SQL*FORMS Field Edit Utility

Form Title:   SQLFORMS FIELD EDITOR
 Form Name:   FLDEDIT.INP, FLDEDIT.DOC
        By:   Michele Greeder(AL/SCYDOV)

During the development of new forms utilizing Version 3.0 of SQL*Forms in Verson 6 or ORACLE, I found several occasions where it was necessary to modify the form in order to conform to the changing requirements of the customer. These requirements included such items as format changes to the date field, changes in the field attributes, and changes in the field editor or pop-up list of values. I found it to be both tedious and time-consuming to navigate through a multi-block form, from field to field and through a number of blocks, in order to change something such as a single attribute which effected multiple fields in the form. Because of the dynamic nature of the customer's requirements and the time involved in making the necessary changes to the fields in the form, I developed a SQL*Forms Field Editor form to be used to edit the field characteristics or attribtes of a form built with SQL*Forms.

The SQL*Forms Field Editor form serves two primary purposes; to provide a 'quick fix' to fields in a form and to provide a quick and efficient means of proof-reading designer entered text in a form. It provides a single block, single screen form containing the primary, updateable fields in a SQL*Forms field definition screen. The form contains such fields as individual field attributes, editor attributes, and field characteristics. There are no hidden pop-up windows or pages.

With the SQL*Forms Field Editor you have the ability to access any form that has been saved to the data base. A record query will bring up the forms under the current user's ID and password. One of the primary advantages of this form is the ability to remain on a field in the Field Editor form (such as the uppercase attribute) while stepping through all the fields in the form being modified. For example, you can navigate to the uppercase attribute field of the Field Editor form using the tab or enter key and once there, use the arrow keys to scroll through all fields in all blocks of the current form being modified without leaving the uppercase attribute field. This feature is especially usefull when a customer requests a major change to a form, such as a change to a large number of fields from uppercase to lowercase. Other field attributes which may require multiple changes due to a change in customer requirements include auto hint, required, and input allowed. A change to the date format could effect multiple fields and blocks in a form. It is extremely usefull and a great deal less time-consuming to make this change using the format mask field in the Field Editor form.

Finally, the Field Editor makes the job of editing designer entered text in a form, specifically in the Hint field. It is a quick and easy way in which you can scroll through the fields in the form and check for correct spelling, punctuation, continuity, and so on.

Pictured below is the data entry screen for the SQL*Forms Field Editor. The The .INP is located in a PC based BBS under the file name FLDEDIT. This document is also located in the BBS under the file name FLDEDIT.DOC. The phone number to access the BBS is (512)662-8605.

                          +-----------------------+
+-------------------------| SQLFORMS FIELD EDITOR |--------------------UTIL001-+


|                         +-----------------------+                            |

| Form Name  [CHAPTER5_________]      Form Title  [CHAPTER3__________________] |

|                                                                              |

| Block Name [ORDERS_______________]  Field Name  [ORDERDATE_________________] |

|                                                                              |

| Select Attributes         Field Len   [9__]      Editor Attributes           |

|   Primary Key    [N]      Query Len   [9__]      Field Ed:  X [0__]  Y [0__] |

|   Displayed      [Y]      Display Len [9__]      Word Wrap [Y]               |

|   Required       [N]                                                         |

|   Input Allowed  [Y]      Validation Unit [MM/DD/YY________________________] |

|   Update Allowed [Y]      Format Mask     [MM/DD/YY________________________] |

|   Update if Null [N]      Default Value [$$DATE$$__________________________] |

|   Query Allowed  [Y]                                                         |

|   Uppercase      [N]      Valid Range:  Low [_________]    High [__________] |

|   Echo Input     [N]                                                         |

|   Fixed Length   [N]      List of Values: Title [__________________________] |

|   Auto Hint      [N]      SQL Text [0_____________]   Pos:  X [0__]  Y [0__] |

|                                                                              |

| Hint [To_change_ORDERDATE,_type_a_new_date.________________________________> |


+------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

If you have any questions or require further information about this form, feel free to contact me through my EMAIL address (GREEDER_at_EIS.BROOKS.AF.MIL), mailing address (AL/SCYDO, Bldg 578, Brooks AFB, TX 78235-5601) or phone (512)536-3928 or (DSN)240-3928.

The Field Edit (fldedit.inp) file is available via anonymous FTP and is located in the pub/saoug:fldedit.inp_at_HRD769.BROOKS.AF.MIL. Comments may be directed to "saoug_at_hrd769.brooks.af.mil".

Compliments of San Antonio Oracle Users Group. Received on Wed Feb 03 1993 - 00:35:28 CET