How to align column titles with list box columns

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Is there some way to align column titles with the columns in an xdialog list box. Right now, I can do this by trial and error, but if I run the xdialog on a different computer, the titles are mis-aligned. vcTitlerow is the variable with the list box column title. I built the list box initially using the genie and the advance button. Is there an option to add a title?

DIM GLOBAL vList as C
DIM vOrder as C
dim dlg_title as C = "Lookup Envelope Number"
DIM vFilter as C
DIM SHARED varC_result as C = ""
DIM XDialogStyle as P
XDialogStyle.AccentColor = "blue white" '"off white"
XDialogStyle.Color = "blue white"
DIM vcTitleRow AS C
vcTitleRow  = "Env#" + space(6) + "Last, First Name" + space(10) + "Name" + space(30) + "Street" + space(42) + "City"

startover:

'' set auto_list_vList 'order' and 'filter' variables
vReturn = "\" \"+envnumber + \"|\" + Alphid + \"|\" + name + \"|\" + address2 + \"|\" + city"
vOrder = "envnumber"
vFilter = "alphid <> 'save!!!'"

auto_list_vList = table.external_record_content_get("fam2006",vReturn ,vOrder ,vFilter)

Dim format as p 
Format.tab_stops=".5,2,3.75,5.75"
Format.odd_row_color="White"
Format.even_row_color="White"
Format.odd_selected_color="Dark Blue"
Format.even_selected_color="Dark Blue"
Format.font="Arial,10"
Format.font_color_unselected="Black"
Format.font_color_selected="White"
Format.lastbutton="OK"
Format.group_size=1
Format.number_rows=.f.
Format.alternating_bands=.f.

'Apply 'owner draw' formatting information to the list
auto_list_vList = a5_owner_draw_list_fmt(auto_list_vList,Format)
        
temp_count = w_count(auto_list_vList,crlf())
DELETE a_vList
DIM a_vList[temp_count] as c
a_vList.initialize(auto_list_vList)
close_button_label = "&Close"
varC_result = ui_dlg_box(dlg_title,<<%dlg%
{Windowstyle=Gradient Horizontal}
{xmargin=3,3}
{region};;;;
{color=Black on White};
{font=arial,10,b}
{text=%H=R%130,vcTitlerow};
{region}
[%d;O={@@}%.130,20vList^#a_vList];;;;
{endregion};
{region}
 <*12,1.5=close_button_label!CLOSE>
{endregion};
%dlg%,<<%code%

if a_dlg_button = "closeSettingChanged" then 
    a_dlg_button = ""
    p.closeAfterFind = flagCloseAfterFind
    a5_save_settings("Find_Item",p)
end if 

IF a_dlg_Button = "Close"
    ui_modeless_dlg_close(dlg_title)
END IF

%code%)

END

Thank you,

Ron

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Since no one responded to this post, I decided to take a different approach. I started with an xdialog example in Alpha Sports. It has worked out quite well with the exception that I can not figure out how to set a larger font. On my computer, the font appears to be a number 8. I would like to change it to a number 10. Would someone please look at the attached example and give me an idea how I may do this.

Thank you,

Ron

[Al Buchholz]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Ron

Does an xdialog with an embedded browse work for you?

browse2xdialog.png

[CALocklin]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Nice dialog!!

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to set the font for the data. But if someone can figure it out, I want to know, too.

I do have 3 minor complaints about the way Alpha sets up xdialogs. There is nothing "wrong" with them and I suspect they are the result of genie requirements in case other things are done that aren't done in this xdialog. My only issue is that these things can add confusion for someone who is trying to understand how to build/edit xdialogs and I'm hoping some clarification will help someone.

1. Alpha over uses regions. All the regions in this xdialog can be removed. There is absolutely no need for them. Regions are generally only needed to align fields in columns or, very rarely, to add another region to the right of an existing region (in which case you would not put a ";" after the first region). However, without the regions in this xdialog you will probably want to add an "{sp};" before the Close button to separate it from the list a bit. Why? Because of one of my pet peeves - every {endregion} command adds extra blank space and when it's necessary to embed a bunch of regions that blank space can become excessive and make it impossible to get a more desirable smaller spacing at the end of the group of regions.)

2. The Close button can be simply <Close>. The result is identical to <Close!close> with the one minor exception that the first one returns "Close" and the second returns "close". However, I don't think most of us do an exact comparison to check for capitalization; I know I don't.

3. This one is a bit person preference but I think it's justifiable. It definitely can make an "ease of debugging" difference when the %code% section is extensive. (It's no big deal when there are only 2-3 short IF statements in the %code% section.) The %code% section is a series of IF ... END IF statements but I prefer a series of IF...ELSEIF statements. In most cases, the a_dlg_button variable is what the IF is testing and the a_dlg_button variable itself never changes. Since it never changes, there is no need to evaluate every IF separately. HOWEVER, in those rare cases where the a_dlg_button variable IS changed, a series of IF...ELSEIF statements followed by a separate IF...END IF statement is a major clue that the a_dlg_variable could have been changed somewhere in the previous ELSEIF statements.

In my own code, if I see a separate IF...END IF statement I KNOW there is a 90% chance that I need to check for a change to the a_dlg_button in the ELSEIF section and I verify that very quickly by looking at that one IF...END IF to find out exactly what might have changed. When I get other peoples' code and don't know for sure what is happening, I often have to check every IF...END IF to find out if the a_dlg_button might have been changed - and that can waste a lot of time when the code is extensive. Sure, it's rare but does happen. (And I hate wasting my time because of sloppy code.)

I know some people won't understand #3 so here's one example. Let's assume I have some code with a series of IF...END IF statements and something isn't working right. So I look at the last IF...END IF, which happens to be something like the 9th one, and it checks to see if a_dlg_button is "OK" and handles it correctly. However, sometimes my xdialog isn't doing what I want it to even though all the code in that "OK" section looks correct. What I don't see right away, because of the amount of code preceding the "OK" check, is that the 3rd IF...END IF statement can sometimes change a_dlg_button to "OK". Now if that same code was a series of IF...ELSEIF statements followed by one IF...END IF to test for a_dlg_button = "OK", then it would be pretty obvious to me that the value of a_dlg_button might have been changed somewhere in the previous ELSEIF statements and I would start the search right away rather than getting angry because I can't figure out what's wrong with the "OK" check.

This doesn't make the code work any better. It just makes it easier to debug.

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Thanks Cal for your response. I've used your recommendations on a number of my xDialogs. You put out code on how to create truly amazing xdialogs and I reference it all the time.

Al, I been trying to move away from browses and forms when an xdialog can do the same job. I find their functionality and cleanliness in appearance very desirable at times. Less is better if it does the job.

However; I may end up giving your suggestion a try.

Thanks,

Ron

[Al Buchholz]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Nice dialog!!

Which dialog? I know you know, but...

Al, I been trying to move away from browses and forms when an xdialog can do the same job. I find their functionality and cleanliness in appearance very desirable at times. Less is better if it does the job.

There must be something I'm missing here...

[Steve Andrews]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

I've had no problem aligning columns in Xdialog simply by changing the font:

{font=Courier New,10}

(I haven't yet downloaded at your attachment.)

Steve

[Mike Wilson]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Steve,
It's a ListView dialog. That doesn't work. I can't figure it out, either.

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Hi Al,

I do not like the way Alpha�s browse works.

For instance, the scroll bar, if the browse is not fully populated, the scroll bar expands and fills the slot touching the up arrow and down arrow. If you change the index, the browse can redraw and only show one record. The only way to view the other records is to mouse click on the up arrow. It�s my belief that I should be able to grab the scroll button with the mouse and scroll the browse back up to the top. In an xdialog, you always see all the records no matter what the index.

Second, when you do have more records and the browse is full, scrolling does not move anything until you stop the scroll and release the mouse button. This is confusing and it makes it hard to scroll and find a record. In an xdialog, When you grab the scroll button and move it, the list moves making it very easy to scroll through the list and find what you are looking for. Actually, I'm writing this response and the scrolling in this box works the same as an xdialog.

I find these two issues annoying and I watch users use the browses and I can tell that they are confused by what they are seeing.

Just my thoughts.

Ron

[Al Buchholz]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Ron

Thanks for the details. It certainly helps to work with specifics rather than generalized comments.

Perhaps those watching will see this and add comments.

In the meantime, it would be interesting to compare the pros and cons of the browse in xdialog..

[CALocklin]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

I do not like the way Alpha’s browse works.

...

I find these two issues annoying and I watch users use the browses and I can tell that they are confused by what they are seeing.

I agree. And I think the idea of having a Find operation put the selected/found record in the middle of the browse is also confusing. Does any other database do that? Personally, I find no use for that "feature" other than confusing users.

Here's another one I discovered in the last day or two. Go to the default browse then go to the menu bar and select Records / Advanced / Apply Range and select either Marked (if you have any) or Not Marked then go back to the browse and hit the Up arrow. On my system the Up arrow only goes down - just like the Down arrow. The only way to go "up" is to use the mouse to click on the record or use the scroll bar once you get it working.

[Ronald Anusiewicz]

Re: How to align column titles with list box columns

Here is an example of where I would like to go with a browse used to navigate records displayed on a form. This isn't polished to where a finished form would be functionally, but I think you will get the idea. A form showing one record with a browse used as a read only, easily navigable to select a record for viewing. Clicking on the column title changes the sort order.