onDialogInitialize and the tmpl Component Definition

[DaveF]

Does anyone know if it is possible to modify any of the dialog component definition settings from onDialogInitialize using the tmpl structure? I can do this with a grid component as long as I set the flag to recalculate the component settings. I would like my customers to be able to change my default control headings and help text and figured this event would be the perfect place to override all of my dialog settings. I've searched everywhere and have not been able to find anything about whether this can or cannot be done. I've read many threads about people asking how to populate drop downs or checking check boxes. In every case, the answer has been calling a javascript method. It just seems very simple and straightforward if it was possible to override all of the dialog properties using Xbasic in onDialogInitialize and be done with it.

The dialog's onDialogInitialize event stub does mention the "e.tmpl - component definition" as if this is something you can modify using Xbasic. I've played around trying to change various control headings, bubble text, etc. but nothing changes as if the dialog component has already been constructed using the tmpl values and whatever values I set in the tmpl structure are ignored.

Thanks

[Davidk]

Re: onDialogInitialize and the tmpl Component Definition

I can't see anything that talks about change e.tmpl in the dialog... as it does in the grid. You can execute javascript, however. In the onDialogExecute event, you could do something like this to change the bubble help for a control.

e.javascript = "$('DLG1.V.R1.TXTLOCATION').title = 'Now setting Bubble Help from onDialogExecute

You get get the values from e.tmpl, but it seems you can't set them. This contains the value from the bubble help for a control...

e.tmpl.page_fields[3].v.fieldBubbleHelp

[DaveF]

Re: onDialogInitialize and the tmpl Component Definition

Thanks fot the info. The name of one of the fields I am testing with is “DESCRIPTION”. When I tested the following line of code, nothing on the dialog seemed to change:

e.javascript = "$('DLG1.V.R1.DESCRIPTION').title = “abc”

Just to see what would happen, I then tried the following and noticed that “abc” now appeared in the editable area of my control:

e.javascript = "$('DLG1.V.R1.DESCRIPTION').value = “abc”

Are there other properties besides “.value” that I can override using this technique? I would like the ability to override many different dialog Textbox properties, but I have not seen examples of how to do it from the Message Board or the A5 documentation.

Thanks again.

Dave

[Davidk]

Re: onDialogInitialize and the tmpl Component Definition

When you say nothing seemed to change, do you mean that when you hover your cursor over the Description input box, you don't get 'abc' as help bubble text?
Do you have Firebug installed for Firefox? If not, then go get it.
Run your Grid in Live Preview, then click on the Firefox link at the bottom of your Preview window.
Now, click into your Description field, and then right-click and choose Inspect Element with Firebug.

This will show you all the HTML rendered, and you'll be able to pick out your default bubble help - whatever you typed for bubble help in the Grid Control Property. You'll see the bubble help text is assigned to "title" and that's what is being changed. You'll see all the other tags etc. for that control as well.

[DaveF]

Re: onDialogInitialize and the tmpl Component Definition

I don't know what I did wrong earlier, but after trying again it appears to work. BTW, I do have Fire Bug installed, but I have been doing all of my testing in Working Preview. I looked around and found that I could also change the bubble help for the label by doing the following: e.javascript = "$('DLG1.LBL.R1.DESCRIPTION').title = 'def';"

I have not been able to find out what all of the property names are for the different types of control attributes. I don't understand why ".value" is the property name for bubble help? It would make more sense if it was called ".bubbleHelp". This is what I know so far:

DLG1.LBL.R1.DESCRIPTION is associated with the control's heading.
DLG1.V.R1.DESCRIPTION is associated with the control's data.
".value" is the property or attribute for the element's text.
".title" is the property or attribute for the element's bubble help text.

Is any of this documented? If not, are there other text box attributes (e.g., background color, font attributes, etc.) I can change on a Dialog? Are there more control names I need to be familiar with like DLG1.LBL.R1.DESCRIPTION and DLG1.V.R1.DESCRIPTION.

Thanks again. You have been very helpful.

[Davidk]

Re: onDialogInitialize and the tmpl Component Definition

All of this stuff is pure HTML, so you can find all of it many places. I check www.w3schools.com for a lot of this stuff. Just a point of clarification though... you say that ".value" is the property name for bubble help but that's the actual control value data... whereas .title is the bubble help. Just wanted to make sure...

Yes... all attributes are available to change or add. I never try to keep them in mind, or every the rendered control names... I just fire up firebug and check the control I'm interested in to see what it's rendered name is.

And... to make things more variable, you'll want to replace "DLG1" (the rendered name of your dialog) with a placeholder.

e.javascript = "$('{Dialog.ComponentName}.V.R1.TXTLOCATION').title = 'Now setting variable Bubble Help from onDialogExecute'"

Note the {Dialog.ComponentName}... it gets resolved to DLG1

[DaveF]

Re: onDialogInitialize and the tmpl Component Definition

Got it! Makes sense now. I will start looking at the controls using Firebug.

Thanks!