hypertag example, Button Name represents what the user will see.

Tag Purpose Syntax Style Choices

alphabeticbutton

used to pass an alphabetic ID to an SA-Script program

[[Button Name|LABEL labeltext]]

N/A

external file

used to create a link to an external file

[[Button Name|FILE filename ATTRIBUTES]]

• No Wordwrap - user must use hard carriage returns to manually wrap text to the next line


• None - line format

external program

used to create links to external programs. The program’s executable file must have an .exe extension. Arguments you specify are passed as command prompt arguments to the program.

[[Button Name|RUN program name ARGUMENTS]]

N/A



5

image used to create an image button

[[Button Name|IMAGE filename ATTRIBUTES]]

• Scroll - the hypertext window contains scroll bars

• Clip - the image is clipped as the default unless you specify a different attribute

• Scale - the image is scaled to fit in the hypertext window

jump tag searches the tag list for a marker that matches the text following the jump. If a match is found, the line containing the marker is positioned at the top of the viewer. Also, the hypertext view processes the EventJump to keep a list of markers used in a file.

[[text | Jump marker name]]

N/A

marker tag

places an invisible marker in the text

[[text | Marker marker name]]

N/A

numeric button

used to pass a numeric button to an SA Script program

[[Button Name|ID id_number]]

where Button Name is the text displayed to the user

N/A

search string

used to find specified text in a hypertext viewer

[[Button Name|SEARCH search text]]

N/A

sound file used to create links to sound files

[[Button Name|PLAY filename]]

N/A

Tag Purpose Syntax Style Choices

Creating Online Help


12. When you finish setting properties, choose Apply or OK.

Result: The hypertext button appears on the form.

Creating Online Help

Introduction You can create context-sensitive online help for controls and forms in two ways:

• Adding help-text directly in the Interface Designer

• Linking a help file to the control or form

Help files linked to your form must reside in one of the following areas:

• Working directory

• Path

• Saipath

Adding online help

To add online help:

1. Double-click the control or form to display its properties.

Result: The Control Properties appear for the control or form.

2. Choose the Help tab.

Result: The Help tab appears.



5


• If you want to add help text directly from the Interface Designer, select the Help Text option button and type the help text in the box under the Help Text option button.

• If you want to link a help file, select the Help File option button and type the path of the file in the text box. If you don not know where the file is located, use the Browse button to find the file and choose the file name.

Result: The path and file name appear in the text box.


Result: The help is associated with the control or form.

Note: You can only use SA-Script help text tags in your form.


•Overview

•Form Types

•Parsing Forms

6Using Forms in SA-Script Programs

Using Forms in SA-Script Programs


6

Overview

Introduction Forms created with the Interface Designer are called from a SA-Script program. The statements used to call forms are:

• DlgCreate

• DlgBox

For more information on these statements, see the SA-ASE 5.0 SA-Script Language Reference.

Resource file location

Resource files can reside in any location. You can open a resource file from the application using only its file name if you specify the filename in one of the following areas:

• path

• saipath

• working directory.

Form Types

Introduction A new form has its own user interface and program (its event handler). The form exists until the user accepts or cancels it or until another part of the application sends a close message, $MsgClose.

There are two types of forms:

•Modal

•Modeless

Parsing Forms


Modal forms A modal form is created with DlgBox. The statement following DlgBox is not executed until the user closes the form. The information specified by the user is returned in the fourth argument to DlgBox and is the output record variable.

A modal form should be reserved for important error messages or critical forms where the user cannot continue without answering a query. For example, a message asking the user to confirm the deletion of a file.

Modeless forms

A modeless form is created with DlgCreate. Modeless forms do not require a user response.

For more information on modal and modeless forms, see the SA-ASE 5.0 SA-Script Programming Guide.

Parsing Forms

Introduction When a resource file is saved, a binary (machine readable) version is created with a .dfc extension. It is the .dfc file that the SA-Script application actually uses.

To parse forms from a command line:

•For DOS/UNIX, enter: i-gen

•For GUI interfaces, enter: i-genw

For more detailed information on parsing forms, see the SA-ASE Script Programming Guide.

Common parsing errors

Parsing errors can occur when you open a resource file created with a prior version of the SA-ASE Dialog Box Painter or a file that has been edited with a text editor.

Opening a previous version of a .df file produces a number of warnings from the Interface Designer that can safely be ignored. However, if a parsing error occurs, an error message appears identifying the error type.

Note: Open the .df file in a text editor to correct parsing errors that prevent you from opening it.

Using Forms in SA-Script Programs


6

The following examples create parsing errors in the Interface Designer. These examples only appear outside of the use of the Interface Designer. In other words, the following examples could not be created using the Interface Designer .

• Control, notebook, or form names having values other than numbers, letters, and underscores

• Control, notebook, or form names having a number in the first position

• Duplicate control, notebook, or form names in the same resource file

• Control, notebook, or form names that use a reserved keyword

This appendix covers the following topics:

•Overview

•Dialog Coordinates

•Examples

Geometry Management


Overview

Introduction Geometry management is used in the Interface Designer and GUI library to automatically size and position controls in a form when the form is resized. You apply geometry management to a control by setting its attachments. For more information on attachments, see the chapter, “Designing Controls.”

An attachment appears as a line from a control side to a form side. Every control has two attachment lines by default. You can add an attachment to each side of a control by pressing the SHIFT key when adding a control to a form.

How attachments work

An attachment is used to set the distance between the side of a control and the side of a form. For example, the left attachment for a control determines the distance from the left side of the control to the left side of the form.

There are two types of attachments:

•Fixed

•Percentage

Attachment types are discussed in more detail in the following sections.

Fixed attachments

A fixed attachment specifies a set distance between a control side and a form side and does not change when the form is resized. When you add a control to a form, a likeness of the control appears on the attachment editor, located below the control palette. A fixed attachment is represented as a solid line from the control side to the form side. The following figure shows a control with two fixed attachments.

Dialog Coordinates


Percentage attachments

A percentage attachment specifies a proportionate distance between a control side and a form side that changes when the form is resized. When you add a control to a form, a likeness of the control appears on the attachment editor, located below the control palette. A percentage attachment is represented as a dashed line from the control side to the form side. The following figure shows a control with two percentage attachments.

Offsets Offsets apply only to percentage attachments and are used to alter the position of controls after their percentage attachments have been calculated. Offsets can be positive or negative in adjusting the position of controls.

Dialog Coordinates

Overview Dialog coordinates determine the size and position of controls regardless of screen resolution. Dialog coordinates cause buttons, labels, and entry fields to automatically scale when displaying their contents. Also, you can use any font and your forms adjust proportionately.


Choosing fonts

When you choose fonts, remember that there are separate scale types for horizontal and vertical sizing. The horizontal scale is based on the width of a single character. The vertical scale is based on the height of the font. This means that a form appears much smaller with a 6-point font than a 12-point font. (Different fonts also have different width-to-height ratios.)

Examples

Introduction This section contains examples of different sets of attachments. Numbers next to attachment lines indicate the attachment size.

Note: If you want to see how attachments work, construct each example using the Interface Designer, and test the forms by resizing them.

You can use any type of control to test geometry management.

Examples


Fixed attachment example

The following figure shows five controls with different sets of fixed attachments.

As this form is resized, controls 1-4 remain in their respective corners, because each control has a fixed attachment to the two nearest form sides. The controls do not change size because only two of the control sides are attached to the form.

Control 5 functions differently because it has all four sides attached to the form. Each side of control 5 is set to a fixed distance from the form side, so the control changes size as the form is resized.


Percentage attachment example

The following figure shows five controls with percentage attachments

.

Controls 1-4 do not change size, but their distance from the form sides changes proportionally to the size of the form. Control 5 changes size proportionally as the form is resized.

Examples


Two percentage-attached controls

The following figure shows two controls with fixed and percentage attachments.

Controls 1 and 2 have an equal share of the available width of the form. However, the space between the two controls expands and contracts as the form is resized. The size of the space between the controls is only 2% of the width of the form. The small space between controls makes the form appear awkward. Using offsets with percentage attachments creates more space between controls.


Offsets example

The following figure shows two controls with fixed and percentage attachments using offsets.

The distance between the two controls remains constant when the form is resized. Offset values are added after percentage sizes for the attachments are computed.

Note: Offsets should not be used with fixed attachments.

Examples


Percentage attachments with offsets

The following figure is a complex example of percentage attachments with offsets, where three controls share approximately one-third of the form width.

This form functions similarly to the previous example with two controls. Percentage attachments for controls with adjacent sides should add up to 100%. For example, control 1's right attachment is 67%, so control 2's left attachment is 33%. Similarly, control 2's right attachment is 33%, so control 3's left attachment must be 67%. Opposing percentage attachments equalling 100% often produce the best layout though the 100% sum is not required.


Fixed and percentage attachments with offsets

The following figure is an example of fixed and percentage attachments. Negative offsets are used for controls 2 and 3 to center them on the form. (It is assumed that the width of controls 2 and 3 is 40 dialog units.)

For more attachment examples, see the forms in the resource file of the Interface Designer.

Symbols

# valid character (character flags), 72$MsgClose message, 92.df files

see also df files, resource files, 15

Numerics

0 valid character (character flags), 7212-hour clock controls, 3824-hour clock controls, 38

A

A valid character (character flags), 72a valid character (character flags), 71accessing

forms, 15Action property

button controls, 36Active Control list box

Preferences dialog box, Colors tab, 20active controls

borderscolor settings, 20

addingcontrol attachments, 54, 96controls, 53forms

to notebooks, 63notebook tabs, 63, 64notebooks, 60online help

for forms/controls, 89separators

to toolbars, 84toolbar buttons, 83

aligningcontrols, 20

alignmentcontrols, 56

with grid coordinates, 18forms, 26group box control titles, 41

option button group control titles, 46text

in text box controls, 52All check box

Select a Control dialog box, 57alpha character flags (patterns), 71alphabetic hypertext button, 87Apply button, 17applying

menu styles, 77patterns to text boxes, 74, 75styles

to hypertext buttons, 87associating

help fileswith controls, 35

attachmentscontrols, 34, 96

adding, 54fixed attachments, 96, 99, 104percentage attachments, 97, 100, 101, 103,

104setting, 53, 54

Auto Property Sheets check boxPreferences dialog box, General tab, 18

B

backgroundforms

color settings, 19Base tab

Control Properties property sheet, 33Form Properties dialog box, 26

bold text, 10Border property

image controls, 43subform controls, 48

borders, 48active controls

color settings, 20clock controls, 38image controls, 43selected controls

color settings, 19Bring to Front command (pop-up menu), 58

Index

Index

SA-Application Software Expert 5.0106

button controlsproperties

Action, 36Button Text, 36Default Button, 37Display Image, 36Image Filet, 36

Button Labels propertyoption button group controls, 46

Button tabControl Properties property sheet, 36

Button Text propertybutton controls, 36

buttonsApply, 17hypertext buttons

creating, 86, 87, 89styles

applying, 87OK, 17toolbars

creating, 83icon files, 83rearranging, 83, 85separators

creating, 84, 85

C

callingforms

from SA-Script statements, 92Canvas Background list box

Preferences dialog box, Colors tab, 19Canvas Foreground list box

Preferences dialog box, Colors tab, 19Caps Only property

entry field controls, 41cautions, 11character flags

(text patterns), 71customizing, 71valid characters, 71

check box controlscircular, 37properties

Checkbox Label, 37Initial Value, 37Style, 37

square, 37Check Box tab

Control Properties property sheet, 37checkable menu commands, 77Checkbox Label property

check box controls, 37

checked menu commands, 77circular check box controls, 37clock controls

12-hour, 3824-hour, 38borders, 38properties, 38

Clock tabControl Properties property sheet, 38

Close command (Form menu), 24closing

forms, 24color

active control border settings, 20form background settings, 19form foreground settings, 19selected control border settings, 19

Colors tabPreferences dialog box, 19

Column tabControl Properties property sheet, 50

columns(tables)

naming, 50headings, 50width, 50

combo box controlsproperties

IME, 39Initial Contents, 39Input Length, 39Mandatory, 39Sorting, 39Starting ID, 39Type, 39

read-only, 39Combo Box tab

Control Properties property sheet, 39command prompts

UNIXi-design, 16

commandsEdit menu

Copy, 55Cut, 25Delete, 58Find Control, 56Paste, 55

File menuExit, 17New, 22Open, 23, 24

Form menuClose, 24

menus

107SA-Script Language Reference

checkable, 77checked, 77disabled, 77separators, 77

Options menuPreferences, 18, 19Save Preferences, 20

pop-up menuBring to Front, 58Properties, 62Send to Back, 58

conrolsdescriptions, entering, 34

control palettedisplaying, 18

Control Properties properties sheet, 86Control Properties property sheet

Base tab, 33Button tab, 36Check Box tab, 37Clock tab, 38Column tab, 50Combo Box tab, 39Entry Field tab, 40Group Box tab, 41Help tab, 35Hypertext tab, 42Image tab, 43List Box tab, 44MLE tab, 45Option Button tab, 46Slider tab, 47SQL tab, 51Sub Form tab, 48Table tab, 49Text tab, 52

controls(forms), 15active

border color settings, 20adding, 53aligning, 20

to grid coordinates, 18alignment, 56attachments, 34, 96

adding, 54fixed attachments, 96, 99, 104percentage attachments, 97, 100, 101, 103,

104setting, 53, 54

bringing to front, 57button controls

properties, 36check box controls

circular, 37

properties, 37square, 37

clock controlsproperties, 38

combo box controlsproperties, 39

copying, 55deleting, 58dialog coordinates, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102,

103, 104disabling, 34displaying, 34entry field controls

properties, 40text limitations, 40

finding, 56fonts

selecting, 98group box controls

properties, 41titling, 41

grouping as a single control, 48help files

associating, 35creating, 89, 90

hiding, 34hypertext controls

creating, 85, 86, 87, 89properties, 42

image controlsborders, 43cropping, 43properties, 43scaling, 43scrolling, 43

list box controlsproperties, 44

MLE controlsproperties, 45

moving, 54offsets, 34, 97, 102, 103, 104option button group controls

properties, 46permissions, 34previewing, 25properties

displaying, 18ID, 33setting, 52

resizing, 55resizing to active control, 55, 56selected

border color settings, 19sending to back, 58sizing, 20, 34, 53, 55

Index


sizing to active control, 55, 56slider controls

labeling, 47orientation, 47properties, 47scaling, 47

space limitations, 32subform controls

borders, 48properties, 48titling, 48

synchronizing for cross-platform use, 34tab sequence, setting, 29table controls

properties, 49text box controls

alignment of text in, 52properties, 52titling, 52

coordinate systemsforms

setting, 26Copy command (Edit menu), 55copying

controls, 55creating

forms, 24help files

for controls, 89, 90for forms, 89, 90

hypertext buttons, 86, 87, 89hypertext controls, 85, 86, 87, 89menus, 76, 77notebook tabs, 63, 64notebooks, 60patterns, 72, 73, 74resource files, 22separators

for toolbar buttons, 84, 85submenus, 78submenus under other submenus, 79toolbar buttons, 83toolbars, 80, 81

croppingimage controls, 43

customizingpattern character flags, 71

Cut command (Edit menu), 25

D

data sourcesbold text denotation, 10

date patterns, 70Default Button property

button controls, 37defining

forms as notebook tabs, 61Delete command (Edit menu), 58deleting

controls, 58forms, 25menus, 80notebook tabs, 66notebooks, 67

Detached Control Palette check boxPreferences dialog box, General tab, 18

df filessee also resource files, 15

dialog boxes, 14Apply button, 17File Selection

Forms tab, 23Form Properties

Base tab, 26Form tab, 28Help tab, 27Tab Order tab, 29

Menu Designer, 76OK button, 17Pattern Artist, 73Preferences, 18

Colors tab, 19Select a Control, 57Unique ID, 76, 82

dialog coordinatescontrols, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104

disabled menu commands, 77disabling

controls, 34disassociating

patterns from text boxes, 75Display Image property

button controls, 36display masks, 71displaying

control palettepalettes

control palette

displaying, 18control properties, 18controls, 34form properties, 18Menus tab in Interface Designer main window, 18Toolbars tab in Interface Designer main window,

19DlgBox statement, 92DlgCreate statement, 92double-clicking, 10


E

Edit menu commandsCopy, 55Cut, 25Delete, 58Find Control, 56Paste, 55

editingnotebook tabs, 65, 66

Editor boxPreferences dialog box, General tab, 19

entry field controlsproperties

Caps Only, 41Initial Value, 40Mandatory, 41Maximum Length, 41Pattern, 41Pattern Type, 40Read Only, 41

text limitations, 40Entry Field tab

Control Properties property sheet, 40entry masks, 71errors

parsing errorscommon occurances, 94troubleshooting, 93

Exit command (File menu), 17external file hypertext button, 87external program hypertext button, 87

F

field bordersclock controls, 38image controls, 43subform controls, 48

File menu commandsExit, 17New, 22Open, 23, 24

file namesUNIX, 10

File Selection dialog boxForms tab, 23

Filename propertyimage controls, 43

filesresource files, 14

creating, 22opening, 23path requirements, 92

fill all fill flags (patterns), 72fill flags

(patterns), 72Find Control command (Edit menu), 56finding

controls, 56forms

in notebooks, 61fixed attachments, 96, 99, 104

controls, 34setting, 54

fontscontrols

selecting, 98foreground

formscolor settings, 19

Form menu commandsClose, 24

Form Properties dialog boxBase tab, 26Form tab, 28Help tab, 27Tab Order tab, 29

Form Properties properties sheet, 62Form property

subform controls, 48Form tab

Form Properties dialog box, 28forms, 14, 15

addingto notebooks, 63

alignment, 26background

color settings, 19building process, 15calling

from SA-Script statements, 92closing, 24controls, 15

activeborder color settings, 20

adding, 53aligning, 20aligning to grid coordinates, 18alignment, 56attachments, 34, 96

adding, 54setting, 53, 54

bringing to front, 57button controls

properties, 36check box controls

properties, 37clock controls

Index


properties, 38combo box controls

properties, 39copying, 55deleting, 58descriptions, entering, 34dialog coordinates, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102,

103, 104disabling, 34displaying, 34displaying properties, 18entry field controls

properties, 40finding, 56fonts, selecting, 98group box controls

properties, 41grouping as a single control, 48help files

creating, 89, 90help files, associating, 35hiding, 34hypertext controls

properties, 42image controls

properties, 43list box controls

properties, 44MLE controls

properties, 45moving, 54offsets, 34, 97, 102, 103, 104option button group controls

properties, 46permissions, 34previewing, 25properties

ID, 33setting, 52synchronizing for cross-platform use, 29

resizing, 55resizing to active control, 55, 56selected

border color settings, 19sending to back, 58sizing, 20, 34, 53, 55sizing to active control, 55, 56slider controls

properties, 47space limitations, 32subform controls

properties, 48synchronizing for cross-platform use, 34tab sequence, setting, 29table controls

properties, 49text box controls

properties, 52coordinate systems

setting, 26creating, 24default naming, 24defining as notebook tabs, 61deleting, 25descriptions

entering, 27desktop position

setting properties for, 29finding

in notebooks, 61foreground

color settings, 19grid lines

point size, setting, 19help files

creating, 89, 90setting properties for, 27

icon filessetting properties for, 28

modal, 93modeless, 93naming, 26opening, 15, 24opening multiple, 24parsing, 93, 94properties

displaying, 18overriding, 60setting, 26, 27, 28, 30synchronizing for cross-platform use, 29

resizingto accomodate controls, 32

see also resource files, 22sizing, 26styles, 28testing, 25, 26titling, 28

Forms tabFile Selection dialog box, 23Interface Designer

New Form command, 24

G

General tabPreferences dialog box, 18

grid linesforms

point size, setting, 19Grid Spacing box


Preferences dialog boxGeneral tab, 19

Preferences dialog box, General tab, 19group box controls

propertiesStyle, 41Title, 41

titling, 41Group Box tab

Control Properties property sheet, 41grouping

controls as a single control, 48

H

headingstable columns, 50

help filescontrols

associating, 35creating

for controls, 89, 90for forms, 89, 90

formssetting properties for, 27

path requirements, 89Help tab

Control Properties property sheet, 35, 90Form Properties dialog box, 27

hidingcontrols, 34

Horizontal Position propertytext box controls, 52

Horizontal Scroll Bars propertytable controls, 49

Horizontal Scroll propertylist box controls, 44MLE controls, 45

hypertext buttonsalphabetic, 87creating, 86, 87, 89external file, 87external program, 87image, 88jump tag, 88marker tag, 88numeric, 88search string, 88sound file, 88styles

applying, 87hypertext controls

creating, 85, 86, 87, 89properties

Starting Text, 42

Style, 42Hypertext tab

Control Properties property sheet, 42, 86

I

icon filesforms

setting properties for, 28toolbar buttons

assigning, 83icons, 11ID property

controls, 33I-Designer

see Interface Designer, 16image controls

borders, 43cropping, 43properties

Border, 43Filename, 43Style, 43

scaling, 43scrolling, 43

Image File propertybutton controls, 36

image hypertext button, 88Image tab

Control Properties property sheet, 43IME (Input Method Editor) property

combo box controls, 39IME Local property

MLE controls, 45Initial Contents property

combo box controls, 39list box controls, 44

Initial Selection propertyoption button group controls, 46

Initial Value propertycheck box controls, 37entry field controls, 40

Input Length propertycombo box controls, 39MLE controls, 45

integer patterns, 70Interface Designer

capabilities of, 8, 14Forms tab

New Form command, 24Menus tab

displaying in main window, 18preferences

saving, 20setting, 18, 19

Index


prerequisite knowledge for using, 8quitting, 17starting, 16Toolbars tab

displaying in main window, 19italic text, 10

J

jump tag hypertext button, 88

L

l valid character (character flags), 71Label Text property

text box controls, 52labeling

option button group controls, 46slider controls, 47

Labels propertyslider controls, 47

launchingInterface Designer, 16

list box controlsproperties

Horizontal Scroll, 44Initial Contents, 44Mandatory, 44Sorting, 44Starting ID, 44

List Box tabControl Properties property sheet, 44

listingforms

associated with resource files, 23lowered borders

clock controls, 38image controls, 43subform controls, 48

M

Mandatory propertycombo box controls, 39entry field controls, 41list box controls, 44MLE controls, 45

marker tag hypertext button, 88Maximum Length property

entry field controls, 41Menu Designer dialog box, 76Menu style

forms, 28

menus, 10commands

checkable, 77checked, 77disabled, 77separators, 77

creating, 76, 77deleting, 80naming, 77styles

applying, 77submenus

creating, 78creating under other submenus, 79naming, 79

testing, 79text

entering, 77Menus tab

displaying in Interface Designer main window, 18Minimize Button style

forms, 28MinMax Button style

forms, 28MLE controls

(multi-line edit box), 45properties

Horizontal Scroll, 45IME Local, 45Input Length, 45Mandatory, 45No WordWrap, 45Read Only, 45Vertical Scroll, 45

MLE tabControl Properties property sheet, 45

modal forms, 93modeless forms, 93monospace text, 11moving

controls, 54Multiple Selection property

table controls, 49

N

namingforms, 26menus, 77submenus, 79table columns, 50toolbars, 82

New command (File menu), 22New Form command (Interface Designer Forms

tab), 24


No WordWrap propertyMLE controls, 45

Notebook property sheet, 61notebooks

(forms), 14creating, 60deleting, 67properties, 61

setting, 62, 63requirements for creating, 60tabs

creating, 63, 64deleting, 66editing, 65, 66positioning, 61rearranging, 64, 65text, defining, 61

notes, 11numeric character flags (patterns), 71numeric hypertext button, 88

O

Obscure check boxSelect a Control dialog box, 57

Off form check boxSelect a Control dialog box, 57

offsetscontrols, 34, 97, 102, 103, 104

OK button, 17online help

creatingfor forms/controls, 89

Open command (File menu), 23, 24opening

forms, 15, 24multiple forms, 24resource files, 23

option button group controlslabeling, 46orientation

determining, 46properties

Button Labels, 46Initial Selection, 46Option Button Group Title, 46Style, 46Title Position, 46

titlesalignment, 46

titling, 46Option Button Group Title property

option button group controls, 46Option Button tab

Control Properties property sheet, 46

Options menu commandsPreferences, 18, 19Save Preferences, 20

orientationoption button group controls

determining, 46slider controls, 47

Orientation propertyslider controls, 47

overridingform properties, 60

P

Pages tabNotebook property sheet, 61

parsingforms, 93, 94

parsing errorscommon occurances, 94troubleshooting, 93

password patterns, 70Paste command (Edit menu), 55Pattern Artist dialog box, 73Pattern property

entry field controls, 41Pattern Type property

entry field controls, 40patterns

(text boxes), 70applying, 74, 75character flags, 71

customizing, 71creating, 72, 73, 74disassociating, 75fill flags, 72types, 70

percentage attachments, 97, 100, 101, 103, 104controls, 34

setting, 54permissions

controls, 34point size

settingfor form grid lines, 19

pop-up menu commandsBring to Front, 58Properties, 62Send to Back, 58

pop-up menus, 10positioning

notebook tabs, 61preferences

Interface Designersaving, 20

Index


setting, 18, 19Preferences command (Options menu), 18, 19Preferences dialog box, 18

Colors tab, 19previewing

controls, 25properties

button controlsAction, 36Button Text, 36Default Button, 37Display Image, 36Image File, 36

check box controlsCheckbox Label, 37Initial Value, 37Style, 37

clock controls, 38combo box controls

IME, 39Initial Contents, 39Input Length, 39Mandatory, 39Sorting, 39Starting ID, 39Type, 39

controlsdisplaying, 18ID, 33setting, 52synchronizing for cross-platform use, 29

entry field controlsCaps Only, 41Initial Value, 40Mandatory, 41Maximum Length, 41Pattern, 41Pattern Type, 40Read Only, 41

formsdisplaying, 18overriding, 60setting, 26, 27, 28, 30synchronizing for cross-platform use, 29

group box controlsStyle, 41Title, 41

hypertext controlsStarting Text, 42Style, 42

image controlsBorder, 43Filename, 43Style, 43

list box controls

Horizontal Scroll, 44Initial Contents, 44Mandatory, 44Sorting, 44Starting ID, 44

MLE controlsHorizontal Scroll, 45IME Local, 45Input Length, 45Mandatory, 45No WordWrap, 45Read Only, 45Vertical Scroll, 45

notebooks, 61setting, 62, 63

option button group controlsButton Labels, 46Initial Selection, 46Option Button Group Title, 46Style, 46Title Position, 46

slider controlsLabels, 47Orientation, 47Scale, 47Snap, 47

subform controlsBorder, 48Form, 48Title, 48

table controlsHorizontal Scroll Bars, 49Multiple Selection, 49Sorting, 49

text box controlsHorizontal Positiont, 52Label Text, 52

Properties command (pop-up menu), 62properties sheets

Control Properties, 86property sheets

Control PropertiesBase tab, 33Button tab, 36Check Box tab, 37Clock tab, 38Column tab, 50Combo Box tab, 39Entry Field tab, 40Group Box tab, 41Help tab, 35Hypertext tab, 42Image tab, 43List Box tab, 44MLE tab, 45


Option Button tab, 46Slider tab, 47SQL tab, 51Sub Form tab, 48Table tab, 49Text tab, 52

Form Properties, 62Notebook property sheet, 61Toolbar Properties, 81, 84

Q

quittingInterface Designer, 17

R

raised bordersclock controls, 38image controls, 43subform controls, 48

Read Only propertyentry field controls, 41MLE controls, 45

read-only combo box controls, 39real patterns, 70rearranging

notebook tabs, 64, 65toolbar buttons, 83, 85

records(tables)

limit properties, setting, 51SQL statements

properties, 51Resize style

forms, 28resizing

controls, 55controls to active control, 55, 56forms

to accomodate controls, 32resource files, 14, 15

associated formslisting, 23

creating, 22opening, 23path requirements, 92see also df files, 15see also forms, 22text editors

selecting, 19reverse fill flags (patterns), 72

S

SA-Application Software Expertsee ASE, 11

SA-ASEdocumentation set, 12

SA-Expert Administratorsee Expert Administrator, 11

SA-Expert Advisorsee Expert Advisor, 11

SA-Expert Evolutionsee Expert Evolution, 11

SA-Expert Foundation Managersee Expert Foundation Manager, 12

SA-Expert Mail Agentsee Expert Mail Agent, 12

SA-Expert Qualitysee Expert Quality, 12

SA-Expert Supportsee Expert Support, 12

SA-Expert Websee Expert Web, 12

SA-EXPERTISEsee EXPERTISE, 11

SA-ExpertViewsee ExpertView, 12

Save Preferences command (Options menu), 20saving

Interface Designer preferences, 20Scale property

slider controls, 47scaling

image controls, 43slider controls, 47

scroll barsimage controls, 43list box controls, 44MLE controls, 45

scrollbarstables, 49

scrollingimage controls, 43

search string hypertext button, 88Select a Control dialog box, 57Selected Control list box

Preferences dialog box, Colors tab, 19selected controls

borderscolor settings, 19

Send to Back command (pop-up menu), 58separators

menu commands, 77toolbar buttons

creating, 84, 85

Index


settingcontrol attachments, 53, 54control properties, 52coordinate systems

for forms, 26form properties, 26, 27, 28, 30Interface Designer preferences, 18, 19notebook properties, 62, 63

Show Menu Page check boxPreferences dialog box, General tab, 19

Show Toolbar Page check boxPreferences dialog box, General tab, 19

sizingcontrols, 20, 34, 53, 55controls to active control, 55, 56forms, 26

to accomodate controls, 32slider controls

labeling, 47orientation, 47properties

Labels, 47Orientation, 47Scale, 47Snap, 47

scaling, 47Slider tab

Control Properties property sheet, 47Snap property

slider controls, 47Snap To Grid check box

Preferences dialog box, General tab, 18Software Artistry

product names, 11sorting, 49Sorting property

combo box controls, 39list box controls, 44table controls, 49

sound file hypertext button, 88SPACE valid character (character flags), 72SQL statements

table recordsproperty settings, 51

SQL tabControl Properties property sheet, 51

square check box controls, 37Start on Blank Field style

forms, 29starting

Interface Designer, 16Starting ID property

combo box controls, 39list box controls, 44

Starting Text property

hypertext controls, 42statements

DlgBox, 92DlgCreate, 92

Style propertycheck box controls, 37group box controls, 41hypertext controls, 42image controls, 43option button group controls, 46

stylesforms, 28hypertext buttons

applying, 87menus

applying, 77Sub Form tab

Control Properties property sheet, 48subform controls, 48

borders, 48properties

Border, 48Form, 48Title, 48

titling, 48submenus

creating, 78creating under other submenus, 79naming, 79

synchronizingcontrol properties for cross-platform use, 29controls

for cross-platform use, 34form properties for cross-platform use, 29

System Menu styleforms, 28

T

Tab Order tabForm Properties dialog box, 29

tab sequence (controls)setting, 29

table controlsproperties

Horizontal Scroll Bars, 49Multiple Selection, 49Sorting, 49

Table tabControl Properties property sheet, 49

tables, 49columns

headings, 50naming, 50width, 50


recordslimit properties, setting, 51SQL statements

properties, 51scrollbars, 49sorting, 49

tabs(notebooks)

positioning, 61creating, 63, 64deleting, 66editing, 65, 66rearranging, 64, 65text

defining, 61Task List style

forms, 29testing

forms, 25, 26menus, 79

textbold, 10entry field control limitations, 40italic, 10menus

entering, 77monospace, 11notebook tabs

defining, 61text box controls

alignment of text in, 52properties

Horizontal Position, 52Label Text, 52

titling, 52text boxes

patterns, 70applying, 74, 75character flags, 71

customizing, 71creating, 72, 73, 74disassociating, 75fill flags, 72types, 70

text editorselecting for resource files, 19

Text tabControl Properties property sheet, 52

time patterns, 70Title Position property

option button group controls, 46Title property

group box controls, 41subform controls, 48

Title style

forms, 28titles

option button group controlsalignment, 46

titlingforms, 28group box controls, 41option button group controls, 46subform controls, 48text box controls, 52

Toolbar Properties properties sheet, 81Toolbar Properties property sheet, 84Toolbar style

forms, 28toolbars

buttonscreating, 83icon files, 83rearranging, 83, 85separators

creating, 84, 85creating, 80, 81naming, 82

Toolbars tabdisplaying in Interface Designer main window, 19Preferences dialog box, 19

troubleshootingparsing errors, 93

Type propertycombo box controls, 39

U

Unique ID dialog box, 76, 82UNIX

command promptsi-design, 16

file names, 10user input

bold text denotation, 11user-defined patterns, 70

V

V valid character (character flags), 72valid characters

character flags, 71variables

bold text denotation, 10Vertical Scroll property

MLE controls, 45

Index


W

widthtable columns, 50

windowssee also forms, 15

Z

Zero Size check boxSelect a Control dialog box, 57

sa-application interface software expert version 5.0 designer guide

Documents