Property Descriptions
AbsXLeft
Specifies the field's starting x-coordinate relative to the main form on the frame
Note: The absolute position properties (such as AbsXLeft and AbsYTop) specify position relative to the main form on the frame, while the relative position properties (such as XLeft and YTop) specify position relative to the field's immediate parent field.
AbsXRight
Specifies the field's ending x-coordinate relative to the main form
AbsYBottom
Specifies the field's starting y-coordinate relative to the main form
AbsYTop
Specifies the field's ending y-coordinate relative to the main form
AllBias
Sets the initial bias of the field for all frame modes
For more information on field biases and frame modes, see
Field Biases.
AnchorPoint
Specifies a predetermined anchor point for the field. Valid options are:
AP_NONE
AP_TOPLEFT
AP_TOPCENTER
AP_TOPRIGHT
AP_CENTERLEFT
AP_CENTER
AP_CENTERRIGHT
AP_BOTTOMLEFT
AP_BOTTOMCENTER
AP_BOTTOMRIGHT
Note: Positioning by anchor point setting occurs at runtime. Attempts to change the size of an object leaves the anchor point at its original location.
BgBitmap
If set to Bitmap, specifies the graphic image used for the field's background when the BgPattern property is set to FP_BITMAP
Default: No Bitmap
BgColor
Lets you select a color from a color palette for the form's background
Default: CC_BACKGROUND
BgPattern
Lets you select a background pattern for the field. Valid options are:
FP_BITMAP*
FP_BITMAPCLEAR*
FP_CLEAR
FP_CROSSHATCH
FP_DARKSHADE
FP_HORIZONTAL
FP_LIGHTSHADE
FP_SHADE
FP_SOLID
FP_VERTICAL
FP_DEFAULT (system default value)
Default: FP_DEFAULT
Note: *If you set this property to FP_BITMAP, you also must set the BgBitmap property to a bitmap image. If the file is a transparent bitmap, set this property to FP_BITMAPCLEAR.
ClientText
Specifies user-definable text that can be stored and accessed at runtime as an attribute of the field
ControlField
If enabled, specifies that the end user is allowed to change the displayed value in the field without affecting the underlying data (the HasDataChanged property is not changed)
Cursor
Specifies a particular mouse cursor image associated with the field. The image can either be the default cursor, a predefined system cursor, or a custom cursor.
DataType
Specifies the data type of the field's variable (if one exists). Valid options are:
• Varchar—variable-length text, to 4096 characters
• Nvarchar—variable-length text, to 2048 characters
• Smallint—a two-byte integer
• Integer—a four-byte integer
• Float—a decimal number
• Money
• Date
• StringObject—an unlimited-length text string
• Class
Depending on the type of field, the data type can be a simple data type, such as Date or Varchar, or it can be a class name (either a user-defined class or one of the system classes).
scalar fields
You must use a simple data type
multiline entry fields
You can select Varchar or StringObject. Selecting StringObject enables the field to hold text of an unlimited length. If you select Varchar, you must specify the maximum length of the field. Selecting any of the other data types (Smallint, Integer, Float, Money, or Date) defaults to a single-line entry field. For more information, see
Single-line Entry Fields.
composite field
To be assigned a data type, the child fields of the composite must match in name and data type the user class or system class that is being assigned to it.
Note: If you are not mapping a composite field to a defined class, do not set this property.
table field
The data type must be an array of the specified class, and the names and data types of the column fields of the table field must match the names and data types of the attributes of the assigned class.
For more information about specifying data types for field variables, see the Programming Guide.
Declared
Specifies whether OpenROAD declares a variable for the field at compile time
Default: TRUE
DefaultString
Specifies the value of the field when the DefaultValue property is set to DV_STRING. If not set, OpenROAD uses the data type's default format.
DefaultValue
Specifies the default value for the data type. This property determines how OpenROAD sets the field's initial value when the frame is run. Valid options are:
DV_SYSTEM
Specifies the default value for the data type. OpenROAD system defaults are:
• null if the field is nullable
• zero for the numeric non-nullable types
• blank for character non-nullable types
For a choice field, the default is the first value in its value list. If the data type is a system class, this setting automatically allocates an object of the type associated with the class.
DV_NULL
Behaves like DV_SYSTEM except that OpenROAD does not automatically allocate an object for class data types. Instead, it sets the associated reference variable to null.
DV_STRING
Directs OpenROAD to convert the value specified for the DefaultString property to the correct data type and assign that value to the field.
Note: You cannot use DV_STRING if the data type is a class name or blank.
Note: Default: DV_SYSTEM
FgColor
Specifies the foreground color of the field
Default: CC_FOREGROUND
Note: Setting the FgColor property sets an internal value. If the field is currently in reverse, that is, the IsReverse property is set to TRUE, the current background color changes. When the field is not in reverse video, the foreground color changes.
FocusBehavior
Determines whether clicking this field causes the previous field to be exited and whether the Tab key moves the cursor to this field.
Gravity
If a field is a child of a stack field or matrix field, specifies its alignment with respect to the stack field cell or matrix field cell that contains it. If a field is a child of a subform, this property specifies its alignment relative to the subform. Valid alignment options are:
FA_DEFAULT (system default value)
FA_NONE
FA_TOPCENTER
FA_TOPLEFT
FA_TOPRIGHT
FA_CENTERLEFT
FA_CENTER
FA_CENTERRIGHT
FA_BOTTOMCENTER
FA_BOTTOMLEFT
FA_BOTTOMRIGHT
Note: If a field is in a stack field or matrix field and its Gravity is FA_DEFAULT, OpenROAD uses the ChildGravity property setting for the stack field or matrix field to determine the field's position in its cell. For more information about the Gravity and ChildGravity properties, see
Gravity.
Height
Specifies the height of the field, measured in 1000ths of an inch
Note: When you create a field dynamically, its size and position default to 0, so you must set some combination of properties (such as XLeft, YTop, Height, and Width) to give the field a real size and position.
IsBold
Specifies whether text is displayed in boldface. Possible values are:
TRUE
Specifies boldface
FALSE
Does not specify boldface
IsItalic
Specifies whether text is displayed in italics. Possible values are:
TRUE
Specifies italics
FALSE
Does not specify italics
IsMoveBounded
Specifies whether the end user may move child fields outside the boundary of the composite field, that is, its parent field. Possible values are:
TRUE
Specifies that the end user may move child fields outside the boundary of the composite field
FALSE
Specifies that the end user may not move child fields outside the boundary of the composite field
Default: TRUE for all composite field types except flexible forms and table fields. (This property is not available for table fields.)
Note: This property is available only when the child field has a field bias of FB_MOVEABLE and only when the end user attempts to move the field, not when the application does.
IsNullable
Specifies whether the variable can be set to null. Possible settings are:
TRUE
Specifies that the variable can be null
FALSE
Specifies that the variable cannot be null
If the data type of the field is a class, this property is always TRUE.
IsPlain
Specifies whether any text on the field is to be displayed in plain style. Possible settings are:
TRUE
Sets IsBold and IsItalic to FALSE
FALSE
Does not modify IsBold and IsItalic
IsResizeBounded
Specifies whether the end user can resize child fields within the composite field. Possible settings are:
TRUE
Specifies that the end user cannot resize child fields
FALSE
Specifies that the end user can resize child fields beyond the borders of the composite field, although they still are kept within the composite itself
Default: FALSE for all composite field types except flexible forms, subforms, and table fields. (This property is not available for table fields.)
IsReverse
Specifies whether the field is currently displayed in reverse video, which means that the BgColor value is used for all foreground elements of the field—such as text—and the FgColor value is used for the field's background. Possible values are:
TRUE
Indicates that the field is currently in reverse video
FALSE
Indicates that the field is not in reverse video
Default: FALSE
Note: TRUE does not change the values of the BgColor and FgColor properties, only the way they are used.
LayerSequence
Specifies a field's sequence number within the layering, that is, the back-to-front order of fields within the two form layers (the field layer and the shape layer). The field that is farthest in the back is numbered 1. The default is determined by the order of creation.
You can move a field or shape to the bottom of its layer by setting this property to 1, and you can move a shape or field to the top of its layer by setting LayerSequence to any value greater than or equal to the number of objects in the layer.
LineColor
Specifies the color of a line segment or the perimeter line of an ellipse or rectangle shape
Default: CC_FOREGROUND
LineStyle
Specifies the style of either a line segment or the perimeter line of an ellipse or rectangle shape. Valid options are:
LS_DEFAULT (system default value)
LS_SOLID
LS_DASH
LS_DOT
LS_DASHDOT
LS_DASHDOTDOT
The following LineStyle options are available only if the LineWidth property is set to LW_DEFAULT or LW_MINIMUM:
LS_DASH
LS_DOT
LS_DASHDOT
LS_DASHDOTDOT
LineWidth
Specifies the width of a line segment or the perimeter line of an ellipse or rectangle shape. Valid options are:
LW_DEFAULT (system default value)
LW_NOLINE
LW_MINIMUM
LW_EXTRATHIN
LW_VERYTHIN
LW_THIN
LW_MIDDLE
LW_THICK
LW_MAXIMUM
MouseDownText
Specifies the text that appears in the frame's status bar when the cursor is positioned over the field and the primary mouse button is clicked
MouseMoveText
Specifies the text that appears in the frame's status bar when the cursor moves over the field
Name
Specifies the name of the variable associated with the field. This name must be a valid OpenROAD name. You cannot have two fields with the same name (unless they belong to different composite fields with different names).
IMPORTANT! In OpenROAD, the following objects can be named: applications, classes, components, databases, database tables and columns, parameters, procedures, user events, and variables. The rules for these names, or alphanumeric identifiers, are as follows:
• Names can contain up to 32 characters.
• Names must begin with an alphabetic character or an underscore (_).
• In addition to letters and numerals, a name may contain these characters: #, @, and $.
• Names are not case sensitive.
• A name may not be a reserved word (see the 4GL Keywords section in the “System Constants and Keywords” appendix of the Language Reference Guide).
Note: You cannot change this property at runtime because 4GL cannot dynamically use different variable names for the same object.
Orientation
Specifies whether to display the field vertically or horizontally. Valid options are:
FO_DEFAULT (system default value)
FO_VERTICAL
FO_HORIZONTAL
Default: FO_VERTICAL
OuterHeight
Specifies the absolute height of a field (in 1000ths of an inch), which is a value equal to the value specified for the field's Height property plus the size of its border lines and shadows
OuterWidth
Specifies the absolute width of a field (in 1000ths of an inch), which is a value equal to the value specified for the field's Width property plus the size of its border lines and shadows
OutlineColor
Specifies the color of the border around a field or the shadow of its bounding box
Default: CC_SYS_HIGHLIGHT for tab bars; otherwise, CC_FOREGROUND
Note: If OutlineStyle is set to OS_SOLID or the OS_DEFAULT setting is treated as OS_SOLID, the OutlineColor property setting is enforced.
OutlineStyle
Specifies the style of the outline for the field. Valid options are:
OS_DEFAULT
OS_SOLID
OS_SHADOW
OS_3D
OS_STANDARD
OS_RAISED
OS_SUNKEN
OS_GROUPBOX
OS_FLAT (OptionFields only)
OutlineWidth
Specifies the width of a field's border or the shadow of its bounding box. Valid options are:
LW_DEFAULT (system default value)
LW_NOLINE
LW_MINIMUM
LW_EXTRATHIN
LW_VERYTHIN
LW_THIN
LW_MIDDLE
LW_THICK
LW_MAXIMUM
QueryBias
Specifies the bias of the field when the frame's CurMode property is set to FM_QUERY
For more information on field biases and frame modes, see
Field Biases.
ReadBias
Specifies the bias of the field when the frame's CurMode property is set to FM_READ.
For more information on field biases and frame modes, see
Field Biases.
RequireRealField
Specifies whether a field is associated with a widget rather than taking advantage of performance and size enhancements provided for some fields by OpenROAD. A widget is a toolkit control often associated with a field. Possible settings are:
TRUE
Allows the field to be manipulated by the Bring to Front and Send to Back commands on the Layout menu. The field appears above other active fields and behaves in a manner consistent with other fields. The field has a widget associated with it.
FALSE
Specifies that, for a single-line entry field, free trim (except one whose bias is Changeable or Landable), or a non-default button field, OpenROAD creates the field, simulating the appearance and behavior of an equivalent form object created by your toolkit
Note: The primary disadvantage of using a field without the toolkit control is that such fields appear below fields created by the toolkit (real fields). Therefore, attempts to overlap real fields with those simulated by OpenROAD fail. If layering is important and speed improvements achieved by using nonreal fields, consider grouping sets of fields inside of subforms or flexible forms. For more detailed information about toolkit controls and layering fields, see the Programming Guide.
Default: FALSE (except for box trim fields)
SeparatorColor
Specifies the color of the lines that separate matrix field or stack field components
Default: CC_FOREGROUND
SeparatorStyle
Specifies the style of the lines that separate matrix field or stack field components. Valid options are:
LS_DEFAULT (system default value)
LS_SOLID
LS_DASH
LS_DOT
LS_DASHDOT
LS_DASHDOTDOT
SeparatorWidth
Specifies the width of the lines that separate matrix field or stack field components. Valid options are:
LW_DEFAULT (system default value)
LW_NOLINE
LW_MINIMUM
LW_EXTRATHIN
LW_VERYTHIN
LW_THIN
LW_MIDDLE
LW_THICK
LW_MAXIMUM
Default: LW_DEFAULT
TabSeqNum
Directs the order in which fields within a composite field receive input focus from the keyboard as the Tab key is pressed. Depending on this setting, the field will be inserted in the existing tab sequence at the specified location. For more information, see
Tab Sequencing.
ToolTipText
Specifies descriptive text that is displayed when the end user points to a field with the cursor
TypeFace
Specifies the typeface for any text that is displayed on a field. Valid options are:
TF_SYSTEM (system font)
TF_COURIER
TF_HELVETICA
TF_LUCIDA
TF_NEWCENTURY
TF_TIMESROMAN
TF_NATIVE_FONT
TypeFaceName
Specifies any valid font name that can be set here when TypeFace is TF_NATIVE_FONT
TypeSize
Sets the point size for a specified typeface
UpdateBias
Specifies the bias of the field when the frame's CurMode property is set to FM_UPDATE.
For more information on field biases and frame modes, see
Field Biases.
User1Bias
Specifies the bias of the field when the frame's CurMode property is set to FM_USER1.
For more information on field biases and frame modes, see
Field Biases.
User2Bias
Specifies the bias of the field when the frame's CurMode property is set to FM_USER2.
For more information on field biases and frame modes, see
Field Biases.
User3Bias
Specifies the bias of the field when the frame's CurMode property is set to FM_USER3.
For more information on field biases and frame modes, see
Field Biases.
ValueList
Specifies the items displayed by a choice field (that is, list field, list view, option field, radio field, or palette field) and their corresponding integer values using the Value List dialog
Width
Specifies the width of the field in 1000ths of an inch
Note: When you create a field dynamically, its size and position default to 0, so you must set some combination of properties (such as XLeft, YTop, Height, and Width) to give the field a real size and position.
XAnchorPoint
Used with the YAnchorPoint property to position a field by setting relevant anchor point values. Its value represents a position that is relative to the field's parent. Changes to XLeft, YTop, AbsXLeft, or AbsYTop modify the associated values of XAnchorPoint (and YAnchorPoint) and vice versa.
XLeft
Specifies the x-coordinate (in 1000ths of an inch) of the left side of the field's bounding rectangle, relative to the field's parent.
Default: 0
Most fields are rectangular in shape. A bounding rectangle is the rectangular outer boundary of a field. For non-rectangular fields such as ellipses and line segments, the bounding rectangle is the smallest rectangle that can contain the field. Every field has a parent field (a composite field); this is true because the form itself is a composite field.
Notes:
• When you create a field dynamically, its size and position default to 0, so you must set some combination of properties (such as XLeft, YTop, Height, and Width) to give the field a real size and position.
• The relative position properties (such as XLeft and YTop) specify position relative to the field's immediate parent field, while the absolute position properties (such as AbsXLeft and AbsYTop) specify position relative to the main form on the frame.
XRight
Specifies the x-coordinate (in 1000ths of an inch) of the right side of the field's bounding rectangle, relative to the field's parent
Default: 0
Note: For more information about bounding rectangles, see the XLeft property.
YAnchorPoint
Used in conjunction with the XAnchorPoint property to position a field by setting relevant anchor point values. Its value represents a position that is relative to the field's parent. Changes to XLeft, YTop, AbsXLeft, or AbsYTop modify the associated values of YAnchorPoint (and XAnchorPoint) and vice versa.
YBottom
Specifies the y-coordinate (in 1000ths of an inch) of the bottom of the field's bounding rectangle, relative to the field's parent.
Default: 0
Note: For more information about bounding rectangles, see the XLeft property.
YTop
Specifies the y-coordinate (in 1000ths of an inch) of the top of the field's bounding rectangle, relative to the field's parent.
Default: 0
Note: For more information about bounding rectangles, see the XLeft property.