Completing forms

To move from one field to the next, use the Tab key or use the mouse to place the cursor in the field you want to complete. This is the standard way of moving between fields in Windows applications.

To move between groups of fields on a form, press Enter or click OK to validate your entries so far. This ensures that your data is checked for invalid entries at regular intervals.

If you choose File, Exit or the Exit button, SunSystems attempts to validate your entries. To discard changes, click Cancel.

Entering Data in Grids

You can type into text fields or select from drop-down lists, calendars or query windows; however, option buttons are represented as drop-down lists and check boxes appear in separate columns of the grid.

You may find it easiest to use the grid to navigate to the record you require, then switch to the form view to amend data. This is only possible if the function you selected is able to display both views.

Note: Some forms have been designed with grid entry as the standard entry method, and, for convenience, some functions have been designed so that you can use grid and form entry simultaneously.

Scrolling through Auto-complete Data

Use the F3 key to scroll through a list of auto-complete data for the current field type. This may facilitate data entry if you are entering several lines of the same type.

Note: This scroll only applies to information stored in database tables.

Note: You can only scroll through values you have entered since you opened the form. After you close the form, entries are no longer cached.

Auto-complete to End of Record

The Shift + F7 key combination can be used to copy the values in the fields from the current cursor position to the end of the record or screen.

The F7 key can then be used to paste the stored values from the current cursor position.

Note: If F7 is pressed when the cursor is not at the same position as Shift + F7, unexpected results may occur.

An important use of the Shift + F7 and F7 combination is when creating similar records within a static data maintenance function.

Note: F7 is slightly different to the equivalent functionality from SunSystems 4, as it does not copy the previous record, but the stored values from the last entry of Shift + F7.