Thank Razzak. On August 26, 2015 11:00:00 AM PDT, "A. Razzak Memon" <[email protected]> wrote: >Wednesday, August 26, 2015 > >Tip of the Day: Choosing the Right Form Control >Product: R:BASE eXtreme 9.5 (32/64) and R:BASE X (Version 10) >Build..: 9.5.5.20806, 10.0.1.10820 or higher >www.rbaseupdates.com >www.rupdates.com (Mirror Site) >www.rbaseX.com >Section.: Forms >Keywords: Controls, Combo Box, List Box, List View > >With the growing community of R:BASE users migrating their legacy DOS >databases and >applications to R:BASE eXtreme 9.5 (32/64) for Windows and now R:BASE >X (version 10), >it can be overwhelming when upgrading and/or designing forms. > >There are so many controls and so many options. > >A few have asked, and I felt inspired. So, here you go ... > >At times, application developers may be unsure what control/object to >add to a form, >when end users are requesting a menu to select from a list of preset >values. > >Based upon the how the list of information is to be displayed, where >the list of >available data resides, and if the selected item will be stored or >only captured, >there are different form control types that can be used to display the >perfect >option to the users. > >Control Display >--------------- >The type of control to add to a form depends on the amount of >available space on the >form and how the list of information is to be presented to the users. > >When limited space is available on forms, a "Combo Box" control is >ideal, as the list >of options to select is "dropped down" and visible when the control >is selected. > >If space is not a factor, "List Box" and "List View" controls are >available to present >a box-type object with a list of selections initially displayed. The >List Box presents >the list of data to select in a single column, and perhaps separated. >The List View >presents a list of data selections in multiple columns within a >grid-like display. The >objects consume a larger amount of space but can be sized accordingly. > >When the content within the Combo Box, List Box, or List View is >larger than visible >listing, a scroll bar is available to browse further content. > >Source of Data to Select >------------------------ >The source of data populating the control will determine the type of >control. If the >source is stored within a table, a "Lookup" control is to be used. >Otherwise, if the >list of options will be manually added and stored within the control, >a "User Defined" >control is used. A User Defined control can contain a small selection >of items >(e.g. Yes, No, Maybe) or a large list. In most cases, a "Lookup" >control is assigned. > >End Result for Selection >------------------------ >Another factor to decide what control to use is the "end result" to >take after the >item, or items, is selected by the user. If the selection is to be >stored directly >into a table, the "DB" control is used. If the selection must be >captured into a >variable, use the "Variable" type control. > >Controls and Examples of Use >---------------------------- >DB Lookup Combo Box - Displays a drop-down menu list of data pulled >from a table. The >selection is stored in another table. An example is a list of job >titles that can be >assigned to employees. The titles are stored in a different table >than the employees. > >DB Lookup List Box - Displays a box of listed data pulled from a >table. The selection >is stored in another table. An example is a list of vendors that can >be assigned to >an order. The vendors are stored in a different table than the orders. > >DB User Defined Combo Box - Displays a drop-down menu list of options >defined and >stored within the control. The selection is stored in a table. An >example is a drop- >down menu of predefined answers for a questionnaire. > >DB User Defined List Box - Displays a box of listed data defined and >stored within >the control. The selection is stored in a table. An example is a full >displayed list >of predefined answers for a questionnaire. > >DB Lookup List View - Displays a grid of listed data pulled from a >table. The selection >is stored in a table. An example is a grid of companies, with the >city and state aligned >in separate columns, that can be assigned to an order. The company >data stored in a >different table than the orders. > >Variable Lookup Combo Box - Displays a drop-down menu list of data >pulled from a table. >The selection is captured into a defined variable. An example is a >drop-down menu of >employees where the selection is used in further form processing. > >Variable Lookup List Box - Displays a box of listed data pulled from >a table. The >selection is captured into a defined variable. An example is a list >of dates where >transactions occurred for a specific month where the selection is >used in further form >processing. > >Variable User Defined Combo Box - Displays a drop-down menu list of >options defined and >stored within the control. The selection is captured into a defined >variable. An example >is a drop-down menu of print output options used in report processing. > >Variable User Defined List Box - Displays a box of listed data >defined and stored within >the control. The selection is captured into a defined variable. An >example is a list of >available reports used in report processing. > >Variable Lookup List View - Displays a grid of listed data pulled >from a table. The >selection is captured into a defined variable. An example is a grid >of transactions, >with details of quantity, prices, etc., aligned in separate columns. >The selection is >used in further form processing. > >Additional Controls >------------------- >Many other control types are available and can be added to R:BASE >forms based upon the >data presented to users. Be sure to review the other available >controls to provide the >best available appearance of the displayed data. > >Very Best R:egards, > >Razzak. > >www.rbase.com >www.rbaseX.com >www.facebook.com/rbase >-- >32 years of continuous innovation! >17 Years of R:BASE Technologies, Inc. making R:BASE what it is today! >--
-- Sent from my phone. Please excuse my brevity.
