Suppressing comments and prompts

[mmelby]

I am running Clarion 8.0.9759 and NT 7.05

I am trying to adjust one of my forms so that the rows look something like this:

Prompt: Code ? Description

The code and description are fields from tables. To get this look I need to be able to suppress comments however on most of the fields in the form the Suppress Comment check box is greyed and I cannot figure out why.

I would like to blank out the prompt for the description field. However when I blank out the prompt and tab to the next field the prompt is immediately put back.

I also noticed that the Span prompt/value/comment check box is also greyed out on all my fields.

Some direction would be appreciated.

-------------------
Update. I just figured out that I can just put 2 quotes in the prompt field.
     That takes care of one of my problems.
 

[Stu]

Hi there,

I'm not sure why your Span checkbox is not available .. Might be a form level template setting.

Are these two fields editable or display? Might make a difference in how you approach this.

BUT, if it were me doing what you want, here's what I'd do:

1. Add both the fields to the form in said order.

2. "Code" field has the prompt text.

3. "Code" field is set to NOT be the last on the row, and to NOT be the last in the cell.

4. Span the "Description" field, making sure it has a blank prompt and no comment.

[mmelby]

That was my plan B. The problem is that the check box to suppress the comment is greyed out on all my fields.

I cannot figure out why.

[Bruce]

Suppress Comments can be set at 3 levels;

a) for the whole Form on the Form Layout tab.

b) for a tab

c) for a field.

if the field is "last on line" ='YES") Or the field is set as "Last in Cell" then the suppress comment field is disabled. You should set it to '' (two single quotes if you want it to be blank)

Cheers
Bruce

[mmelby]

OK, I think I am now more confused

I assume the 2 single quotes are for the Prompt. That works.

The check box to suppress comments at the form level is working.

I could not find anything at the Tab level.

At the field level, if I say Last on Line = No and uncheck the Last in Cell block I can then suppress the comment. However, then my form is messed up because the next field is moved up to the same row.

Am I still missing something?

[Bruce]

Hi Michael,

>> Am I still missing something?

yes. But let me phrase it like this;

why do you want to suppress the comment? And what do you feel that "suppressing the comment" for this one field will do?

Cheers
Bruce

PS - you can't suppress the comments at tab level - that was a mistake - I was thinking about the "span" setting which is also at tab level.

[mmelby]

Hopefully this explanation makes sense...

Several of the fields in my table have a lookup file. When the user is updating those fields on a form I would like to display the entry field, the lookup button and the code description field (from the lookup file) on the same row right next to each other.

Currently the comment inserts itself in between the lookup button and the description. In addition the description is read only however the comment for that field also displays.

In order to see the form clearly the user has to make the window wider to get all the fields to display on the same row.

Because of the nature of the data in most of the fields the user will know that they are required and if they forget to enter a required field then they will be presented with an error.

For fields like dates I think it is nice to show the comment because it includes the format of the date.

Bruce, I am not trying to be a pain and I hope this makes sense.

As always your help is greatly appreciated.

[kevin plummer]

Currently the comment inserts itself in between the lookup button and the description. In addition the description is read only however the comment for that field also displays.

> Have you tried just using the comment field to display the description from the lookup rather than adding a display field. That's what I do. Just add your local variable to the comment field on the template.

[mmelby]

I had not tried that (did not know about it). I just tried it and it looks much better than what I was trying to do.

Thank You !!