Field Properties on a form

[Ron Cooper]

I have a form with 427 input fields and I wish to change the format properties so that a blank is used if zero. Can this be done with a script?

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Yes but it would be quicker to do it manually than to write the script.

Set one field format. Right click on it, choose Advanced, Copy Selected Properties.
Find the Entry category, Check the Format property box (should have B to the right).
Use the Copy button.
Hold down the shift key and select as many of the other input fields as you like, right click on one of them and choose Advanced, Paste Selected Properties.
Repeat as necessary.

[Ron Cooper]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Stan
As always, I am truly grateful. Your other tip, about reading the local help, was also most helpful and I have just discovered the object browser. I wanted to do it with a script because the fields are on a tabbed form which makes it difficult to perform a 'multi-selection'. I did use your method and you are right, it is quick. I had a humorous moment using record_add with "RefNo = " + tblBOM.RefNo + crlf(), which should have been written "RefNo =" + tblBOM.RefNo + crlf() without the space after the equals sign. I was just trying to be neat.
Regards
Ron

[Ted Giles]

Re: Field Properties on a form

If you put this in the Field Events OnDepart this works when the field is a Character Field.
Is the field a char or numeric?

'Set 'Text' property of '[Your Field Name]' in Form '[Your Form]' .
DIM form_name as c
if is_object(topparent.this) then

form_name = topparent.name()+".this"

else

form_name = ""

end if

DELETE expression_result
expression_result = "" + eval("if(Data='0','',Data)",form_name)
parentform:Data.text = expression_result

[Ted Giles]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Sorry Ron, completely misunderstood what you were trying to do.
How are you geting the date value 0 (zero) to display a BLANK if someone puts a 0 in the field and it is numeric?

[Ron Cooper]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Ted
The fields are numeric and I followed Stan's advice and it worked perfectly. I just copied the formatting from one field and pasted it to all the others. The second part of my comment to Stan was just an aside. It was one of those moments when I changed from style 2 to style 1 on record_add() and could not figure why my 'magnicent' program was no longer working.
Regards
Ron

[Ted Giles]

Re: Field Properties on a form

So how do you set a 0 to blank?
Only thing I could come up with was a colour equation!

[MikeC]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Ted,
In the properties of any field there is a formatting tab---in the dropdown you will see a choice of (blank if zero) after some of the formats offered for numeric...I'd do a screenshot but my Alpha is busy for a while and cannot interrupt it! :-)

[Ron Cooper]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Corrr! I have never answered a question, I have always asked them. I hope Stan is watching.
On a form, select a numeric field properties > format > format style (at the bottom of the dialogue box, > drop down list, I used "123456.78 (blank if zero)", right click on the field, select advanced, copy selected properties, Category>entry>format, copy and then select all the fields that require the same format, select advanced and paste.

[Ted Giles]

Re: Field Properties on a form

I knew that - but forgot!
Bu66er!

[CALocklin]

Re: Field Properties on a form

I have a form with 427 input fields and I wish to change the format properties so that a blank is used if zero. Can this be done with a script?

Yes, it can be done with a script. How do I know....

Lasso all fields on the form or just click Ctrl-A then run my Group Formatter and select "Blank if Zero" for all numeric fields.

That's even faster than copy, select, and paste. There is no need to select specific field types with my formatter - just select the field type that you want to change and everything else will be ignored. Or, select a property for date fields and another property for numeric fields and another property for character fields and another property for vertical alignment and another to set the font for labels to bold then click "Apply and Exit" to do them all at once.

[Jerry Hartness]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Man, after all these years of doing this one field at a time. I like the copy/paste appearance, but never knew about this one. Thanks Ron for your question and thanks for the short cut procedure from the rest of you, just like i found a another gift under the Christmas tree. WOW! Ron, good to see a senior citizen using A5. The best stimulator for the aging brain.

Jerry (getting close to 70)

[Ron Cooper]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Jerry and others
I think we owe a big thank you to Stan Mathews, he is my guide and mentor and never seems to tire of my stupid questions. I have been programming on 'personal' computers since 1980 and have never experienced such a helpful Forum before.
Regards
Ron

[Jerry Hartness]

Re: Field Properties on a form

Yeah, I know, I have Stan & Tom listed on my 'magnicent' program in the about section and without their help and many others on this forum, I would be completely lost, because there is so much that can be done with A5. Also, no questions asked are stupid, just make sure you do a search, then acknowledge if the help you receive works.

Good luck with getting yours up and running the way you wanted.

Jerry