Required and Other Attributes

In addition to those in the Set list, other field attributes appear on the Attributes for Field frame, as summarized here.

(Required) Specifies the name by which a field is known to VIFRED. On a default form, the default internal name is the table column name. On a form created by the user, the default internal name is the title entered by the user (with any non‑legal characters removed). The character limit is 32 (for databases compliant with ANSI/ISO Entry SQL‑92 standards, see Naming and Name Use Conventions). A specification in this field is required. You initially enter this specification during the Create Field or Create Table Field procedure.

(Required) Specifies the data type of the column in the database table that corresponds to the field on the form. A specification in this field is required. VIFRED automatically supplies an initial entry when the field is created, for fields on a default form or table field columns created with the GetTableDef operation.

(Required) Indicates a NULL value is valid, if set to y. An n indicates that the NULL value is invalid. A specification in this field is required.

Enters a specified value in a field automatically when a form is used. The character limit is 50. This attribute applies to simple fields only, and is required. Not displayed for derived fields.

Checks entered data to see if it meets the criteria established for the field. The default is no validation. The character limit is 240. Not displayed for derived fields.

Error message to be displayed when data entered is not valid. The default is none and the character limit is 100. Not displayed for derived fields.

If set to y, makes the field a derived field, whose value is calculated from a derivation formula that you specify.

Contains the formula used to calculate the value of a derived field. Displayed only if the Derived field is set to y. This is a scrollable field, which can contain up to 240 characters and displays 50 characters at a time.

(Required) Changes current color (on color terminals and monitors), using a numeric code. The default is zero (0) or default color. A specification in this field is required.

(Required if showing) Defines a text field as scrollable, if set t y. The default is n (non‑scrollable). Displayed only for a character data type (single line, non‑justified format). A specification in this field is required.