Working with Tables

Moving a table relative to other fields on the page. 2

Maintaining table properties. 2

Maintaining column properties. 4

Multiple column operations. 4

Scrolling. 4

Controlling widths. 5

Setting texts. 5

Add a table to a page

To add a new table, click the Add table icon from the toolbar or right-click on an existing field and select (Add à Table) from the pop-up menu available. If the form already contains one or more tables, you will be asked whether you want to create a new table or use an existing table. The existing table option allows you to present the same table on multiple pages or even many times on the same page. Each presentation can have differing presentation properties, e.g. one may be display only, different columns can be shown etc, however the underlying table data (i.e. the table cell values) remains the same for all presentations.

If 'new table' is selected, the following dialog box is displayed:

Resource: the resource to be used as a backing resource for the table. This is not mandatory, but if selected the fetchtable and updatetable FPL script commands are then available to load and save table data. The dropdown list shows resources in the business view associated with the form which are not being used by other tables. Currently, only database resources can be a backing resource for a table. A database table resource can only be used by one table in the form and each table can have at most one database table resource associated with it. (See Working with Databases for more information)

Table Name: name of the new table (this is required)

Table Column Prefix: a unique prefix name which is used to create field names for table columns. If you type in a Table Name, the prefix automatically will be the same as the table name. The prefix can also be changed independently of the Table Name. The significance of this prefix is when columns are added to the table, the name of that column's field is automatically prepended with the Table Columns' Prefix (and a separator character). The default column header text, however, will be the name without the prefix. If you reference any table column (such as in a script), it is the field name that is used and this always includes its prefix. This is the reason that this attribute is entitled Table Columns' Prefix in the dialogs.

Adding fields (columns) to the table

Three ways are provided to add columns to the table under the heading Select fields to copy and create as table columns:

By selecting existing fields within the form
By creating new fields.
By importing fields from the selected resource.

These three methods can be used in combination.

To copy existing fields, click the Copy existing fields button. A dialog box appears that will contain existing fields. When the field is copied to the table, the name of the newly copied field will begin with the table column prefix string.

To create a new field, click the Create new field button. The table column prefix is always added as the first part of the new field name.

To import fields from a resource, click the Import fields from resource button, then select the required resource fields from the pop-up dialog box. This will include the selected fields as columns and also create mappings between the form field and the resource field. The table column prefix will automatically be added as the first part of the new field name.

After using the 3 buttons to copy/create/import fields, you then have the option to select/deselect whichever fields you require from the list. The Mapped to source column is provided for information and provides a list of the resources to which the field is mapped. Notice that the table column prefix string is always added as the first part of a field name.

IF THE TABLE COLUMN PREFIX IS CHANGED, ALL OF THE FIELDS WITHIN THIS TABLE WILL BE RENAMED USING THE NEW PREFIX.

The new table appears in the graphical view as shown in the example below:

Moving a table relative to other fields on the page

A table can be repositioned on a page in the same way as for other fields on the page. The table is moved by dragging the table title ( <no table title set> in the example above ). To move another field (or table) after the table, drop the field onto the table title.

Maintaining table properties

All operations on the entire table are performed by right-clicking on the table title ( <no table title set> in the example above ). This presents a pop-up menu as shown below:

Group presents a further dialog that allows the table to be grouped with other fields or tables on the same page.

Ungroup removes the table from an existing group.

Delete deletes the entire table.

Table… (see below)

Add... presents the same dialog as for fields on a page, allowing the insertion of additional fields after the table.

Insert part-page component allows the insertion of a component after the table.

Hide Hidden Fields acts as a toggle switch to display or hide all hidden fields on a page in the designer view.

Hide Unset Text acts as a toggle switch to display or hide empty texts on a page in the designer view.

Edit Table Properties (see below)

Edit actions presents an additional dialog where the before and after table event scripts can be specified.

Table... presents a further sub-menu:

Add columns can be used to add additional columns to the table and presents a dialog similar to the one described under add a table to a page.

Validate checks the validity of a table.

Set resource can be used to change the backing resource for the table.

Set number of visible rows controls the number of rows presented to the user.

Show row info controls whether or not the informational text showing number of records is displayed

Selectable directs the system to insert a Select checkbox column as the leftmost column. This allows the user to select one or more columns.

Supports Add Row directs the system to insert an Add Row button at the bottom left of the displayed table. When clicked, this will insert a new blank row at the bottom of the table.

Supports Delete Row directs the system to insert a Delete checkbox column as the rightmost column. This allows the user to delete one or more columns.

Create External Resource can be used to create an external resource from this table.

Edit table properties presents a further dialog box:

Table Name allows the name of the table to be changed. The table prefix may also change.

Table Columns' Prefix allows the prefix to be changed independently of the Table Name.

WARNING: If the table column prefix is changed, all of the fields within the table will be renamed.

Any scripts containing the old field names will have to be changed to reflect the new field names.

Template sheet provides the name of the template sheet within the presentation template to use when presenting the table

Table width specifies the total width to be occupied by the table as a percentage. See controlling widths for more information.

No. visible rows controls the number of rows presented to the user.

Table supports adding rows directs the system to insert an Add Row button at the bottom left of the displayed table. When clicked, this will insert a new blank row at the bottom of the table.

Table supports deleting rows directs the system to insert a Delete checkbox column as the rightmost column. This allows the user to delete one or more columns.

Table rows are selectable directs the system to insert a Select checkbox column as the leftmost column. This allows the user to select one or more columns.

Display number of records info directs the system to display the row numbers of the rows currently visible and the total number of rows in the table.

Display column headers directs the system to display column headers for the table. If display column headers checkbox is selected, the columns headers are displayed if:

1. The table contains data.

2. The table contains no data and Table supports adding rows checkbox is selected (see table properties above).

The Texts tab can be used to set the table title, information, trailer and summary texts.

Maintaining column properties

All operations on a table column are performed via the column header text. To reposition a column relative to other columns, drag the column header. To alter a column width relative to other columns, drag the separator line on the right-hand side of the column header.

Right-clicking on the column header presents a pop-up menu:

Add columns can be used to add additional columns to the table and presents a dialog similar to the one described under add a table to a page.

Add button column allows the addition of a column containing a button.

Delete removes the table column from the table.

Move to.. allows the column to be moved to another horizontal scroll view.

Fixed indicates that the column is always displayed regardless of which horizontal view is displayed. Fixed columns are automatically moved to the left hand side of the table and separated from non-fixed columns by a thicker separator line.

Sortable indicates that the column can be sorted by the user by clicking on sort icons in the column header.

Mandatory indicates that a value is required for all rows where the column is displayed.

Hidden indicates the column is not displayed to the user.

Display Only indicates that the user cannot enter or change information in the column. (See controlling widths)

Immediate Validation indicates that control should be passed immediately to the server when a value is changed by the user.

Hyperlink indicates that each column table cell will appear to the user as a hyperlink (blue and underlined). When clicked, the system will run the on click event for the table cell field.

Edit column properties presents an additional dialog where all properties of the form field can be changed.

Edit actions presents an additional dialog where the field event scripts can be specified.

Multiple column operations

Many column operations can be performed on multiple columns. To do this, select multiple columns by holding down the SHIFT key (select a range) or the CTRL key (individual selection) and clicking on the required column headers, then right-click to present the multiple column pop-up menu.

Scrolling

Tables can be scrolled both vertically and horizontally.

Vertical scrolling is controlled by setting the number of lines to be displayed in the table properties. The system automatically inserts the scrolling control when scrollable data exists. The scrolling control is configured in the presentation template by clicking the Tables... button, then clicking the Table Scrolling button. A large number of options are available to configure the display of the scrolling control; a preview is provided within the configuration dialog.

Horizontal scrolling is controlled by creating a number of horizontal scrolling views. On creation, a table consists of just one horizontal view and additional horizontal views are created by moving columns by right-clicking on the column header, selecting move to... and selecting a page other than 1 from the dropdown list. The system automatically inserts scrolling icons at the top right of the table to allow the user to scroll through all available horizontal views. These icons are specified in the presentation template associated with the form and can be changed if desired. In Ebase Designer, the horizontal scrolling icons are also used to move between views.

Columns marked as Fixed are displayed in all horizontal views.

Controlling widths

Tables are always left-aligned on the displayed page. The right margin of the table can be controlled by setting the table width property (default 100%). Within this total available width, the relative width of each table column can be adjusted by dragging the right edge of each individual column header cell.

If a table column is editable (i.e. not display only) then the length of the displayed entry field in each cell will take precedence over the declared column width. For example, if a table column field is defined with a display length of 60 but with a small column width, the display length will be honoured and the column will appear much wider than expected. This can lead to unexpected display problems, for example the need to scroll the browser window horizontally to view all data and the horizontal scroll icon To overcome this problem, reduce the display lengths for all editable column fields to be equal to or smaller than the column width set in Ebase Designer. If necessary, increase the maximum display length value so more data can be entered.

Display length and maximum display length can be set on the presentation tab of column properties available from the table column popup menu (right-click on column header).

Setting texts

All texts can be changed by double-clicking on the displayed text. Additionally texts can be changed in multiple languages by clicking the Maintain Language Texts Icon from the form toolbar.