Types of Fields

WinStudio uses a variety of field types to present options and information. It is at the field level that changes to records take place, so it is a good idea to understand the different types of fields as described in this table:

Type Description
Input fields Input fields allow you to enter information to be saved with the record. The type of input (whether alphabetic only, numeric only, alphanumeric, or other) depends on how the field is defined.

For more information about a particular input field, see the online help for that field.

The background color of the field indicates how you are intended to use it. For more information, see About Field Types and Background Colors

Lists Lsts are intended primarily to allow you to select an item from a list that is displayed when you click the arrow. However, in many lists, you can type in particular values you want or values to use as the basis for a Find operation.

List fields come in two types: Business-data lists and option lists. For more information about these list types and how to use them, see About Lists in Fields.

Check boxes Check boxes typically represent an on/off option. When selected, a check mark appears inside the box (as in the example here), and the option is considered "on." When it is cleared (that is, the check box is empty), the option is considered "off."

Check boxes are often presented in groups where several related options can all be either selected or not.

Option buttons Option buttons (sometimes known as "radio buttons") are typically used for a group of mutually exclusive options. In these cases, only one option can be selected. In most cases, all options are not selected until you actually select one.

In grid columns, the cell displays the selected option, if any.