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Combo boxes - best way?

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    #1

    Combo boxes - best way?

    I have a simple form for the user to enter their registration information. Included in the list of fields is a "state" field; which I want to provide a drop down combo box to assist in completing this field.

    The question I have is should I create my list of choices using the Edit Rules or should I change the textbox to a combo box on the form and then use the cstates() function to populate with valid choices?

    Also, is there any way to have the combo box display both the abbreviation and the full spelling of the state, but only save the abbreviation to the file? There are times when selecting a state when the user may not know the correct abbreviation for some states. Take the case of an order entry system where your staff is entering the data and may not be familiar with all the correct state abbreviations.
    John J. Fatte', CPA
    PRO-WARE, LLC
    Omaha, NE 68137
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: Combo boxes - best way?

    Have a look in the help file under "Specifying Choices"

    There are lots of options when filling a combo-box

    e.g.

    Ontario|ON

    This will display Ontario but store the value of ON in the field.

    I would create a table of States (and Provinces) and their abbreviations and then populate the combo box with xbasic. Full control.

    cstates() is really nice ('cause it includes Provinces) but doesn't seem to have the abbrev.

    Comment

      #3
      Re: Combo boxes - best way?

      Originally posted by Davidk View Post
      Have a look in the help file under "Specifying Choices"

      There are lots of options when filling a combo-box

      e.g.

      Ontario|ON

      This will display Ontario but store the value of ON in the field.

      I would create a table of States (and Provinces) and their abbreviations and then populate the combo box with xbasic. Full control.

      cstates() is really nice ('cause it includes Provinces) but doesn't seem to have the abbrev.
      Thanks Dave.

      cstates("A - S" + CRLF()) does return a list of states and provinces with both abbreviations and the full name of the state ala "AL - Alabama", "AZ - Arizona", etc., but when you click the drop down combo box, unless you make it wide enough to display both, it will only display the abbreviations.

      I'll check the help file as you suggest.
      John J. Fatte', CPA
      PRO-WARE, LLC
      Omaha, NE 68137

      Comment

        #4
        Re: Combo boxes - best way?

        Sorry... I was working from memory (not that good these days) and my help file didn't have an entry for cstates()

        There are a coupld of things missing from the A5 dropdown that I would love to have:

        1. control over the number of items displayed
        2. independant width of dropdown section to field section

        Hate to compare, but the Access dropdown is the way it should be.

        Comment

          #5
          Re: Combo boxes - best way?

          Here's one out of probably several that could be created---have done it other ways and this is a first for me in doing it this way...The abbreviation is what is saved. Another way is to populate with xbasic using cstate().

          Whether this is done in field rules or not is totally dependent upon what you want as a result....if several forms/browses will have this field AND you want this combo box to be on ALL of them then put in field rules....otherwise do it for whichever forms/browses you want.






          David---please inform the uninformed---How are Access dropdowns done---what specifically are the differences?....what can be done with them that cannot be with Alpha....what can Alpha's combo boxes do that Access's cannot?? Number of items--got that. The field width---in field rules I believe this is doable now.
          Mike
          __________________________________________
          It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
          It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
          Henry David Thoreau
          __________________________________________



          Comment

            #6
            Re: Combo boxes - best way?

            Originally posted by MikeC View Post
            Here's one out of probably several that could be created---have done it other ways and this is a first for me in doing it this way...The abbreviation is what is saved. Another way is to populate with xbasic using cstate().

            Whether this is done in field rules or not is totally dependent upon what you want as a result....if several forms/browses will have this field AND you want this combo box to be on ALL of them then put in field rules....otherwise do it for whichever forms/browses you want.

            [ATTACH]21790[/ATTACH]

            [ATTACH]21791[/ATTACH]


            David---please inform the uninformed---How are Access dropdowns done---what specifically are the differences?....what can be done with them that cannot be with Alpha....what can Alpha's combo boxes do that Access's cannot?? Number of items--got that. The field width---in field rules I believe this is doable now.
            Mike

            Thanks for the screen shots, that really helps. But I think you can see the that it is very unattractive to have the width of the textbox/combo box wide enough to accommodate the abbreviations and the full spelling of the state and yet only the abbreviations is saved. I believe this is what Dave is referring to in Access. Ditto for Visual Foxpro. You can specify both the number of columns in the drop down as well as the number of items to display. For example, if you specify 10, then assuming there is room on the screen and there are more than 10 items in the list, 10 will be displayed at a time.

            If this can't currently be done in A5, this would be a terrific enhancement.
            John J. Fatte', CPA
            PRO-WARE, LLC
            Omaha, NE 68137

            Comment

              #7
              Re: Combo boxes - best way?

              Hey Mike,

              With Access combo boxes you have control over the number of columns, the width of each column, the total width of the dropdown portion, the number of items displayed in the dropdown, and the specific column that gets put into the field. Attached are a couple of screen shots. I'm not sure there's anything the Alpha 5 combo box can do that Access can't... have to check that.

              I've talked to Selwyn about this and he suggested I use an embeded xdialog to get more items displayed in a dropdown list. Even though this is a good idea it's just kind of a pain.

              Comment

                #8
                Re: Combo boxes - best way?

                Originally posted by Davidk View Post
                Hey Mike,

                With Access combo boxes you have control over the number of columns, the width of each column, the total width of the dropdown portion, the number of items displayed in the dropdown, and the specific column that gets put into the field. Attached are a couple of screen shots. I'm not sure there's anything the Alpha 5 combo box can do that Access can't... have to check that.

                I've talked to Selwyn about this and he suggested I use an embeded xdialog to get more items displayed in a dropdown list. Even though this is a good idea it's just kind of a pain.
                How do you do an embedded xdialog? I"m willing to invest the time if it works.
                John J. Fatte', CPA
                PRO-WARE, LLC
                Omaha, NE 68137

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: Combo boxes - best way?

                  So apparently the only thing missing is to be able to choose the amount of records shown in the dropdown (record list-combo box seems to do everything else)---would be nice to do and has been requested numerous times over the past few years. I like how Access has it all right in front of you and fully configurable and sizing controls precise (not intuitive but Alpha allows decimals also in field width of the combo).
                  Mike
                  __________________________________________
                  It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
                  It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
                  Henry David Thoreau
                  __________________________________________



                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: Combo boxes - best way?

                    Originally posted by MikeC View Post
                    So apparently the only thing missing is to be able to choose the amount of records shown in the dropdown (record list-combo box seems to do everything else)---would be nice to do and has been requested numerous times over the past few years. I like how Access has it all right in front of you and fully configurable and sizing controls precise (not intuitive but Alpha allows decimals also in field width of the combo).
                    Are you saying that a record list combo box allows you to show two fields but only save one to the table AND the display width of the combo box is only as wide as the field that will be saved?
                    John J. Fatte', CPA
                    PRO-WARE, LLC
                    Omaha, NE 68137

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Re: Combo boxes - best way?

                      Hi John,
                      At first I did not quite understand what you meant by
                      AND the display width of the combo box is only as wide as the field that will be saved
                      but then it became clear....and did not know so tried it. The answer, as far as I can tell, is yes....if the screenshot represents what you are referring to--more than 2 fields but the gist is there I think.

                      Haven't you tried it with the Record List-Combo Box yet?? Then you could tell me if any other differences between Alpha and Access regarding Combo boxes.

                      Mike
                      __________________________________________
                      It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
                      It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
                      Henry David Thoreau
                      __________________________________________



                      Comment

                        #12
                        Re: Combo boxes - best way?

                        Mike... I keep forgetting there are more than 1 type of control of the same family in A5... the record-list combo box is exactly like Access (except for the # of items displayed) and what is needed for the States dropdown. I kinda remembered that there was another combo-box but thought it would be the same for some reason... got to stop thinking like that and go and look.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Re: Combo boxes - best way?

                          I wonder why you are not using a zip db.
                          Create a table with that DB and have your user form have a link dropdown to the zip Table. Selecting a zip will fill the City and the ST.

                          Just a mention and I hope it will help.

                          Comment

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