Hoe do i maximize width of embedded browse

[waschneider]

Using v10.5. I have an embedded browse ("Browse1") on a form titled "Browse with Menus". The browse allows the entry and editing of records. I have 2 questions:

1. Every time the form opens a new blank record is added to the embedded browse. I want to stop that but still allow new records to be added in the browse. How do I do that?

2. What is the scripting language that will cause the embedded browse to automatically expand in width to match the window width. I am maximizing the window width when the form is opened and I then need the browse to be full window width.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[CALocklin]

Re: Hoe do i maximize width of embedded browse

1. Every time the form opens a new blank record is added to the embedded browse. I want to stop that but still allow new records to be added in the browse. How do I do that?

As far as I know, you don't.

2. What is the scripting language that will cause the embedded browse to automatically expand in width to match the window width. I am maximizing the window width when the form is opened and I then need the browse to be full window width.

To the best of my knowledge, that could be a bit difficult. Resizing forms is not a trivial matter. For one thing, if there are other objects on the form (like buttons) then those may not move as you want them to either. Another issue is that resizing objects without resizing the text can also result in some rather strange looking forms. And, if you resize the browse then you will probably also want to resize the columns. NONE of that will be easy to do. Maybe not "complicated" but definitely tedious.

My suspicion is that the results won't be worth the trouble involved.

First problem is that you will probably have to do some converting from pixels to inches since screen resolution is usually in pixels and form sizes are in inches. I know there was a thread on one of these desktop boards recently that discussed how to do that using some built-in A5 functions but I don't remember the functions or the specific thread.

You can get the current screen size in pixels with os_info().

Once you have determined the desired width of your objects in inches, it isn't terribly difficult to change the width of the browse or the columns. The secret to that (shhh - don't tell anyone) is the Xbasic Explorer. That is something EVERY developer should get familiar with. See my screenshots for more details.

Before you ask, the big secret to finding things in the Xbasic Explorer is to (1) just keep looking, (2) try to get some concept of what a "Property" is vs. a "Method" which doesn't take too long, and (3) just keep looking.
Hint - sometimes my searches are more a matter or knowing where not to look rather than where to look.

Edit: I'm sure the issue with changing the date format when I changed the width of the column could also be corrected by changing one of the values found in the Xbasic Explorer. (Like I said above, the extra work may not be worthwhile. The more changes like this you make, the more chance there is of causing unexpected problems.)

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Hoe do i maximize width of embedded browse

Every time the form opens a new blank record is added to the embedded browse. I want to stop that but still allow new records to be added in the browse. How do I do that?

To supplement what Cal said let me add the following.

The embedded browse has been designed for general use and contains a lot of automatic behaviors toward that end. i.e. If the table the browse is displaying is empty the browse automtically opens in ENTER mode, ready to receive input. If you begin a new record in the browse and navigate away by clicking a row above or below, or clicking an object outside the browse, Alpha automatically saves your pending record. So, if your table is empty and you click an object outside the browse Alpha saves the pending new record. Often the built in behaviors are ok, even desirable. After all, how often will the table be empty? In other cases it's very very vexing. Working around the built in behaviors is tough and time consuming. You can trap and delete blank records. You can make the browse read only and require the user to push a button to enter a new row. The button would run a script that removes the readonly restriction. Because this is tedious, error prone and a bit clumsy for the user, some have stopped using browses for data entry altogether. Preferring instead, to just use them for display and navigation.

To answer your question completely we'd need to see the form, with sample data, and a written list of the exact steps that are taken (every keystroke and mouse click) when you get the unwanted blank record.