Tk2Motif.rgb and Forms 4 Summary

Thanks to all who responded. It seems like quite a few of us have the same problem!

Oracle Support also called me back (not long after this message was posted!). I was told that Forms, when creating a default block, uses a hard-coded font for the boilerplate. In order to get this changed I was told I need to submit an enhancement request with my sales rep. This "enhancement" is not currently being encorporated into 4.5 .

As far as changing the item color I was also told that it cannot be done (other than through a visual attribute). Forms 4.5 will either provide this capability or the capability to change the visual attributes for groups of items (instead of one at a time) - I can't remember which.

We are going to request the 4.0.13 update as attisha_at_wimsey.com suggested and will anxiously await 4.5!

Here's the full response:
>>From attisha_at_wimsey.com Tue Sep 27 14:08:10 1994
>A client of mine is running the same thing. We have experienced some
>problems with 4.0.12 that have apparently been rectified in 4.0.13 (due
>out next month).
>
>: When I create a default block, the item (actually the box where the
>: data is entered/displayed) is the default font (Tk2Motif*fontList).
>: However the label is some other font which is much smaller than the
>: font specified by Tk2Motif*fontList. This mystery font doesn't match
>: any font entry in Tk2Motif.rgb . Does anyone know how to specify the
>: default font for the field label? I can change the font from the
>: designer after the default block is created but this is not
>: satisfactory since we will be building 200+ forms!
>
>The fontList only applies to Motif specific objects in the display. It does
>not apply to logical attributes of Forms objects. You need to modify the
>However, I haven't had much success with this. The trick is to select an
>existing object with the font you want before hitting the Text button on the
>toolbar. This will apply the attributes of the previously selected object
>to the current object.
>
>: In addition does anyone know how to change the default color of the
>: item (again the box where the data is displayed) without creating a
>: Visual Attribute? I came close one time playing with the Tk2Motif
>: parameters but when pop-up windows overlaying the form were closed,
>: the overlaid portion of the form was not redrawn.
>
>One possible solution would be to change the colour palette to overwrite the
>colour for the object in question to your desired colour. In order to be
>cross-platform compatible, Forms uses a virtual graphics system and ignores
>OS windows-specific defaults for Forms objects. This seems, at first flush,
>to be a pain in the buttocks, but it actually eases portability. Believe it
>or not, we are able to generate MS Windows and Motif versions from the same
>binaries with not modification at all (except cosmetic procedures to resize
>buttons).
>.
>.
>.
>Mark Attisha
>---------------------------------------------------------------
>Ingram Group Consulting Inc.Tel:(604) 687-3993
>Suite 85, 200 Granville StreetFax:(604) 687-0500
>Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4Email:attisha_at_acm.org
>CANADA
Karlene Audd Received on Thu Sep 29 1994 - 14:46:15 CET