Time display formats  Working with edit styles

Chapter 21: Displaying and Validating Data

About edit styles

You can define edit styles for columns. Edit styles specify how column data is presented in DataWindow objects. Unlike display formats, edit styles do not only affect the display of data; they also affect how users interact with the data at runtime. Once you define an edit style, it can be used by any column of the appropriate datatype in the database.

When edit styles are used

If both a display format and an edit style have been assigned to a column, the edit style is always used, with one exception. When you assign an EditMask edit style to a column, you can check the Use Format check box on the Format properties page for the column to use the edit mask format when focus is on the column, and the display format mask when focus is off the column.

Edit styles

Table 21-8 shows the available edit styles.

Table 21-8: Edit styles

Edit style

What the edit style does

Example

Edit box (default)

Displays a value in the box. For data entry, type a value.

 The example shows a city name in an edit box.

DropDownListBox

Displays a value from the drop-down list. For data entry, select or enter a value.

 The example shows a text box with the entry Small. Inside the right corner of the text box is an arrow pointing downwards, indicating the text box has an associated drop down list. The drop down list has four values: small, medium, large, and one size fits all. Small is highlighted.

CheckBox

Displays a check box selected or cleared. For data entry, select or clear the check box.

 The example shows a check box with the label Day Care.

RadioButtons

Displays radio buttons, one of which is selected. For data entry, select one of the radio buttons.

 The example shows a pair of radio buttons, one above the other, with the labels Male and Female.

EditMask

Displays formatted data. For data entry, type a value.

 The example shows the value 62000 with a dollar sign on the left and a comma between 62 and its five trailing zeros. The last two zeros are separated from the first three zeros by a decimal point.

DropDownDataWindow

Displays a value from a drop-down DataWindow. For data entry, select a value.

 The example shows a drop down Data Window that shows department numbers when closed and department names when the list displays.

For example, suppose you have a column Status that takes one of three values: the letters A, T, and L, each representing a status (Active, Terminated, or On Leave). If you assign it the RadioButton edit style, users can simply click a button instead of having to type A, T, or L. You do not have to create a validation rule to validate typed input.




Copyright © 2007. Sybase Inc. All rights reserved. Working with edit styles

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