ID: Q109071
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft(R) Technical Support Application Note (Text File)
FC0961: SCREEN BUILDER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Revision Date: 12/93
No Disk Included
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| Copyright (C) 1993 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved. |
| Microsoft, FoxPro, and MS-DOS are registered trademarks and Windows|
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| Apple Computer, Inc. |
1. Q. I created a screen that uses many different types of
controls. When I generate the screen and execute it, I find
that the TAB key cycles through text fields only. I would like
to be able to cycle through all the controls using the TAB key,
including buttons, popups, list boxes, and check boxes. How can
I do this?
A. The behavior of the TAB key during a READ command is determined
by the KEYCOMP setting. In FoxPro for Macintosh, the default
setting of KEYCOMP is MAC. When KEYCOMP is set to MAC, the TAB
key cycles through text fields only, which is standard behavior
for Macintosh dialog boxes.
You can change this behavior from the Command window or from
within a program by issuing the SET KEYCOMP TO WINDOWS or SET
KEYCOMP TO DOS command. Either of these KEYCOMP settings allows
the user to cycle through all objects, not just text fields,
using the TAB key. For details about the keystroke differences,
refer to the FoxPro online help system.
Design window using the Selection Pointer tool. Is there an
easy way to move objects a small distance?
A. Yes. Select the object using the Selection Pointer tool and
then use the arrow keys to move the object one pixel at a time.
number of fields. When I run the application, the order in
which the cursor moves through the fields isn't what I expect.
How can I change the keyboard access order without changing the
physical position of the fields?
A. Open your original screen in the Screen Builder. From the
Screen menu, choose Object Order. This opens the Object Order
dialog box, which lists screen objects according to their
keyboard access order. To change the access order, click the
button to the left of an object and drag the object to its new
keyboard access position. When you're done, rebuild your
application.
dialog box, I see that one of the options for window type is
Desktop. What is a desktop window?
A. A window defined as Desktop will become the main FoxPro screen.
If you look at the generated code for a desktop window, you
will see that a new window is not defined. Rather, a MODIFY
WINDOW SCREEN command is generated to modify the attributes of
the main FoxPro screen. Any subsequent windows that are created
by using the DEFINE WINDOW ... IN SCREEN command will be
children of the desktop window.
generation options. Do these options exist?
A. Yes. The Generate Screen dialog box contains a More button.
Choose this button to view the code-generation options.
databases are opened and closed automatically. How can I
prevent this from happening?
A. When you save a screen for the first time, you have the option
of saving environment information. If you choose to save this
information, the screen file will record all open databases,
active indexes, and active relations. When the screen is
generated and run, the databases, indexes, and relations in the
screen's environment will be restored. If you inadvertently
saved the environment information when you created the screen,
the screen program will restore an environment that you may not
want.
To clear a screen's environment, choose Layout from the Screen
menu. In the Screen Layout dialog box, choose the Environment
button, and then choose the Clear button.
If you do not want to clear the environment but want to prevent
the opening and closing of environment files, choose the More
button in the Generate Screen dialog box. Clear the Open Files
and Close Files check boxes.
my screen objects. How can I do this?
A. To specify colors, first select the object or a group of
objects. To modify the background color of the object, choose
Fill Color from the Object menu. To modify the outline and text
of an object, choose Pen Color from the Object menu. Setting
Fill Color or Pen Color to Automatic means the Macintosh
default color sets will be used.
To change the background of the entire screen, choose Layout
from the Screen menu, and then choose the Color button. You can
select a color, or you can select a wallpaper pattern by
choosing the Wallpaper button, and then selecting a PICT or
.BMP (bitmap) file.
it appears will fit?
A. The input field is using a proportional font. In a proportional
font, each character is given as much horizontal space as it
needs and no more. For example, a lowercase ''f'' requires much
less space than an uppercase ''W.''
When an input field displays in a screen, FoxPro calculates the
display width of the field by multiplying the number of
characters in the table field structure by the average size of
a character in the specified font. If the field is filled with
characters that are wider than average, the characters don't
all fit within the display width of the input field, and
therefore the characters scroll. If the field is filled with
characters that are narrower than average, the characters don't
fill the display width of the input field.
contain, including its length?
A. In the Field dialog box, you can use the Format button to set
the characteristics of the data entered, including its length.
For more specific information, see the FUNCTION and PICTURE
clauses portion of the documentation about the @ ... SAY
command in the "Language Reference".
1. Q. When I select the Push Button tool in the Screen Design
window, I have the option of selecting pictures for my buttons.
What file formats are supported?
A. FoxPro for Macintosh allows you to use PICT and bitmap (.BMP)
files. You can also use pictures in place of radio button and
check box prompts.
in a general field?
A. Use the Picture tool to display the contents of a general
field. The Field tool can't be used to display a picture.
screen. How do the options under If Picture And Frame Different
Size affect the display of the picture?
A. The following options apply only when the picture and frame are
different sizes:
- Clip Picture retains the original dimensions of the picture.
If the picture is larger than the frame, only a portion of
the image is displayed, beginning with the top-left portion
of the picture. Any portion of the picture that extends
beyond the frame is hidden.
- Scale Picture - Retain Shape retains the overall shape of the
picture but fills as much of the frame as possible. The
picture is protected from vertical or horizontal distortion.
- Scale Picture - Fill The Frame fills the frame completely.
The picture fills the frame even at the cost of horizontal
and vertical distortion.
Last Reviewed: December 12, 1996