The List Box Formatter dialog shows how the list box under construction looks. It fills this sample list box with placeholder characters representing the contents of each field. If any field contains a header, a header row appears over the column.
You format the fields one by one in the Properties dialog. The sample list box always displays a horizontal scroll bar, whether you specify one in the List Properties dialog or not.
Select multilple columns for editing using CTRL + CLICK. You can also just use the keyboard. Hold the CTRL key and press the up or down arrow key. To unselect all items just release the Ctrl key and press the up or down arrow key. or release the CTRL key and mouse click on any column.
The formatter does not display a vertical scroll bar. If the queue contains more items than rows in the list, and if you add the VSCROLL attribute by checking the box in the List Properties dialog, the vertical scroll bar appears at run time.
The dialog contains the following buttons:
See the following topics for more information about adding list box functionality:
How to Restore User Resized List Box Column Widths
How to Trap a Double Click on a List Box
How to add Drag and Drop to a List Box
How to Display the Sort Field First on a Multi-Key Browse
Using drop-down lists to Lookup Records
Color and Style
Use these prompts to set the default colors for all list rows and columns.
Background | To set the default color for normal (unselected) list background, type a valid color equate in this field, or press the ellipsis (…) button to select a color from the color dialog.Adds an “E(,color,,)” to the FORMAT string. |
Default Style | Type the default style number. The style number sets the font typeface, size, style, and color for all list rows and columns.Adds a “Z(n)” to the FORMAT string, where n is the style number. |
Selected Background | To set the default color for normal (unselected) list background, type a valid color equate in this field, or press the ellipsis (…) button to select a color from the color dialog.Adds an “E(,,,color)” to the FORMAT string. |
Selected Text | To set the default color for normal (unselected) list text, type a valid color equate in this field, or press the ellipsis (…) button to select a color from the color dialog.Adds an “E(,,color,)” to the FORMAT string. |
TextColor | To set the default color for normal (unselected) list text, type a valid color equate in this field, or press the ellipsis (…) button to select a color from the color dialog.Adds an “E(color,,,)” to the FORMAT string. |
Data
AutoFieldNumber | This property provides support for the Field Number of a column, and the ability to override it. Set this proprty to True to designate that the field numbering of the selected column will be “standard”, based on the order that it appears in the list box. Setting this property to False allows the field numbering to be modified. This feature is important for some list box properties that require field number information, and gives you the ability to control it. |
DataIndent | Optionally specify an indent, in dialog units, for the listbox data. Indent moves the data by the number of dialog units specified, in the opposite direction to the justification. An indent of two (2) on left justified data improves listbox readability. The indent appears within the FORMAT string surrounded by parentheses and preceded by a letter indicating the justification, as in “L(8).” |
DataJustification | Choose from the drop-down list to specify left, right, center or decimal. Decimal justification aligns decimal numbers by their decimal points. The justification appears in the FORMAT string following the data width, as in “40R.” |
FieldNumber | If the AutoFieldNumber property is set to False, enter a custom Field Number here. If the AutoFieldNumber property is set to False, this property is Read Only. |
Picture | Specify the picture token for the data. The List box Formatter displays the data according to the picture token. For example, the picture token @P(###) ###-####P displays a phone number as (555) 555-5555.The picture token you specify appears in the FORMAT string. |
Flags
Fixed | Set to True to specify that the column always remains visible in the listbox, even if other columns scroll.The FORMAT string includes the “F” character, immediately preceding the header text as in “F~MyHeader~.” | ||
HasColor | Set to True to allow conditional runtime colors for individual list items–that is, to conditionally override the default colors for individual list rows. The color information for each row is contained in four LONG fields that immediately follow the data field in the QUEUE. Assign the color value to the appropriate QUEUE field at runtime, and Clarion's runtime library does the rest.See Control Templates–BrowseBox Control for information on specifying conditional BrowseBox colors, and see FORMAT in the Language Reference.Adds an asterisk “*” to the FORMAT string. | ||
LastOnLine | Set to True to specify that the next field in the group will appear immediately below the current field (if there are multiple fields in the first line of the group, the field will actually appear below the first field in the first line group). In effect, it stacks two or more fields below the group header.The field must be part of a group.For the best display, make sure that your window is not resizable when using multi-line groups.The FORMAT string includes the “/” character, immediately preceding the header text as in “/~MyHeader~.” | ||
Locator | By default, the first field in a multi-column COMBO displays in the entry portion of the COMBO. Set Locator to True to specify that this field (instead of the first field) displays in the entry box portion of a multi-column COMBO control.The FORMAT string includes the “?” character, immediately preceding the header text as in “?~MyHeader~.” | ||
Resizeable | Set to True to specify that the user can resize the width of the columns at run time.The FORMAT string includes the “M” character, immediately preceding the header text as in “M~MyHeader~.”See How to Restore User Resized List Box Column Widths... | ||
RightBorder | Set to True to specify column separators between fields in the listbox at run time.The FORMAT string includes the pipe symbol ( | ), immediately preceding the header text, as in “ | ~MyHeader~.” |
Style | Set to True to allow conditional runtime fonts for individual list items–that is, to conditionally override the default fonts for individual list rows. The font (style) information for each row is contained in a LONG field that immediately follows the data field in the QUEUE. Assign the style value to the appropriate QUEUE field at runtime, and Clarion's runtime library does the rest.See Control Templates–BrowseBox Control in the Template Guide for information on specifying conditional BrowseBox colors, and see FORMAT in the Language Reference.Adds a “Y” to the FORMAT string. | ||
Tooltip | Set to True to activate a specific tool tip for the selected column. The tool tip content is specified on the Appearance tab. Adds a “P” to the FORMAT string. Before you can activate individual column tool tips, make sure that you have a tool tip defined for the list box control. This is found on the Help tab of the selected list box control. | ||
Underline | Set to True to add the underline style to the listbox text. In effect, this creates a bottom border for each row in the column, giving your listbox a spreadsheet or cell-like appearance.The FORMAT string includes the underscore character, immediately preceding the header text, as in “_~My Header~.” |
General
DefaultColumnTip | Used to designate default text to be used for the selected column's tool tip.Adds a “Q” to the FORMAT string. |
Icon | Select an icon setting from the available drop list: |
None | Select this to display no icons in the column. |
Normal | Select this to create an area to the left of the data in the column for displaying a normal image (.ICO) that you supply. See Control Templates–BrowseBox Control in the Template Guide for information on specifying BrowseBox icons, and see Prop:IconList in the Language Reference.Adds an “I” to the FORMAT string. |
Transparent | Select this to create an area to the left of the data in the column for displaying a transparent image (.ICO) that you supply. See Control Templates–BrowseBox Control in the Template Guide for information on specifying BrowseBox icons, and see Prop:IconList in the Language Reference.Adds a “J” to the FORMAT string. |
Header
Tree
OneBasedTree | Set to True to allow the root level to collapse, that is, all the items in the tree can collapse to a single line. |
ShowBoxes | Set to True to add expand (+) and contract (-) boxes to the tree diagram.Set to Falser to append “(B)” to the “T” in the FORMAT string, resulting in “T(B)” to suppress boxes.Adds a “(1)” to the “T” in the FORMAT string, resulting in “T(1).” |
ShowLevel | Set to True to cause each descending level of the Tree hierarchy to be indented.Set to False to append “(I)” to the “T” in the FORMAT string, resulting in “T(I).” |
ShowLines | Set to True to add connecting lines between related items in the tree diagram.Set to False to append “(L)” to the “T” in the FORMAT string, resulting in “T(L)” to suppress lines. |
ShowRoot | Set to True to display a root item for the tree diagram.Set to False to append “(R)” to the “T” in the FORMAT string, resulting in “T(R)” to suppress display of a root item. |
Tree | Set to True to display this column in a hierarchical tree diagram. See Relation Tree control template.Adds a “T” to the FORMAT string. |
It is not necessary to be concerned with the precise syntax of the List Box Format String. Always use the List Box Formatter to build the string for you. If you are using PROP:FORMAT in your embedded source, you can always cut and paste your format string from the Formatter as needed.