Re: Oracle Forms and formatting with Display Items
Date: 11 May 1998 16:06:23 GMT
Message-ID: <6j77lv$t8k1_at_hendrix.csufresno.edu>
In article <35506B4A.7205_at_lmco.com>, Kim Simons <kim.simons_at_lmco.com>
wrote:
> I am a new user to Developer 2000 - Oracle Forms. I am trying to
> create a form that just displays data from the database. I would
> like to use the Display Item type for the items, but I need to be
> able to format the items in a specific way differently than they are
> stored in the database. I tried using the Text Item, but I don't
> like how it makes the user think he/she can type in that field.
> Does anyone have any ideas how I can do this?
Because the "Display Item" Item Type does not allow a format mask, and for other reasons, we do not use them. Instead, we use "Text Item" everywhere. Just set the following properties to False on the display-only items: Navigable, Insert Allowed and Update Allowed
You can also change the background color of the display-only items, so the user doesn't get confused between these and the updateable items. We use a property class named DISPLAYITEM in our forms to set this, and all works well.
Users can still click the mouse on the display-only items, placing the cursor there, but we like this feature. It allows them to "point to" the field while they are working with the item. It helps them to focus on the field.
If you want to do more than include a format mask on the display-only item (as you say later in this thread), you can do this: Make the base-table item a non-display item, and create a non-base-table item in a control block that you use to display the contents. In a post-query trigger (or somewhere else in your display processing), provide the logic to copy the value from the hidden item to your displayed item.
Regards,
Steve Cosner
http://members.aol.com/stevec5088
Downloadable Quick Access utility form: Display and update any table. Received on Mon May 11 1998 - 18:06:23 CEST