Controlling table rendering

Table rendering can be controlled by the use of presentation styles and table attributes.

Table width

By default, the width of a TABLE container is defined by the number of visible columns in its layout.

Table column fields defined as HIDDEN will not contribute to computing the default table width.

In this example, the table is defined with three visible columns, which in turn define individual field widths. The sum of the field widths defines the default table width.

GRID
{
<TABLE t1           >
[c1  |c2       |c3  ]
...

To specify explicitly the width of a table, use the WIDTH attribute:

TABLE t1 : table1, WIDTH = 5 COLUMNS, ... ;

The COLUMNS unit means a number of fields/columns in the TABLE, not grid-columns.

The size of a TABLE (or TREE) element has an impact on the size of a modal window where the form of the table is displayed. However, regular windows will be sized from the window container, and the form content will adapt to it.

Table height

The height of a TABLE container is by default defined by the number of rows in its layout. In the example, the default table height will be three rows:

GRID
{
<TABLE t1           >
[c1  |c2       |c3  ]
[c1  |c2       |c3  ]
[c1  |c2       |c3  ]
<                   >
...

To specify explicitly the height of a table, use the HEIGHT attribute:

TABLE t1 : table1, HEIGHT = 10 LINES, ... ;

The LINES unit means a number of lines in the TABLE, not grid-lines.

Showing table grid lines

By default, the grid lines of TABLE container are shown, when the table is controlled by an INPUT ARRAY. The table grid lines are hidden when using a DISPLAY ARRAY.

Define the showGrid style attribute, to indicate if the table widget must show horizontal and/or vertical grid lines:

<Style name="Table.custom_style">
  <StyleAttribute name="showGrid" value="vertical"/>
</Style>

Table rendered with grid lines by using the showGrid style attribute. — Figure: Table with grid lines

Alternate background color of odd/even rows

A TABLE container can automatically display odd/even rows with a different background color. This is the default rendering, and it can be disabled with the alternateRows style attribute:

<Style name="Table.custom_style">
  <StyleAttribute name="alternateRows" value="no"/>
</Style>

Consider using alternateRows instead of :odd/:even pseudo selectors.

Table rendering with the alternateRows style attribute. — Figure: Table with alternate row background

Distinguish row on mouse hover

By default, when the mouse hovers over a row, it gets a specific background color to distinguish the row from others. This rendering can be controller with the rowHover style attribute:

<Style name="Table.custom_style">
  <StyleAttribute name="rowHover" value="no"/>
</Style>

Current row / current cell rendering

In a TABLE container, the highlighting of the current row (or current cell, when focus granularity is at the cell level) can be controlled with style attributes.

The current row / current cell style attributes apply also to stretchable SCROLLGRID containers.

For more details, see Row and cell highlighting in TABLE.

Frozen columns

When the Table style attribute tableType is set to frozenTable, you can define a number of fixed columns on the left and right, respectively with the leftFrozenColumns and rightFrozenColumns style attributes:

<Style name="Table.custom_style">
  <StyleAttribute name="tableType" value="frozenTable"/>
  <StyleAttribute name="leftFrozenColumns" value="2"/>
  <StyleAttribute name="rightFrozenColumns" value="1"/>
</Style>

Frozen columns can also be used in Treeviews.

See the reference topics Table style attributes, Tree style attributes.

Stretchable columns

The form items defining columns in a TABLE or TREE container can use a STRETCH=X attribute, to have the column stretch when the container width changes.

To make all columns stretchable, define the TABLE/TREE form item with the STRETCHCOLUMNS attribute. Some columns can then be made non-stretchable individually with STRETCH=NONE.

For stretchable columns, a minimum and maximum stretch width can be defined with the STRETCHMIN and STRETCHMAX attributes. The value for these attributes represents a number of item-tag cells. By default, the width of a column is defined by the number of cells used in the column item-tag.

STRETCH, STRETCHCOLUMNS, STRETCHMIN and STRETCHMAX can be combined with a @screen-size modifier, to enable these stretching attributes for specific screen sizes.

TABLE definition example using stretchable columns:

LAYOUT
...
TABLE ...
{
[c1  |c2    |c3      ]
}
END
...
ATTRIBUTES
EDIT c1 = customer.cust_num;
EDIT c2 = customer.cust_name, STRETCH=X,
     STRETCHMIN@SMALL=5, STRETCHMAX@LARGE=30 ;
EDIT c3 = customer.cust_zipcode;
...

In the above example, only the c2 (cust_name) column will stretch, when the table width increases. For small screens, the minimum stretch width will be 5 grid cells, and for large screens the maximum stretch width will be 30 cells.

Flip columns into rows

TABLE containers can define the FLIPPED attribute, to render the table in a way that all cells of a given row get packed vertically. In this rendering mode, the table is thinner and can be displayed on small screens.

To pack row cells vertically, some form item widgets may not keep the same size (especially the height) as in classical table display. For example, the height of RADIOGROUP, IMAGE and TEXTEDIT form items will be smaller. Consider using these item types with care, in a table where the FLIPPED attribute applies.

The FLIPPED attribute can be combined with a @screen-size modifier, to get this rendering for specific screen sizes (typically with small screens):

TABLE table1 ( FLIPPED@SMALL )

Table with classic horizontal column arrangement. — Figure: Table with classic horizontal column layout

Table with flipped rows arrangement. — Figure: Table with flipped rows layout

Current row visibility after dialog execution

When the dialog controlling the table has finished, the current row may be deselected, depending on the KEEP CURRENT ROW dialog attribute.