Understanding The Ink Control

[iRadiate]

I'm trying to use the Ink control to capture a signature and display it in a list but the data doesn't seem to save in my MS SQL database as a varchar(max) type.

As I understand it from Selwyn's videos on the subject, the Ink control just stores the data as character data.
His example shows the Editor-Ink control being used with a FormView control.

Perhaps this is where I am going wrong. Must the Ink control be used with the FormView control?
I just want to use it in a UX as a standalone control. Is this possible?

Anyone able to shed some light on this?

Thanks,
Stephen

[peteconway]

Re: Understanding The Ink Control

Download the component on offer (in the pre-release) and see how it works. From memory I think he said the filed type is text.

[Davidk]

Re: Understanding The Ink Control

Yes... the Ink Control can be used in a UX without employing a FormView control. It can be used with a List and Detail View.

In the List Control, Fields, ensure your Signature field has a Control Type of Ink. In your Detail View also ensure your Signature control has a Control Type of Ink.

The data is saved as text and looks like this in a MySQL table...

#A5Ink
version 1.0
settings %json%
{"page":{"width":5,"height":3,"unit":"in","dpu":300,"lines":false,"background":{"image":false,"color":""}},"meta":{"bounds":{"l":96,"t":99,"r":245,"b":208},"created":"2016-07-06 01:05:12 am","modified":"2016-07-06 01:05:17 am","pen":{"color":"#000","width":3,"lineCap":"round"}}}
%json%
A pen 3 #000
S 100,108,+C+C+D+C+E+D+D+C+C+C+C+E+C+D+FaD+C+C+CAC+C+EACAD+C
S 124,112,ADAEACACAGADAFAEADAEAD+EADADADAD+CCDACBA
S 187,102,BD+C+D+D+E+FAF+G+E+FAF+E+DADAC+CAD
S 239,109,AC+FAD+EAD+E+E+FaEaEaFaEaFbE+DbEaDaD+D+CaB

I usually set my table Signature fields to longtext.

If you do not have the Ink Control set to Auto-Commit... then you must commit the signature in code using...

var sObj = {dialog.Object}.getControl('custSignature');
sObj.commit();

This will dirty the UX and then you can Save the List edit (which will then show the new or updated Signature in your List control) and then sync.

[iRadiate]

Re: Understanding The Ink Control

If you do not have the Ink Control set to Auto-Commit... then you must commit the signature in code using...

var sObj = {dialog.Object}.getControl('custSignature');
sObj.commit();

This will dirty the UX and then you can Save the List edit (which will then show the new or updated Signature in your List control) and then sync.

Ahaa! That was it, I did not have the auto submit turned on. As soon as I did that it works!
This is a pretty neat control, but I have a lot to learn about it yet.

Thank you David, as always your help is much appreciated.

[Davidk]

Re: Understanding The Ink Control

Just be aware that Ink Auto-Commit commits on every interaction with the Ink control. The in-line help reads that auto-commit should be off for large ink areas.

[iRadiate]

Re: Understanding The Ink Control

Yeah, I've already changed it to sObj.commit() in the Submit on-click. Thanks.