Simple way to hide a column?

[keuler]

The attached file shows a simple parent/child Form view. Is there any way I can hide a column in the child?

Please see that attached screen shot. I want to hide the Subexpedition_id column. Its a auto-incrementing key field meant to support later sets which use the subexpedition table as a parent. I don't want users changing the values in this field, for obvious reasons. (I don't even want ME changing values in this field!)

I'm a newbie, and I'm a bit surprised there aren't more obvious non-code options to hide columns, like auto-incrementing key fields, that users shouldn't be messing with.

Thanks much!

-Kurt Euler

[spmat]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Hello Kurt

If I understand you, simplified, you have one table with ExpeditionID that is linked to a child table via the SubexpeditionID in a set. Do you want the Expedition ID to be autoincrement? Do you want the subexpedtionID to be hidden?

I recreated two tables with the parent table titled Expedition. I created a single field "ExpeditionID" set as a numeric field.

The second table had subexpeditionID and a field titled description.

I then created a set linking ExpeditionID and subexpeditionID in a one to many relationship.

When I viewed the set, the subexpeditionID was hidden.

[MikeC]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Kurt,
If you don't want to see a column, then simply do not have it as a field in the browse. If it is necessary to have the field on the form then there is a property setting that can be used to hide this. If hiding it via the property checkbox causes problems where Alpha cannot "see" its value and its value is needed, then don't check the property Hide box, but instead set its color properties to match your form and then disable it. If you want to be able to hide and then unhide the browse column then that is also easy to do by setting the column width to 0 to hide and then to whatever width is wanted to unhide it.

I cannot imagine many more ways to do this or even any easier ways that could be wanted or expected for that matter!! :) But then maybe I just am not understanding exactly what is wanted in this case....

Regarding the not wanting users or yourself changing the auto-increment field...if you are talking about the field rules auto-increment, then no worries as it cannot be changed unless it is changed to User Entered in field rules. For User Entered fields if the Skip field in the field rules is set to .T. then noone can change it when on a form.....

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

I'm a bit surprised there aren't more obvious non-code options to hide columns, like auto-incrementing key fields, that users shouldn't be messing with.

Right. By default the autoinc field rule will supply suggested field values for new records, but the user can edit them at will. Edits can be suppressed in a variety of easy ways. The skip field rule comes to mind for example.

When you work with a set based form, Alpha will automatically suppress the display of the link field for the child table. It will supply the necessary value automatically to maintain the link between parent and child. Edits to the child table link field have to be done in a form based only on that table.

In addition to what's been said thus far, you can always delete the column from the embedded browse object. Select the column with left mouse clicks, then right click. Delete is an option on the right click menu.

[Mike Wilson]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Right. By default the autoinc field rule will supply suggested field values for new records, but the user can edit them at will.

I take a great deal of caution diagreeing with Tom, but I don't believe that a user can amend a value in a field set in field rules to auto increment. I believe the field rule must be suspended first.

[Al Buchholz]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

I take a great deal of caution diagreeing with Tom, but I don't believe that a user can amend a value in a field set in field rules to auto increment.

Mike

Actually Tom is right. ( as usual )

You can test this with a very simple example.

[Mike Wilson]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Hi Al,
Of course I made an example and tested it. Please show me that you can change the value of the field test_id set to character data field rule auto increment in this example without changing the field rule.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Mike, you cannot change the autoinc field value for records that have been saved already. You CAN change the "suggested" autoinc field value when supplied for a new record. Perhaps my language could have been clearer, but in my defense the only time the field rule "suggests" a new incremented field value is when the user is entering a new record and I think it's pretty clear (naturally, since I wrote it!) that I was speaking of manually changing the incremented value in a new record before it's saved.

Your database illustrates this beautifully. Can't change existing autoinc field values, can change the "suggested" value generated for a new record, before it's saved.

This has always been true.

-- tom

[Mike Wilson]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Tom, Al,
HA! How funny how we see thing some times. Please excuse me. :o

Kurt wrote:

I don't want users changing the values in this field,...

I immediately translated the plural in 'values' into more than one record and therefore would have to be values of existing records already set. I furthered this with Tom's plural writing:

...but the user can edit them at will.

I have to admit that going back and reading Tom's reply, it should have been more apparent to me he was referring to unsaved values.

Thanks for the insight.

[Al Buchholz]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Hi Al,
Of course I made an example and tested it. Please show me that you can change the value of the field test_id set to character data field rule auto increment in this example without changing the field rule.

Mike

Tom's clarification helps explain the situation.

Attached is an image of your example where I changed the value of the suggested autoid prior to a save of the record.

I was able to make the value higher than the largest value already on file. If I tried to over-ride to a value lower I was over-ridden by the field rule.

You are correct that once saved, the value can't be changed. Thank goodness for that... There would be a lot of orphans around if that could happen...


Edit: Got a little cross-talk there... I see you came to the same conclusion. It is good to get items like this clarified...

[rleunis]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Since this was posted in the web server section, my first reaction was:

If you use an updatable grid then use control type LABEL for the autoincrement field. This way users cannot update them.

Also in the ROW PROPERTIES you check the hide column, if you do not want users to see the auto increment field (If it's used for internal reasons only)..

But then I saw this post is referring to forms and sets..

regards, Ron

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Ron, good point. I've been thinking desktop, overlooking the fact that the original post was for a web server app. -- tom

[Al Buchholz]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Ron, good point. I've been thinking desktop, overlooking the fact that the original post was for a web server app. -- tom

Tom

I thought that too, but the image in the first post is a desktop form, not a web form.

So this is merely posted in the wrong forum. But it would change the answer if it was really a web app, eh?

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Al, I would hope not, but I don't have experience with auto-inc fields in web server applications. So I guess someone else needs to chime in if that's the direction this thread needs to go.

-- tom

[MikeC]

Re: Simple way to hide a column?

Mike W,
If it helps...I read Tom's post the same way as you, but had to leave and so didn't have time to respond as you did!! :)

Al,
I seem to remember that the auto-increment field rule does traverse to the web side and would imagine the same logic/rules apply as far as having the ability to change it to a higher, different from suggested, value....but only if it has not been saved prior...but someone such as Steve Workings or Steve Wood would have to verify.