Form fields default sample

An algorithm is used to compute the field width when no SAMPLE attribute is specified.

Starting with version 1.30, if no SAMPLE attribute is specified in the form files, the client uses an algorithm to compute the field width. In this case, a very pessimistic algorithm is used to compute the field widths: The client assumes a default SAMPLE of "M" for the first six characters and then "0" for the subsequent characters and applies this algorithm to all fields, with some exceptions like DATEEDIT fields.

The default algorithm tends to produce larger forms compared to forms used in BDS V3 and very first versions of Genero. Do not hesitate to modify the SAMPLE attribute in the form file, to make your fields shorter.

If you do not want to touch all your forms, a more tailored automatic solution would be to specify a ui.form.setDefaultInitializer() function, to set the SAMPLE depending on the AUI tag. In this example small UPSHIFT fields get a sample of "M"; all other fields get a sample of "0". This will preserve the original width for UPSHIFT fields, however numeric and normal String fields will get the sample of "0" and make the overall width of the form smaller.

Program:

# this demo program shows how to affect the "sample" attribute in a 
#  ui.form.setDefaultInitializer function 
# the main concern is to set a default sample of "0" and to 
# correct the sample attribute for small UPSHIFT fields to "M" 
# to be able to display full uppercase letter for fields with a small width
 
MAIN
  DEFINE three_char_upshift CHAR(3)
  DEFINE three_digit_number Integer
  DEFINE longstring CHAR(100)
  CALL ui.form.setDefaultInitializer("myinit")
  OPEN form f from "sampletest2"
  DISPLAY form f
  INPUT BY NAME three_char_upshift,three_digit_number,longstring 
END MAIN
 
FUNCTION myInit(f)
  DEFINE f ui.Form
  CALL checkSampleRecursive(f.getNode()) 
END FUNCTION
 
FUNCTION checkSampleRecursive(node)
  DEFINE node,child om.DomNode
  LET child= node.getFirstChild()
  WHILE child IS NOT NULL
    CALL checkSampleRecursive(child)
    CALL setSample(child)
    LET child=child.getNext()
  END WHILE 
END FUNCTION
 
FUNCTION setSample(node)
  DEFINE node,parent om.DomNode
  LET parent=node.getParent()
  -- only set the "sample" for FormFields in this example
  IF parent.getTagName()<>"FormField" THEN
    RETURN
  END IF
  IF node.getAttribute("shift")="up"
    AND node.getAttribute("width")<=6 THEN
    CALL node.setAttribute("sample","M")
  ELSE
    CALL node.setAttribute("sample","0")
  END IF
  DISPLAY "set sample attribute of ",node.getId()," to \"",
    node.getAttribute("sample"),"\"" 
END FUNCTION

Form File:

LAYOUT(text="sampletest2") 
GRID
{
 <G sampletest                                                                 >
  3 Letter Code: [a  ] 3 digit code:[b  ]  Description:[longstring ]

 <G "What can be seen"                                                         >
  There is no default sample set in this form, but due to a
  ui.form.setDefaultInitializer function, small UPSHIFT fields
  are adjusted to a sample of "M", all other fields get the sample "0"
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  1. The 3 letter code should show up exactly "MMM" because of the applied
     sample="M"
  2. The 3 letter digit code should show up exactly "123" without additional  
     spacing
} 
END 
END 
ATTRIBUTES 
EDIT a=formonly.three_char_upshift,UPSHIFT,default="MMM"; 
EDIT b=formonly.three_digit_number,default="123"; 
EDIT longstring=formonly.longstring,UPSHIFT,
     default="DESCRIPTION OF THE ITEM",SCROLL; 
END