Control - Edit box (numeric)

This topic describes the associated properties of the Edit box (numeric) control.

X Position

This property specifies the x co-ordinate of the control relative to its parent and is specified in pixels.

Y Position

This property specifies the y co-ordinate of the control relative to its parent and is specified in pixels.

Width

This is the width of the control, specified in pixels.

Height

This is the height of the control, which is specified in pixels.

Fg Colour

Select any system color you want as a foreground color for your selected control. The Use Windows Systems Color box refers to colors specified in your Windows Desktop settings, which are user specific. However, if you wish to select a fixed color from the standard palette, deselect the Use Windows Systems Colour check box and select the desired color.

Note: Changing the foreground and background color within the frame properties on the Properties bar, only changes the frame caption, not the frame itself.

Bg Colour

Select any system color you want as a background color for your selected control. The Use Windows Systems Colour box refers to colors specified in your Windows Desktop settings, which are user specific. However, if you wish to select a fixed color from the standard palette, uncheck the Use Windows Systems Colour check box and select the desired color.

If Parent Bg Colour is set to True, Bg Colour is disabled.

Note: Changing the foreground and background color within the frame properties on the Properties bar, only changes the frame caption, not the frame itself.

Alt Fg Colour

Select any system color as an alternative foreground color for your selected control. You can choose from a wider selection of colors by unchecking the Use Windows System Colours box. The default system color depends on the type of control being used.

Alt Bg Colour

Select any system color as an alternative background color for your selected control. You can choose from a wider selection of colors by unchecking the Use Windows System Colours box. The default system color depends on the type of control being used.

Font Details

This property shows the style and size of the font control. From the Font Details property you can change the size of the font and any combination of Bold, Italic, and Underline. The property displays Normal if no style has been specified. You can change the default font from the View menu by selecting Form Properties.

Justification

This property allows you to change the justification of the text within the control. The options are Near or Far.

Enabled

This property indicates whether the control is editable at runtime. This property is set to False for non-entry items and cannot be changed. This property is initially set to True for entry data items but can be changed to False, if required. When the property is False controls at runtime are always read-only.

Note: If you change the colors for controls which are not enabled, the colors will not be visible at runtime.

Hidden

This property indicates whether the control is hidden at runtime. If you set this property to true the selected control is not shown at runtime. This property can be used to limit the permissions of certain controls for various operator groups.

Validation Program

External Developers Only

This property allows you to add your own validation to data items, in addition to the built in system validation. Within the property enter the name of your .DLL file. Please note that the external validation program is always executed before the SunSystems internal validation.

Validation Method

External Developers Only

The Validation Method property is only available when a validation program has been specified. The validation method is a textual reference that can be called by the validation program. This property can be left blank.

Auto Copy

Set the Auto Copy property to true if, during run-time, you want the data value of a particular control to be automatically copied to the next new record. It is recommended that Auto Copy is enabled on those data items where the run time value is likely to remain consistent, for example analysis codes. During run-time a user can change the copied value, so that this then becomes the duplicated value when the next new record is created/inserted. Auto Copy does not apply when records are edited using the Amend action. The Auto Copy also overrides the Default Value property, if set.

Note: You should not use Auto Copy on those data items that act as the primary key.

Max Chars

This property allows you to specify the maximum number of characters that you can enter into the selected control at run-time. The default for this property varies, according to the data item default set in the Data Dictionary.

Display As

This property states how a selected data item is to be displayed. The pull down list shows the three options available, you can have the control displayed as its default control type at runtime, a Simple Label or a Label with Border. If you choose to have one of the dynamic label options for the Display As property at runtime, the control will appear as a label on the form.

Default Value

This property contains the valid values for the selected control. Select which value you want as the default at runtime. It is mandatory for radio button groups and check box controls to have default values.

Note: If you are using Form Designer to create a runtime entry form for a filter created in Filter Designer (FLD), and the filter has an operator of In List which is set to runtime entry, your runtime entry form will contain a multiselection list box. Default values for multiselection list boxes are not displayed in the Properties bar and must be edited using the procedure described in Configuring data item values.
Note:  To define default values for the function Inventory Inquiry (INQ) you should set them using Security Console or User Manager.

Decimal Separator

This property specifies whether to use an alternative decimal separator character as specified by Decimal Separator Char or the SunSystems provided decimal separator character. The options are Specify Below or SunSystems Default.

Decimal Sep Char

This property denotes the alternative character, which should be used to replace the SunSystems decimal separator, if the Decimal Separator property is set to Specify Below.

Leading Zero

This property specifies if leading zeros should be displayed in the control. There are two available options:

  • Leave Unchanged - for example, leading zeros remain.
  • Specify Below - allows you to edit the Leading Zero Char property immediately below, to any alternative character to replace leading zeros.

Leading Zero Char

Providing the Leading Zero property field is set to Specify Below, you can insert any alternative character in this box.

Decimal Places

This property specifies whether to use a user specified number of decimal places for numerics, or one of the various SunSystems defined values. The options for this property are SunSystems Default (0), Base Currency, Transaction Currency and Report Currency.

Num Dec Places

This property is dependent upon the Decimal Places property. If the Decimal Places property is set to Specify Below you can set Num Dec Places to any number between 0-9. The default for this property varies, according to the value set for the data item in the Data Dictionary.

Thousands Separator

This property can be set to True or False. It specifies whether to use the character in the Thousands Sep Char box instead of the default SunSystems thousands separator character.

Thousands Sep Char

You can enter an alternative character to be used as a thousands separator when the Thousands Separator property is set to Specify Below. Alternatively, use SunSystems default value.

Negative Prefix

Enter any characters in this property that you want to be displayed before a negative number at run-time.

Negative Suffix

Enter any characters in this property that you want to be displayed after a negative number at run-time.

Positive Prefix

This property allows you to enter characters that need to be displayed before a positive number within the control.

Positive Suffix

This property allows you to enter characters that need to be displayed after a positive number within the control.

Suppress When Negative

If you require negative numbers to be hidden at run-time, change the value of this property from False to True.

Suppress When Positive

If you require positive numbers to be hidden at run-time, change the value of this property from False to True.

Suppress When Zero

If you require zeroes to be hidden at run-time, change the value of this property from False to True.

Alt Negative Colour

This property refers to a numeric edit control only. It allows you to specify whether to use an alternative color when the numeric value is negative. The default is False.

Alt Positive Colour

This property refers to a numeric edit control only. It allows you to specify whether to use an alternative color when the numeric value is positive. The default is False.

Mandatory

If you require a control to be mandatory you can change the value of this property from False to True, but you cannot change a True value to False.

Failure to enter a value in a mandatory field results in a warning message being displayed and you are unable to continue.