ITEMS attribute

The ITEMS attribute defines a list of possible values that can be used by the form item.

Syntax

ITEMS = { single-value-list | double-value-list }

where single-value-list is:

( value [,...])

where double-value-list is:

( ( value, label-value) [,...])

single-value-list is a comma-separated list of single values.
double-value-list is a comma-separated list of (a, b) values pairs within parentheses.
value is a numeric or string literal, or one of the following keywords: NULL, TRUE, FALSE.
label-value is a numeric literal, a string literal, or a localized string.

Usage

The list must be delimited by parentheses, and each element of the list can be a simple literal value or a pair of literal values delimited by parentheses.

This attribute is not used by the runtime system to validate the field, you must use the INCLUDE attribute to force the possible values.

This example defines a list of simple values:

ITEMS = ("Paris", "London", "New York")

This example defines a list of pairs:

ITEMS = ((1,"Paris"),(2,"London"),(3,"New York"))

This attribute can be used, for example, to define the list of a COMBOBOX form item:

COMBOBOX cb01 = FORMONLY.combobox01,
        ITEMS = ((1,"Paris"), (2,"London"),(3,"New York"));

In this example, the first value of a pair (1,2,3) defines the data values of the form field and the second value of a pair ("Paris", "London", "New York") defines the value to be displayed in the selection list.

When used in a RADIOGROUP form item, this attribute defines the list of radio buttons:

RADIOGROUP rg01 = FORMONLY.radiogroup01,
        ITEMS = ((1,"Paris"), (2,"London"),(3,"New York"));

In this case, the first value of a pair (1,2,3) defines the data values of the form field and the second value of a pair ("Paris", "London", "New York") defines the value to be displayed as the radio button label.

You can specify item labels with localized strings, but this is only possible when you specify a key and a label:

ITEMS = ((1,%"item1"),(2,%"item2"),(3,%"item3"))

It is allowed to define a NULL value for an item (An empty string is equivalent to NULL):

ITEMS = ((NULL,"Enter bug status"),(1,"Open"),(2,"Resolved"))

In this case, the behavior of the field depends from the item type used.