First Guide to SQL Anywhere Studio
   PART 2. Getting Results with SQL Anywhere Studio
     CHAPTER 7. Creating Forms with InfoMaker       

Enhance the form

In this section you will:

• Add a title

• Change the background for data

• Move the buttons

• Add a report

  Add a title

1. Move the pointer to an unused area of the form and click the right mouse button.

   The popup menu for the form displays.

   

   About the popup menu     Whenever you click the right mouse button, a popup menu displays. The menu changes depending on the position of the pointer (on a control, on an unused area of the form, or on an unused area of a toolbar). To see this, move the pointer to different places and click the right mouse button.

2. Select Properties from the popup menu.

   The form's property sheet displays. The General tab is on top, with the information in the box for the Title option highlighted.

   

3. Type Maintain Contact Information and press OK.

   The title does not display now. When you run the form, the title will display.

  Change the background for data

Now you will change the background for all data values to be white. This will make it easier to enter data. You will use lasso select to select the objects.

1. Move the pointer near the bottom of the data and on the right.

2. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag diagonally to the left and up until the white box (the lasso) touches all the data.

   

3. Release the mouse button.

   All the objects inside the white box are selected. Black boxes display in all the corners.

   

4. Move the pointer to the Background Color (Bg Clr) dropdown toolbar.

   Click the arrow to display the color menu.

   Click the plain white box (not the white box with the letter w in it).

   

   All the areas on the form used to display data values now have white for a background color.

   

  Move the buttons

Now you will move the buttons to make room for the report you are about to add.

1. Select a button.

   (You can use lasso select or click one.)

   Small black boxes in the corners mean it is selected.

2. Drag the button to the top of the form.

   Select and drag the other two buttons until your form looks like this.

   

   Now the buttons are near the top of the form. There is more room for the report you are about to add.

  Add a report

Now you will add a report to provide information when you are working with the form. You can scroll in the report while you are filling out the form for a new contact. This means, for example, that you could look up an area code or zip code if it's already present for another contact.

1. Select Controls->Report from the menu bar.

   Move the pointer into the workspace. Where you next click will position the report that you are adding to the form.

2. Move the pointer to the empty space on the right part of the form and click.

   The box that will hold the report displays on the form.

   

3. Move the pointer to the box and press the right mouse button to display the popup menu.

   

4. Select Properties.

   The property sheet for the box displays.

   

   You will use this property sheet to specify a few things about the report. First you are going to select the report whose contents display in the box.

5. Click the Browse button.

   In the Select Report dialog box, scroll the list of reports.

   Select contactgrid and click OK.

   

   Contactgrid displays in the Report Name box in the property sheet.

   

   Next you will specify that the report is to have the Resize border, scrollbars, and the ability to be resized when you run the form.

6. Select Resize from the Border dropdown listbox (you'll have to scroll the list).

   Select the HScroll Bar, and VScroll Bar checkboxes.

   

7. Click OK.

   The report looks like this.

   

   When you run the form, the report displays as a resizable window with horizontal and vertical scrollbars. This gives you flexibility in looking at data while working on the form.

8. Resize the report to show more data.

   To resize, move the pointer near an edge until the pointer becomes a double-pointed arrow.

   Then press the left mouse button, hold, and drag.

   This determines the size and position of the window when you start running the form. Because it is resizable, you can change the report window while you are running the form.

   When you finish resizing, the report should look something like this.