Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

[rmcgaffic]

Where are the values for the following properties set for an embedded browse?
Row height
Row font and size
Title row alignment

And while I�m at it, how does one change the fields displayed once the browse has been created, other than deleting it, and starting all over again?

I�m embarrassed to pose these questions; I successfully was able to modify these properties several months ago, and now can�t figure out how I did so then.

As seen in screen print 1, Several months ago I created a browse in A5V8, which had exactly the appearance I sought:

Titles could be right or left aligned, in addition to the default of center
The row font was Tahoma 9 point
The row height was automatically adjusted to accommodate this font size.

Perfect!

Earlier this week, I was creating a style sheet and couldn�t find the properties for the Browse control, so I created a new browse on a form and carefully looked for these properties.

I can�t find them. And my current Browse is shown in screen print 2.
It doesn�t look nearly as attractive as screen print 1. Note that all column titles are centered, and that the font is smaller and the row heights are also smaller.

Can anyone tell me where these properties are maintained?

Thanks,
Bob McGaffic
Pittsburgh

[MikeC]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

Bob,
Use the Object Explorer for changing certain browse properties such as row height...View->Object Explorer.
Regarding Browse I will give more than you want as unsure of what you want! :)

Changing the fields---design mode--click on a column wanted to change and then click again until the column turns dark...you can then right click and change properties. If you want to move the column use similar but when column is dark move your cursor to a column separation and the cursor will change to the double line and you can change the column width. Delete by highlighting column and right click choose delete. Add by using drag drop list.

Hope one or more of the above is what you are looking for!!

LATER: The row heights can also be changed if you have row selectors present...I normally don't so forgot about that.

[rmcgaffic]

Thanks, any further ideas on browse column heading alignment?

Mike,

Thanks for reminding me that to set an object's properties, you have to

1. Select the control, right click, then Properties
AND
2. Select the control, right click, then View>Object Explorer.

First the good news:
I was able to change the font and size of each field in the browse using the Explorer, but I had to make this change field by field. The height of the row was automatically adjusted to accomodate the font size (Thank you Alpha!) But wouldn't it be nice if A5V9 would have a Browse property of Font/Size in addition to the Field property of Font/Size. Nonethless, I am happy I have achieved the appearance I sought.

BUT the mystery remains for the alignment of the titles.
I can't find in the browse's properties where this can be set.
Using the Object Explorer, I can't find it either.

In Object Explorer, I see that you can change the alignment for individual fields, such as Align = "Left", but I can't find where it is set for the column texts of the browse.

As shown in my first screen print, somehow I successfully did this using A5V8, and A5V9 is correctly displaying my old browse, but I'm still puzzled on how to change the alignment on on the column texts.

Why is this important?

I'll share a Big 4 CPA financial reporting practice I learned years ago (anyone remember when there was the Big 8?): Left align text, Right align numbers. The data then naturally aligns with the column headings. It makes the information much easier to read. This simple trick makes your reports and Excel spreadsheets "snap", and hopefully we can apply it to our A5V9 Browses.



Thanks,
Bob McGaffic
Pittsburgh

[rmcgaffic]

Found it!

I just stumbled on the documentation that describes how column properties are set. This is where the alignment of column headings can be specified.

Yikes! I have to remember that customizing a browse requires ALL of the following:

1. Browse control>Properties
2. View>Object explorer
3. Column>Properties

Having to look in three places strikes me as somewhat fractured, but at least I'm glad A5V9 gives us the ability to finely control the appearance of a browse.

Column Properties

You can set properties that affect the appearance and behavior of individual columns in a browse. These properties include the color, font, and format of the data. Additionally you can set color and font equations, which change the appearance of data depending on conditions you set.

To open the Column Properties window:

Highlight a column by clicking the column title and press the Properties button on the toolbar, or select Column > Properties.

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

Hi Robert,

You don't need to do all three things to customize a browse.

One method is simply give the object focus and hit F12. Or right mouse click.

Did you find how to set the Alignment of the Column Title?

[rmcgaffic]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

Keith,

Thanks for the suggestion. Unfortuantely, whether I selected the browse control and hit F12 or whether I selected the control, right clicked, then clicked on properties, the result was the same:

I was unable to change the font/size of the row of the browse (not its Title font/size) and I was unable to change the alignment of the column title labels. If this is possible could you share with us, the specific tabs and fields of the browse properties dialog to use.

For the sake of complete documentation, here was what I had to do to left align title labels:

1. Click on the browse control to select it
2. Double click on the column heading, which selects the first cell of the column
3. Double click again on the column heading, which selects all cells in the column
4. Click on the Properties icon on the A5 toolbar
5. On the Set up tab, click on Advanced column titile
6. Use the arrow to move property Justify from the available list to the selected list
7. Click on Edit Justify
8. Select Left from the pulldown
9. Click on OK

The following code is authomatically inserted for the column title:
<xdlg>{"First name}{sort order}{stickto=Left}

The column heading "First name" is then correctly displayed as Left justified.

Attached is something I learned 35 years ago from Thelma, a statistical production typist for the Big 8 CPA firm of Haskin & Sells (absorbed by Deloitte & Touche).

Bob McGaffic
Pittsburgh

[MikeC]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

Hi Bob,
I see you figured out the title alignment.

I was unable to change the font/size of the row of the browse

This can be done on a per column basis and not a row as far as I know...to do this select a column's properties by dbl clicking until it is dark/highlighted and right click to choose properties...font size for the column will be there.

[rmcgaffic]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

Mike,

Yes, the approach you described sets the font and size for the column headings, but not for the rows.

Here's how I did it for the rows (setting applies to all detail rows of the browse):

1. Click on browse control to select it
2. From the menu bar, View>Object Explorer
3. Expand the browse control, for example, BROWSE1, which appears in the left pane of the screen to reveal each field of the browse
4. Select the first field in the browse, for example, First_name
5. Click on the Font property in the right pane of the screen
6. Click on "Name" and enter "Tahoma", then click on "Set"
7. Click on "Size" and enter 9, then click on "Set"
8. Repeat for each browse field you wish to change from the default
9. Click on close

Bob McGaffic
Pittsburgh

[Tbaker]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

Bob

To set the font size for the column heading you can either click on the browse it self then select properties, then select Titles and make the changes there - you can also click on the column then select properties and then in the set up tab click on the advanced column settings and change it there.

To change the font of the rows in the column you click on the browse then double click in the column, select properties then font and change the font and type to whatever you want. That changes the font size of the rows but NOT the column heading.

Tom Baker

[MikeC]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

Bob,

As Tom reiterated....each column ROW can have it's font set. You cannot just set one row's font size but can set ALL the rows to be the same by setting ALL of the column's rows to the same font size.

I guess you could have some rows (via the column's row font size properties) be different with the font being set from a calculation that met certain criteria...can use the color/font equations from the "Other" tab.

[MoGrace]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

I know this an old thread, but since a browse exists with the preferred formatting, why not create a stylesheet and call it something like "My Browse" so you can use it again?

Now I have to go try it and see if that works...

[MoGrace]

Re: Missing or hidden embedded browse properties?

It turns out this works! If you create a regular browse and save it as a stylesheet, you can apply the format to an embedded browse on a form - it will prompt you if you want to apply it to just the selected object. You will have to edit the properties if you want it indented, but other than that it seems to work.

I suppose you could do the same with a stylesheet for a form except there are other default objects that might change. Seeing as how I only have the desktop version for v8 and not Enterprise, this saves me a lot of time. I don't know if that is the case with the standard version for v9 or not...