4GL Access: RW

The Columns attribute defines the number of columns in the matrix field.

The Columns attribute is reset whenever OpenROAD removes an empty column from the matrix field. OpenROAD removes empty columns from a matrix field if its CollapsePolicy attribute is set to either CP_BOTH or CP_COLUMNS. (For more information, see CollapsePolicy Attribute.)

If the CollapsePolicy attribute setting is CP_NONE or CP_ROWS, you can create empty columns in the matrix field by setting the Columns attribute to a number higher than the number of occupied columns in the matrix field. For example, if your matrix field has three occupied columns and its CollapsePolicy attribute is set to CP_NONE, you can set the Columns attribute to five to create two empty columns.

You cannot set the Columns attribute to a number lower than the number of occupied columns in the matrix field.