File Maintenance Generator

Select field layout options

Define the field layout for the panel.

Use SmartPhone Layout

Select this check box to use a SmartPhone (single column) layout for the panel; otherwise, a two-column layout is displayed by default.

If this check box is selected (or deselected) after fields have been added to the Layout Grid, a Reset message will display:

Folder

Select this check box to set up Folder sub-panels. See Adding a Folder.

(Folder Options)

(Available when Folder check box is selected)

Button (beside the Folder check box) that launches the Folder Options window for specifying Folder properties. See Adding a Folder.

Panel (or Current Tab)

Indicates the current panel being defined (i.e. Main panel or a Folder tab). See Adding a Folder.

(Maintain Folder Tabs)

(Available when Folder check box is selected)

Button (beside the Current Tab drop box) that launches the File Maintenance Panel Tabs window. See Adding a Folder.

(Dependency Definition)

Button (beside the Maintain Folder Tabs button) that launches the Dependency Definition window. See Dependency Definition.

Add Object

Button that displays a list of objects that can be added to the file maintenance panel. See Adding Objects.

Fields List Box and Panel Layout Grid

To add fields from the selected data dictionary table to the panel, select the fields in the Fields list box on the left. Then, drag and drop them into the Layout Grid on the right to add them to the selected Main panel (or folder panel).

(Fields List Box)

Lists all the fields in the data dictionary table, which was selected in Step 1: Definition.

Use this list to select the fields to drag and drop into the Layout Grid on the right when defining the panel layout. You can add one, some or all fields to the Layout Grid. See Adding Data Dictionary Fields. To select multiple fields, use Shift-Click (consecutive selections) or Ctrl-Click (random selections). To select all fields, click the Select All button.

Fields are listed in the same order as they appear in the data dictionary definition (in Data Dictionary Maintenance on the Elements tab). Fields flagged as Required in the data dictionary table are preceded with an * (asterisk), providing that the Non-File Maintenance Form check box was not selected in Step 1: Definition.

If a field is defined with a Multi-Line data class that is using Extended Validation with a Descriptive Field specified, the descriptive field will be listed and named SHOW.xxxxxx (where xxxxxx is the name of its related field); e.g. SHOW.SalesRep. If the descriptive field is related to a single-segment primary Key field, the descriptive field will not be listed. See Adding Extended Validation Descriptive Fields (SHOW.xxxxxx).

Any data dictionary fields that are removed from the Layout Grid are returned to the Fields list box.

Data dictionary fields that are added as Hidden Variables are shown in gray text as a visual cue only.

(The gray text display to indicate hidden variables was added in PxPlus 2023.)

Layout Grid

This grid is used to define the layout of the Main panel and any folder panels (if Folder Tabs have been defined).

When creating a new file maintenance panel, the Layout Grid initially displays either two Half Sections or Left Side/Right Side columns, depending on the Layout selected in Step 1: Definition. If the Use SmartPhone Layout check box is selected, only a single SmartPhone Layout column will display. Each layout accommodates a maximum of 50 grid rows.

Once fields are added to the Layout Grid, you can Move Fields and Remove Fields when needed.

Key Fields

Key fields are displayed in dark red bolded font and, by default, occupy cells at the top of the Main panel. Key fields reside on the Main panel only. They cannot be deleted or moved to a folder panel; however, they can be moved to any row on the Main panel by using the drag and drop method.

(The ability to move Key fields to any row on the Main panel was added in PxPlus 2021.)

If the Non-File Maintenance Form check box was selected in Step 1: Definition and a table name was entered, Key fields will not be displayed in dark red bolded font and will be treated the same as other fields.

HTML Events and HTML Calculations

Colored ticks in the top left corner of a cell in the Layout Grid indicate the following:

   •  A red tick in a cell that contains a data dictionary field or fonted text indicates that an HTML Event was added.
   •  A blue tick in a cell that contains a data dictionary field indicates that an HTML Calculation was added.
   •  A magenta tick in a cell that contains a data dictionary field indicates that both an HTML calculation and an HTML event were added.

(The colored tick indicators were added in PxPlus 2023.)

Right-Click Menus

Right clicking either on a cell or a column header in the Layout Grid displays different popup menu options, depending on the Layout selected in Step 1: Definition.

For information on the right-click menu options for each layout, see Enhanced Layout and Two-Column Layout.

Select All (or Deselect All)

Toggle button that is used to select (or deselect) all remaining fields in the Fields list box.

Reset

Selecting this button displays a message for resetting the Layout Grid. The message will have either two or three possible responses, depending on whether the Layout Grid is being reset when creating a new file maintenance panel or regenerating an existing panel.

When creating a new panel, the Reset message displays Yes/No responses:

If regenerating an existing panel, the Reset message displays Yes/No/Cancel responses:

(Support for resetting a regenerated panel layout was added in PxPlus 2020.)

Hidden Variables

(Available when HTML Page check box is selected for Form Type)

Button that launches the Include Hidden Fields on HTML Page window for adding hidden variables. See Hidden Variables.

(The Hidden Variables button was added in PxPlus 2022.)

(Info Line)

The Info line is located above the Navigation Bar and displays information about a selected field or control in the Fields list box or the Layout Grid.

For example, when a data dictionary field is selected, the Info line displays the field name, type and size. When a Smart List Box control is selected, the Info line displays the width, height, query library/panel, and Span Multiple Lines settings.

(The Info Line was added in PxPlus 2021.)