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Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

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    #1

    Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

    I'm just getting started in the transition from A4 to A5 and am laying out my first Form after having imported a database from A4. Somehow I have placed two small variable fields onto the layout Form which are now totally nonresponsive to the mouse. They will not highlight, nor will they form an edit box when I click on them. However, they do show proper live data which I switch to the "View" panel.

    The problem is that these fields are in the wrong place, and I can't edit them, move them, or remove them. If I select all fields, all the other fields are highlighted. If I delete all these highlighted fields, the two nonresponsive fields remain and still will not respond to the mouse nor to my attempts to edit them.

    Does anyone have any ideas on how to highlight and delete these two rogue fields?

    Mike Squyres
    Tags: None
    #2
    RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

    Michael:

    I have never encountered this problem. From your comments you are in edit mode and all fields are available for removal, and so forth, except for these two fields. You can look under the reports menu and look for the variables in calcualted fields and the variable fields. Remove thme from there and save the screen.

    when you open the screen again for edit the fields should be gone.

    bob adler

    Comment

      #3
      RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

      Thanks for the input, Bob.

      I haven't yet created any reports, so I'm not sure about what you mean to go to the Reports menu and then delete the variables from the list of report variables. Perhaps I have misunderstood you. (Most of my thinking is still in terms of A4v6 terminology.)

      Is there a menu somewhere for the Form that I am creating which list the variables in use so that I can delete these two "rogue" variables from that list?

      Do I understand you to mean to delete the variables from the list of database variables and then to reinstall them? (This would bee a bit of a nuisance because I have many records, and I would not want to reenter the two fields for all of the records.)

      Mike

      Comment

        #4
        RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

        Mike:
        My miss key above the form. When in edit mode select Form from the menu above. then select either caluculated fields or variables for the drop down menu. If the variables were created for this form they can be deleted here.

        if not try make a backup of the directory and do a database compact. this may clear the problem.


        I hope this helps

        bob adler

        Comment

          #5
          RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

          Thanks, Bob.

          I will try the above. I hate to be a Daniel Boone discovering new problems as soon as I start using the system. Do you think that the problem may be associated with the fact that I am still using the 30-day trial version of A5v4.5?

          Mike

          Comment

            #6
            RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

            Michael,

            "Do you think that the problem may be associated with the fact that I am still using the 30-day trial version of A5v4.5?"

            Almost certainly not. I think you are just unfamiliar with managing variables in the form editor (I'm agreeing with Bob here).

            This is what I think you did:
            From the field dropdown you dragged over "create a new calculated field" or something similar. This invoked a genie which then created a variable or calculated field for you.

            Another way to create one of these would be to put the form into design mode. The design toolbar has "XY" and "V" buttons, the former for calculated fields and the latter for variables. There you can manually (no genie) create these. And you can also delete them.

            That's where Bob is telling you to look.

            Bill

            Mike
            Bill Hanigsberg

            Comment

              #7
              RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

              Thanks, Bill. Good insights. I will check them all tonight.

              Mike

              Comment

                #8
                RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

                Bob,

                Thanks again for your input. Unfortunately, your suggestions did not work. I still have two data fields on my layout which I cannot highlight, edit, move, or remove. I know which variables they are, and I can place fields with the same variables elsewhere on the form without any problems.

                These are not calculated variables.

                I tried copying the form and giving it a new name, but the "rogue" fields are still there, still unable to be editted.

                Any further suggestions you might have will be appreciated.

                Mike

                Comment

                  #9
                  RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

                  Bill,

                  Thanks again for your input. Unfortunately for me the suggestions did not work. I still have two fields on my layout which cannot be highlighted, editted, moved, or removed. They are legitimate variables (not calculated variables) which show legitimate data when in the View Form mode. I can create fields for the same two variables elsewhere on the form and then edit them, etc. without any trouble.

                  I tried copying the form and renaming it to see if the "rogue" fields would follow. They did, and I can't do anything with them on the copied form either.

                  Do you have any other suggestions about how I can get at the underlying structure of this form to see if I can erase whatever has created these "rogue" fields?

                  The only other idea I have is to abandon this layout and start over, something which would waste hours of work.

                  Mike

                  Comment

                    #10
                    RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

                    Michael,

                    I can't be sure what is happening. I take it as given that you have objects which you are unable to select, activate, or edit in *design* mode. If so, the form may be corrupt. To save time here is one thing you might try.

                    Create a new blank form. Open your old form in design mode. Select all of the objects you want to keep and copy them to the clipboard. Close the old form. Open the new form in design mode and paste the objects into the new form. You can do the copy and paste in a single operation. (I assume you know how to select multiple objects.)

                    In general this is a good technique when something on a layout is messed up. You can do research or you can move on.

                    In case of difficulty, select the objects one at a time until the problem appears on the new layout. Then you will have isolated the offending object.

                    Bill
                    Bill Hanigsberg

                    Comment

                      #11
                      RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

                      Great suggestion, Bill. I'll do it tonight.

                      Mike

                      Comment

                        #12
                        RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

                        Bill,

                        This suggestion worked, and I was able to copy and paste all the good fields to a new layout form leaving the two "rogue" fields behind. This enabled me to finish my longest and most complicated form. Thank you.

                        I sent away today for a full version of A5v4.5, so I guess I'm on my way to becoming as dependent on the Windows version as I am on the DOS version. I haven't received any documentation yet, so I'm just working on trial and error and intuition born in many years of A4v6 experience. (From what I read on this Board, the documentation isn't all that great anyhow.)

                        One thing I haven't figured out yet is how to insert (or delete) a blank line into an A5 form, the equivalent of and in A4v6. Any tips on how to do this?

                        Mike

                        Comment

                          #13
                          RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

                          Sure, open the form in design mode. Display the toolbox. Use the Line Object. It's one of the tools. Its icon is a square with a diagonal line from topleft corner to bottom right corner. You can use this to draw lines on your form.

                          Have you discovered the 'books' folder yet? The users guide and xbasic reference manual should be there. It should be found in your Alpha Five program folder.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

                            If by "blank line" you are referring to white space as opposed to drawing a physical line, just adjust the height of the "band" in question.

                            IOW to "double space" items in the detail section, move your cursor to the bottom edge of the detail section until it changes to an "up-down" arrow, left click and drag the bottom bar to about double the original height.
                            There can be only one.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              RE: Nonresponsive variable fields on Layout Form

                              Michael,

                              I am glad you got past the problem.

                              Regarding the documentation, let me say that whatever its limitations, it is still worth its weight in gold. Furthermore, you should buy the two books by Dr. Peter Wayne which are available at the Alpha Software site. And finally, look at the articles at learn alpha.com.

                              The move to the windows environment is challenging but the increased flexibility justifies the effort.

                              Bill
                              Bill Hanigsberg

                              Comment

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