| **Navigation:**  [[introduction.htm|Language Reference]] > 9 -  Window and Report Attributes > Window and Report Attributes >====== FROM (set listbox data source) ====== | [[format   list box mouse click properties.htm|{{btn_prev_n.gif|Previous page}}]][[introduction.htm|{{btn_home_n.gif|Return to chapter overview}}]][[full  set full screen .htm|{{btn_next_n.gif|Next page}}]] |
|  ||

{{newc7.jpg|NewC7.jpg}}

**FROM(**//source//**)**

{{blk2blue.jpg|blk2blue.jpg}}

| **FROM** | Specifies the source of the data displayed or printed in a LIST control. |
| //source// | The label of a QUEUE or field within a QUEUE, or a string constant or variable (normally a GROUP) containing the data items to display or print in the LIST. If the QUEUE has been dynamically created with NEW, the corresponding DISPOSE __must__ come after the window has been closed. |

The **FROM** attribute (PROP:FROM, write-only) specifies the source of the data elements displayed in a LIST, COMBO, or SPIN control, or printed in a LIST control.

If a string constant is specified as the //source//, the individual data elements must be delimited by a vertical bar (|) character. To include a vertical bar as part of one data element, place two adjacent vertical bars in the string (||), and only one will be displayed. To indicate that an element is empty, place at least one blank space between the two vertical bars delimiting the elements (| |). Normally, a valid event will move the selected data element's contents into the control's USE variable. However, an //alternate// value can also be specified in the FROM attribute by including an additional vertical bar followed by a pound symbol (#), and followed by the alternate value. This technique is also useful for the display of special characters. For example, to display the # character in the listbox using a string as a source for FROM, it's enough if the previous entry is

defined with alternate value:

**...,FROM(' |!|@|#@|#|$|%|^|&|*')**

**Window Usage**

{{black.jpg|black.jpg}}

For a SPIN control, the //source// would usually be a QUEUE field or string. If the //source// is a QUEUE with multiple fields, only the first field is displayed in the SPIN.

For LIST and COMBO controls, the data elements are formatted for display according to the information in the FORMAT attribute. If the label of a QUEUE is specified as the //source//, all fields in the QUEUE are displayed as defined by the FORMAT attribute. If the label of one field in a QUEUE is specified as the //source//, only that field is displayed. Queue elements that contain vertical bar characters are treated as a single list entry.

**Report Usage**

{{black.jpg|black.jpg}}

If the label of a QUEUE is specified as the //source//, all fields in the QUEUE are printed. If the label of one field in a QUEUE is specified as the //source//, only that field is printed. Only the current QUEUE entry in the queue's data buffer is printed in the LIST. If a string constant or variable is specified as the //source//, the entire string (all entries in the vertical bar delimited list of data elements) is printed in the LIST. The data elements are formatted for printing in the LIST according to the information in the FORMAT attribute.

**Example:**

<code>
TD    QUEUE,AUTO
FName  STRING(20)
LName  STRING(20)
Init   STRING(4)
Wage   REAL
     END
 
CustRpt    REPORT,AT(1000,1000,6500,9000),THOUS
CustDetail  DETAIL,AT(0,0,6500,1000)
            LIST,AT(0,34,366,146),FORMAT('80L80L16L60L'),FROM(TD),USE(?Show1)
            LIST,AT(0,200,100,146),FORMAT('80L'),FROM(Fname),USE(?Show2)
           END
          END
 
Que1  QUEUE,PRE(Q1)
F1     LONG
F2     STRING(8)
     END
 
Win1 WINDOW,AT(0,0,160,400)
     LIST,AT(120,0,20,20),USE(?L1),FROM(Que1),FORMAT('5C~List~15L~Box~'),COLUMN
     COMBO(@S8),AT(120,120,20,20),USE(?C1),FROM(Q1:F2)
     SPIN(@N8.2),AT(280,0,20,20),USE(SpinVar1),FROM(Q1:F1)
     SPIN(@S4),AT(280,0,20,20),USE(SpinVar2),FROM('Mr.|Mrs.|Ms.|Dr.')
  !Assign a numeric value to SpinVar3:
   SPIN(@S4),AT(280,0,20,20),USE(SpinVar3),FROM('Mr.|#1|Mrs.|#2|Ms.|#3|Dr.|#4')
 END

</code>

**SEE ALSO:**

**[[list  declare a window list control .htm|LIST]]**

**[[queue_declare_a_memory_queue_structure_.htm|QUEUE]]**