Resizing and Persistence

Panel Resizing

 

By default, NOMADS panels are created as Fixed size, but you can optionally define a panel as resizable. A resizable panel is one whose dimensions can be increased or decreased horizontally or vertically by dragging the panel edges, or maximized and restored by clicking the Maximize/Restore buttons on the panel title bar.

To create a resizable panel, three requirements must be met:

 

1.

The panel must be defined as a Dialogue.

 

2.

The panel must have a Maximize Box. (This must be set even if you suppress the panel title bar.)

 

3.

The Sizing Parameter must be set to one of the four non-fixed resizing options for a NOMADS panel or specifically set to the Resizable/Custom resizing option for iNomads. (See Resizing Options below.)

These settings are specified in the Panel Header Definition on the Attributes tab. The Sizing Parameter determines overall panel resizing behavior. Certain options, such as Resizable/Auto Scroll and Resizable/Custom, require setting the sizing attributes for individual controls as well.

Resizing Options

The resizing options determine whether a panel can be resized and determine the behavior of the objects on the panel in terms of their size and location.

Fixed

Panel size is fixed, and objects have fixed sizes and locations.

Resizable

Panel is resizable, but objects have fixed sizes and locations.

Resizable/Auto Scroll

Panel is resizable, and objects have fixed sizes. However, specific objects can be set to scroll by selecting the Enable Scrolling property in the Movement column of the NOMADS+ Toolbar or in the Custom Sizing Definition Utility or by right clicking the control to access the popup menu options.

Resizable/Auto Size

Panel is resizable, and objects are resized and relocated based on the ratio of the original size to the new panel size.

Resizable/Custom

Panel is resizable, and each object can be resized (Auto Size), stretched in size horizontally or vertically (Stretch) or remain fixed in size (Fixed).

Auto Size objects are automatically relocated, whereas Fixed Size objects will have the following Movement options available: Default, Default (Centered), or Anchored (Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Top/Left, Top/Right, Bottom/Left and Bottom/Right). See Resizable/Custom Option below.

The sizing attributes of the individual controls on the panel can be defined in the Movement column of the NOMADS+ Toolbar or in the Custom Sizing Definition Utility or by right clicking the control to access the popup menu options.

Note:
This is the only resize setting supported by iNomads. At least one object on the panel must be set as Auto Size for iNomads to recognize the panel as resizable.

Custom Sizing Definition Utility

The Custom Sizing Definition Utility allows you to set overall resize functionality for a panel, as well as for individual controls (where applicable).

To access this utility, select Utilities > Resize from the menu bar, or select the ReSize toolbar option. (The Movement column on the NOMADS+ Toolbar allows you to set the Resize attribute for individual controls as well.)

The Panel Sizing field in the Custom Sizing Definition is similar to the Sizing Parameter field in the Panel Header Definition (Attributes tab) and determines what criteria will be available in the Custom Sizing Definition based on panel resizing described above. By default, the Panel Sizing field is set to Fixed, as are the values for all of the listed controls. If you change the Panel Sizing field, the criteria displayed (e.g. Sizing, Movement) will be accessible based on the sizing option selected.

In general, the resizing behavior of the panel and controls is self-evident for the Fixed, Resizable, Resizable/Auto Scroll and Resizable/Auto Size options. However, the Resizable/Custom option is more complex and requires further explanation. See Resizable/Custom Option below.

Resizable/Custom Option

When the Resizable/Custom option is selected, one or more controls must be defined as Auto Size for the panel to be resizable. When one or more controls are resizable, a resize zone is established to determine how the controls are resized relative to each other and within the panel borders. The rectangular area surrounding Auto Size objects forms the resize zone. The border regions surrounding this area remain fixed in size to maximize the effect on the objects to be resized.

Objects within a resize zone marked as Auto Size are resized and relocated based on ratios computed for the original size to the new resize zone. Fixed Size objects in the panel are located based on the following options:

Default

Relocated based on the ratio of the original size to the new resize zone.

Default (Centered)

Centered within the coordinates that the object would occupy if it was resized along with the panel.

Anchored:
Top
Bottom

Default horizontal location, anchored vertically to the top or bottom of the resize zone.

Anchored:
Left
Right

Default vertical location, anchored horizontally to the left or right of the resize zone.

Anchored:
Top/Left
Top/Right
Bottom/Left
Bottom/Right

Anchored to the specified corner.

Fixed Size objects in the border region are located based on the following options:

Default

Anchored to nearest edge.

Objects located in the border regions left and right of the resize zone have their horizontal locations anchored to the left and right borders of the panel respectively.

Objects located in the border regions above and below the resize zone have their vertical locations anchored to the top and bottom of the panel respectively.

Objects located in the vertical border regions whose vertical location falls within the resize zone are moved vertically with respect to the new size of the resize zone.

Objects located in the horizontal border regions whose horizontal location falls within the resize zone are moved horizontally with respect to the new size of the resize zone.

Default (Centered)

Centered within the coordinates that the object would occupy if it was resized along with the panel.

Anchored:
Top
Bottom

Anchored vertically to the top or bottom of the panel (default horizontal location).

Anchored:
Left
Right

Anchored horizontally to the left or right of the panel (default vertical location).

Anchored:
Top/Left
Top/Right
Bottom/Left
Bottom/Right

Anchored to the indicated corner of the panel.

Note:
These combinations are not necessary for border objects, as all border objects are anchored to at least one panel edge by default.

 

Note:
Default anchoring can take precedence over that specified in the selected option. For example, if an object located directly above the resize zone is defined as being anchored to the bottom, the default anchor to the top will take precedence.

Resizing Folder Panels

The sizing and placement of folder panels and their objects on a main panel depends primarily on the sizing definition of the main panel. If the main panel does not allow for the resizing of the folder object, then the folder panel and its objects are treated as Fixed, regardless of the folder panel's sizing definition. Otherwise, the sizing and placement of the objects on the folder panel are governed by the sizing definition of the folder panel itself.