Vertical Slider Properties

[ZaphodBBB]

Afternoon everyone (from a sweltering 35degrees)

I have just made a browse with the First Column as Job Number, (the table data is imported from Access if that makes a difference). The Job Numbers did not start from 0 or 1 but rather from about 50.

At the moment when I use the Vertical scrollbar it is showing a Number that I think represents the Logical number of the job in the table..i.e. Starting from 1.

Is there any way I can change this so it instead actually connects with the Jobs table and displays the real job number from the Job_number field of the table?

I see there is a similiar post elsewhere but it doesn't seem to be the same?

Thanks
Mike

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

You will/should find that the bubble help displayed by the slider is dependent on the sort order of the browse. You are most likely viewing the records in default record order, which is probably the same as the Job number order if you imported them that way from the source. There are lots of ways to get the browse sorted on that field and when you do the slider should display the way you want.

You can also customize the display to a degree from within the browse properties dialog.

More info in Whats new in v9. Specifically here

[gaby_h]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Try this:
Sort your browse by a field, move the slider up and down. Sort by another field...the slider shows values of columns the browser is sorted by.
For more customization in design mode -> from the menu -> Browse then browse properties, 1st tab (Browse), near the bottom "Verical slider properties", play around with the various options (remember to save before going back to view mode)

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Hi Mike,

Where are you that it is a sweltering 35degrees? We have -5 in London.

The vertical slider automatically runs off the loaded Index. Have a look at AlphaSports->Customer Info form. Change the Searchby and you will see that the Vertical Slider will change the bubble. If you do Show All(Ctrl+W) the Slider will show the record number which is what you have at the moment.

[ZaphodBBB]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Hi all and thanks for the tips

But I am still confused, the Browse is an embedded one and the Job Number Column is the first column in the Browse. The job numbers are running from lowest to highest as you scroll down the Browse. It is working as I want in that as you scrioll down all the relevant details of the job that are not in the Browse appear in the Fields under the Browse. Had a look at Alpha sports but that works differently having a combo Box that sets the (single column) info in the Browse below.

All I really need to know is in the Vertical Slider properties of the Browse, what is the syntax that I need to use so the Job number shows rather than an index or key ?

I'm in Marlborough , South Island of New Zealand. When I posted I was still at work sitting in my non air conditioned office above 3 steam generators. The heat from those comes up through the floor making it a real sweat box!! Have 2 fans going but phew it's hot!

Cheers
Mike

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Mike,

Right click the job number column in the browse and choose ascending sort.

As all three of us tried to explain the slider bubble help is dependent on the current sort key. Sorting the browse manually as I just described is but one way to set the index for the browse. If you always want job number to be the default order for the browse then you can set that in the form properties on the filter/order tab. Other methods to set the index include action scripting actions and xbasic functions that can be invoked from various events on the form or embedded browse.

I don't have v9 available right now but if you get creative with the custom expression for the slider it may even be possible to show the job number no matter what the sort order. But what would be the purpose of the slider bubble help if the values there in were not in any kind of useful order. As you dragged the slider the values would jump all over the place and not give any indication where you are in the sequence of records.

PS

The job numbers are running from lowest to highest as you scroll down the Browse.

just because the job number column is in the correct order does not mean that the current index is set to that field. If the job number is entered in any kind of sequential manner then the order would be the same as the default physical record order. You would still need to tell alpha to set the index to the job number field in order for that field to be used in the bubble help.

[Keith Hubert]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Hi Mike,

How about you watch this Video. Selwyn Rabins demonstrates and explains how it works.

There is also the Super Control Slider Video that might also be of interest.

[ZaphodBBB]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Hi Guys

Well I guess I must be too thick to use Alpha 5.

Quoting .."All 3 of us have told you what to do..." Well I see suggestions on Sorting the Browse..etc but I can find no way to do that. If I single click the browse then right click I can see nothing about sorting the browse, If I double click the Browse and select a column I still dont see any option to sort on that column. The Browse does NOT appear in the Control Panel as it is an Embedded Browse. Someone else made the suggestion that you can always get the vertical slider going the way you want with X-Basic (dont know how to use it yet otherwise I would not have asked the question) or use Action scripting (Tried but cant seem to get what I want done probably because of lack of knowledge).

Someone suggested going to the Vertical Slider properties and making a custom script there...HOW?? (I tried for an hour or so and all I got was Invalid Expression) Thats what I'm asking , I'm already well aware that you must be able to do it from there but the reason I asked the question is because I am a brand new user of Alpha 5 not a seasoned veteran and would like to know, if some one is willing to share the knowledge, how to make that slider show what I want. If it is too hard for some one to explain then that is fine I'll just disable it so it shows nothing.

Thanks
Mike

[Doug Page]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Hey Mike,

I'm always learning as well and your question grabbed my interest so I did a little hunting.

In the help file I found that you can not specify a filter or order in the embedded browse. It goes on further to say that the browse displays its records with respect to how the SET is structured. WHACK in the side of my head - that makes perfect sense to me! So I continued to look up set creation to find that you can specify a child table filter and order.

So look in your set structure and specify your order there.

HTH
Doug

[MikeC]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Mike,

If I single click the browse then right click I can see nothing about sorting the browse

Right click in one of the rows under the column title, not on the column title itself--odd I know and never noticed this before as obviously this is not the intuitive way it should be in my opinion.

If you select the column title and then use the top menu A-Z or Z-A sorting icons it will also sort the column.

The verical slider properties defaults to "key"...sounds like you want to choose "Order" instead as that will show the bubblehelp based upon the current query.

I personally have not used this feature as have only just started experimenting with it in QReportBuilder which is now based on v9.

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Hi Guys

Well I guess I must be too thick to use Alpha 5.

Quoting .."All 3 of us have told you what to do..."

Re reading my post I see that that does come across a bit condescending. There is some punctuation missing that would have helped. (I was at work and knowing you were a new user trying to get going I did not want to wait till I got home and was a bit too hasty in formulating my reply) But still... My sincere apologies for the way that came across.

Well I see suggestions on Sorting the Browse..etc but I can find no way to do that. If I single click the browse then right click I can see nothing about sorting the browse, If I double click the Browse and select a column I still dont see any option to sort on that column.

Forgive me if I'm wrong but this sounds like you are in design mode. (If not then something else is going on) The sort instructions we have been suggesting are while the form is in run mode and you are actually working with the data. The video that Keith posted a link to shows how to do it using the toolbar buttons rather than the right click but it is the same action in the end. Yes, the video shows a stand alone browse but it works the same for an embedded browse.

As Doug mentioned you can't actually define the sort for the embedded browse itself. The embedded browse takes its sort and filter from the underlying table. As Doug suggested you can set the order in the set definition. This will cause that order to be active where ever that set is used. If you happen to want to use that set for different purposes that have different sort requirements then instead of defining the sort in the set you can do it at the form level. To do this go to the form properties 'Filter/Sort' tab and define the sort for the table that underlies the embedded browse.

... Someone else made the suggestion that you can always get the vertical slider going the way you want with X-Basic (dont know how to use it yet otherwise I would not have asked the question) or use Action scripting (Tried but cant seem to get what I want done probably because of lack of knowledge).

I mentioned xBasic and Action scripting as possible methods to set the sort for the browse not as a direct way to fix the slider. I also mentioned them only as possible alternatives to the straight forward method of setting the order in the form or simply sorting on the current column in run mode. Possibilities that as a new user you could investigate when you get around to it.

Someone suggested going to the Vertical Slider properties and making a custom script there...HOW?? (I tried for an hour or so and all I got was Invalid Expression) Thats what I'm asking , I'm already well aware that you must be able to do it from there but the reason I asked the question is because I am a brand new user of Alpha 5 not a seasoned veteran and would like to know, if some one is willing to share the knowledge, how to make that slider show what I want. If it is too hard for some one to explain then that is fine I'll just disable it so it shows nothing.

I would say at this point that you don't really need to customize the slider at all if you just want to see the Job number value. Just having the properties set to 'key' should do it.

Once you get the basic value showing correctly and you still want help customizing then by all means holler and we will do what we can to help.

[ZaphodBBB]

Re: Vertical Slider Properties

Hi

My apologies too, very sleep deprived lately.
I did try Right clicking the Browse in Form view and it worked great , the vertical slider bubble help showed whatever column you sorted.

How ever I would still like to see if it is possible to do it so it is more permanent...i.e. so that you dont have to do a sort each time you open the Form.

But it is not an urgent thing, just something I thought would be great to try to implement.

Thanks again
Mike