Online Field Attribute Desriptions
Size
The database definition determines the size, or length, of a field. You can change this attribute for a form. If you decrease a field size, the form truncates the value of the field. A form truncates a field from either the left or the right, depending on whether the field is right-justified or left-justified. For example, the form truncates a left-justified numeric field from the left. If the value of the field is 256,000.50, and you change the size from 8.2 to 6.2, the form displays 6,000.50.
Values
During database definition you can define a value list, or edit list, for a field. A value list is a group of values and value ranges, and their translations (descriptions). A value list defines the possible values a field can have. When you run a form, the program edits each input-type field against its value list. The only values you can type in the field are those in the value list.
You can paint the value or translation of a display-type field on a form. For example, the valid values of the Sex field are M and F. The translation for M is Male; the translation for F is Female. On the form, you can display the value (M, F), the translation (Male, Female), or both value and translation.
You can further define the value list of an input field when you paint the field on the form. If a field has a list of valid values defined in the database, the list defined for the painted field cannot include values outside of the database values.
For example, the valid values in the database definition for the field Company are 1 through 100. On the form, you can further limit the valid values of the Company field to 1 through 10. You cannot give the Company field values of 1 through 200 because the database definition does not allow values over 100.
Default
You can define a default value for an input-type field. If you do not type a value in the field when you run the form, the program enters the default value in the field. If the database definition of the field has a default value, the default value typed during form painting overrides the database default value.
Numeric Display Options
You can display numeric fields in several ways. The default is leading zeroes suppressed. The following table shows several display options and examples.
| Display option | Example |
|---|---|
| Commas | 1,900 |
| Dollar sign | $1,900 |
| Percent sign | 87% |
| Negative sign | 100- |
| CR sign for negative | 100CR |
| Parentheses for negative | (100) |
| Leading zeroes displayed | 000100 |
| Leading zeroes suppressed | 100 |
| Leading asterisks | ***100 |
Input Options
Some options you can define for input-type fields are whether the field is required or not required, displayed or secured, and protected or not protected.
You must type data in a required input field. Data is optional in a field that is not required. Key fields default to required, all other fields default to not required.
The form hides the value of a secured input-type field (some computers block out the field, others do not display it). You cannot access or view the value of a secured field. The program, however, can use the value to perform other form actions, such as selecting records, computing fields, updating records, and so on. You can view a display input-type field, and you can access it if it is not protected. The default displays.
You can type data in a not protected input-type field. You cannot type data in a protected input-type field, although the program can use the field value to update records. A protected input-type field and an output-type (non-input) field both display data on the form. The program cannot use an output-type field to perform other form actions, but it can use a protected input-type field. The default is not protected.
Key Numbers
Key numbers are alphanumeric codes of up to three characters that let you transfer data from form to form. To transfer the value of a field on one form to a field on another form, you must assign the same key number to both fields. The fields should be the same type and size. If they are not, the system truncates the value typed in a field on one form when it transfers the value to a smaller field with the matching key number on another form.
For example, the key number for the Company field on form PA10 is CO. The key number for the Company field on form PA12 is also CO. When you transfer from PA10 to PA12, the program moves the value in the Company field on PA10 to the Company field on PA12. To transfer data between fields, the fields do not have to have the same name, just the same key number.
For more information, see Defining a Transfer Menu.