Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

[sgerber]

My first attempt at using V11 for something just a tad uncommon has gone awry. Hopefully you can help me.

I have a subform with 3 "Drop Down Lists" (Version 1's nomenclature). I couldn't find such a control in V11 so I used a "List Box" from its toolbox. Couldn't find anything else that looked good.

The List Box doesn't configure like V1 which had separate columns for the selection and its value, whereas V11 seems to want them entered together separated by the concatenation symbol.

Anyway, I have two problems. I created my Subform as a regular form in the same .SET which is using it as a subform. I created a Subform object from the toolbox with the same dimensions as my prospective subform. I get an error when it loads and A5 loads the default form instead, at least a small piece of it.

Even if I could get the subform loaded, and I have no clue as to how to do that, I don't believe it will work properly because it doesn't appear to be the same as A5V1's control.

If any of you are willing to try to help me I'll be happy to answer questions and try some things you ask me to.

Meanwhile, here's a graphic of what the control looks like in V1:
A5V1_DropdownList.jpg

Here's the V11 dialogue box with my inputs for the "List Box". Please notice that the dialogue references this as a "Radio style" which is a poor way to describe a list box. Sigh!
A5V11_ListBox.jpg

I'm quite unhappy that I can't even get this subform to load. If I could, it would give me a shot at trying to tweak the control so that it looked right, but as of now I can't even see it work. Here's a screenshot of the subform when I run it standalone. You'll see it doesn't look like a dropdown list because it's trying to fit all the selections into the object before it's even clicked.
A5V11_Subform.jpg


Thanks ... Sam

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Sam,

Your attachments 33083 and 33084 don't work.

It looks like you did not specify how many rows to display when you created the List Box.

I think you should try and put away your learning from V1 and concentrate on what V11 can do.

[sgerber]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Keith, sorry about the attachments. My session was interrupted and the message board software offered me a restore opportunity when I reconnected. That's when the attachments got messed up.

Regarding the subform not loading, that's fixed now. One of the properties of the subform was called "Primary Table" and I had no clue what that meant. The subform is part of a set and deals with data from a child table, so I told it that this was the "primary table". However, it wanted the primary table of the set itself. I have no idea why it wanted to know that since it already knew the structure of the set. Anyway ...

I now have been freed of the ugly part of my two-fold problem and have to deal with defining a "list box". So far as I can see Keith there's no place in the properties where I'm asked how many rows to display. HTML's select box works like Alpha's is supposed to. That is, you specify a variable number of name/value pairs and the control on the page (or web site) only shows the first one, along with a down arrow. Clicking the down arrow pops up a scrolling list of selections, without having had to specify how many lines there were.

Keith, assuming this isn't broken, I would think that there should be an alternative to "list box", like the "cascading list" which is used in field rules.

This is tougher than it should have been, and I'm not inexperienced.

??? Sam

[Ray in Capetown]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Hi Sam
Set up a simple example. Showing your attempt/s.
Guaranteed you will get solutions very quickly.

[Ted Giles]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Sam, this is doable a number of ways.
In V10.5, using the List-Box approach, you need to size the box on the Form. It can show all items, or just the first row. The Data field would typicaly be placed above it as in your example.

An alternative would be to create a Lookup/Simple List for the field you want to manage. This will show an arrow beside the field indicating that there are choices.
The Help text should give you some insight into creating and sizing Sub Forms, and in this respect, you can always launch a different Form as Modal, which ensures that it sits over the current form while the actions you want take place.

A sample of where you are would be good.

[sgerber]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Thank you Ray. See my reply to Ted below.

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Hi Sam,

See my reply to Ted below.

What reply?

[sgerber]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Ted, I'm so new to V11 that I depend on exact names for objects to find things. I don't know what a "Lookup/Simple" list is. It's not one of the toolbox choices.

Before I read your posting I had just solved the problem. I looked at the different choices and tried what they now call the "Combo Box". In V1 they called the same construct a "Drop Down List". Nothing in V11 is called Drop Down any longer except Trees. There's a lot in a name Ted and authors should have a very good reason to change these names unless they are intent on confusing people.

Back to the "Combo Box". They might as well have called it a "Drop Down List" because it functions exactly like my old V1 construct. I didn't even have the change anything in the "Choices" tab.

Here's my "Choices" dialogue:
A5V11_ListBox.jpg

Here's my final result:
A5V11_ComboBox.jpg

In my opinion, Ted, "Lists" are pathetic constructs because they occupy very large areas of screen real estate and are archaic. They're not even used in web page design.

Anyway, as a newbie, I supposed the Alphaholics will not afford me the opportunity to vent here and I'm going to tone things down before I upset people. I do wish that I was given a choice of Alpha Versions for my trial. V11 does not at all appear to be fully cooked and I'm not here as a beta tester. Wish I had a version between 8 and 10.

Thanks very much for your posting, Ted. It would have given me something promising to pursue with your assistance if I didn't luck out on the Combo Box.

Best ... Sam

[Ted Giles]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control


Just beat me to it Sam!

Anyway, as a newbie, I supposed the Alphaholics will not afford me the opportunity to vent here and I'm going to tone things down before I upset people.

No you won't, because you tried and have a history using Alpha. Your opinion is most valid so let it out.

My take on it is that I don't want to be a trail blazer (buckskin suit and a bum full of arrows) so I'll be sticking with the last fully functional and closed off version - 10.5.
When V12 is on the horizon, I will probably upgrade but I don't want to start developing on a voyage of discovery, and have the problems of back tracking and client releases to contend with.

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

I don't know what a "Lookup/Simple" list is.

I think Ted is referring to the lookup field rule. One of the options is "simple list".
See attached image...

lookup field rule.png

[Ted Giles]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Indeed I was Peter.
Sam, try this;
. Go to Control Panel (CP as it is often described)
..Select the Table you want to work with
...Rght Click on the Table
....Edit Field Rules
.....Lookups
......Lookup Styles
.......Simple List

And you are off and runnin'

[sgerber]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

In my opinion Peter, Alpha Five has caused undue confusion by making their lists different between field rules and form objects.

I wasted more than 3 hours trying to create a form object with the properties of the field rule "Cascading List". Of course there isn't such a thing, that would be too easy. Would it have killed them to call their Combo Box a Cascading List or (less preferable) call their field rules Cascading List a Combo Box?

Thanks for explaining why Ted called it that, Peter.

[Peter.Greulich]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

Of course there isn't such a thing, that would be too easy. Would it have killed them to call their Combo Box a Cascading List or (less preferable) call their field rules Cascading List a Combo Box?

You know, Sam, we're just the messengers, not the program designers.

[sgerber]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

I think I'm confused now Ted. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think there's two ways to do what I was trying to do.

My subform had three fields from the Customer table that, as a convenience, I wanted an easy way for the user (my son) to change those fields. That's why I went with the subform and the toolbox controls.

I suppose I could have had him, while preparing the invoice, do a lookup on the customer no. and modify the customer's record, using your suggested field rules implementation. To me it seemed more elegant and straightforward to take the approach I did.

Am I at all correct about this, Ted? Two ways to accomplish the same thing, two very different methods?

??? Sam

[Ted Giles]

Re: Problem with Subform and Drop Down List Control

More than 2 ways Sam.
Whatever works for you, and you seem to have an elegant solution.
The simple lookup is an easy way of getting the data into the record.
Another alternative is a table with values in it so you can add/change/delete those values and not have to re-code a list.
The table can be your lookup source. I do this a lot for users to save me time. One example is the app I'm working on at present, where the user will decide the stock categories and sub categories.
These will be used for valuation and stocktaking purposes.
If you are happy with your result - stop fiddlin'