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This page is provides the reference information for dashboard properties.

Overview

Create application screens by starting with a dashboard; see Creating or Opening a Screen.

PhixFlow opens existing screens locked, to prevent accidental editing. To edit a screen,  Insert excerpt_layout_unlock_layout_unlocknopaneltrue it:
  • either using the toolbar 
  • or right-click anywhere in the screen to display the pop-up menu.

This page has the reference documentation for dashboard properties. For information on how to divide a screen into different panes, and how to add things to a screen, see Drag-and-Drop Techniques.

See Also

Properties

Insert excerpt_property_toolbar_property_toolbarnopaneltrue The toolbar includes the button to  Insert excerpt_dashboard_display_dashboard_displaynopaneltrue. Insert excerpt_parent_parentnopaneltrue

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Table of Contents
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Basic Settings

FieldDescriptionNameThe name of the screen.Open Maximised

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_Banners
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namescreen
nopaneltrue

This page is for application designers who want to create screens for application users.

Overview

This page explains the screen properties. For information on how to divide a screen into different panes, and how to add components to it, see Splitting a Screen.

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_property_toolbar
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_parent
_parent
nopaneltrue

Basic Settings

FieldDescription
NameThe name of the screen.
Open Maximised

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_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to open the screen maximised.

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_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 to open the screen as a popup window.

Allow User to Resize

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_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to enable the application user, when running in 
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_app_mode
_app_mode
nopaneltrue
, to resize the screen.

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_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 to keep the screen size fixed when running in in 
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_app_mode
_app_mode
nopaneltrue
.

This option does not affect resizing the screen in 

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_design_mode
_design_mode
nopaneltrue
.

Show Toolbar
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_design_mode
_design_mode
nopaneltrue
 always has a toolbar with the screen name on the left and toolbar icons on the right. 

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_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to also display the toolbar in 
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_app_mode
_app_mode
nopaneltrue
. The screen name is displayed. Toolbar icons are not displayed.

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_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 is the default as the toolbar is usually not required in 
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_app_mode
_app_mode
nopaneltrue
.

Show Window Button Bar

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_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue

 to open the screen maximised.

 to display a Windows-style bar at the top of the screen. This has a maximise/restore button and a close button.

Image Added

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_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 to

open

have no Windows-style bar at the top of the screen

as a pop-up window

.

Allow User to Resize
Always On Top

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_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to

enable the application user, when running in 

keep the screen on top of other screens. This is useful for a popup window that you want a user to complete before returning to another screen.

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_

app

check_box_

mode

untick
_

app

check_box_

mode

untick
nopaneltrue

, to resize the screen.

 to allow other screens to be displayed in front. 

Keep Data

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_check_box_

untick

tick
_check_box_

untick

tick
nopaneltrue
 to

keep the screen size fixed when running in in 

allow screen data to be referenced even after the screen is closed. This is useful if an application user needs access to global data available in the system.

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app

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mode

untick
_

app

check_box_

mode

untick
nopanel

true.This option does not affect resizing the screen in  Insert excerpt_design_mode_design_modenopaneltrue.Show Toolbar 

true
 is the default. The screen data is not required once the screen is closed.

Preload

screens , especially complex screens, can take some time to open, which can feel slow to the application user. Use this option when you need a screen to open quickly. Preloading screens adds to the time it takes PhixFlow to initially start up.  For this reason we recommend you only preload screens that an application user will always want to open.

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_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to

display a toolbar for the screen todo - currently not working?? Insert excerpt_check_box_untick_check_box_unticknopaneltrue Always On Top

preload the screen when PhixFlow first starts.  When the user then opens the screen , it displays immediately. The data itself may still take time to load.

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_check_box_

tick

untick
_check_box_

tick

untick
nopaneltrue

 to keep the screen on top of other screens. This is useful for a pop-up window that you want a user to complete before returning to another screen. Insert excerpt_check_box_untick_check_box_unticknopaneltrue to allow other screens to be displayed in front. Keep Data

 is the default. The screen does not need to be preloaded.

Preloading relates to the screen itself. Any data backing the screen is only loaded when the screen opens, and this may also take time to load.

Cache Locally

If an application user is likely to require the same screen in different stages of a task. Use this option so that, when the user closes and reopens the screen, it loads immediately. 

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_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to

allow screen data to be referenced even after the screen is closed. This is useful if an application user needs access to global data available in the system

cache the screen on the application user's client computer when the screen first opens.

Insert excerpt
_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue

 is the default. The screen data is not required once the screen is closed.Preload

Screens, especially complex screens, can take some time to open, which can feel slow to the application user. Use this option when you need a screen to open quickly. Preloading screens adds to the time it takes PhixFlow to initially start up.  For this reason we recommend you only preload screens that an application user will always want to open.

Insert excerpt_check_box_tick_check_box_ticknopaneltrue to preload the screen when PhixFlow first starts.  When the user then opens the screen, it displays immediately. The data itself may still take time to load. Insert excerpt_check_box_untick_check_box_unticknopaneltrue is the default. The screen does not need to be preloaded.

Preloading relates to the screen itself. Any data backing the screen is only loaded when the screen opens, and this may also take time to load.

Cache Locally

If an application user is likely to require the same screen in different stages of a task. Use this option so that, when the user closes and reopens the screen, it loads immediately. 

Insert excerpt_check_box_tick_check_box_ticknopaneltrue to cache the screen on the application user's client computer when the screen first opens. Insert excerpt_check_box_untick_check_box_unticknopaneltrue is the default. The screen does not need to be cached.

Caching relates to the screen itself. Any data backing the screen will be reload each time the screen is opened.

Open on Startup

Todo - not yet implemented

You may have a screen that acts as your application's welcome window. Use this option to open a screen whenever the application starts.

Insert excerpt_check_box_tick_check_box_ticknopaneltrue to open the screen when the application starts. Insert excerpt_check_box_untick_check_box_unticknopaneltrue is the default. The screen is opened by a user action within the application. Position

For screens that are not set to Open maximised.

By default, pop-up screens are opened floating centrally. If you want a screen to open with a fixed position, select one of the drop-down options:

  • Pinned to top
  • Pinned to bottom
  • Pinned to left
  • Pinned to right
  • Floating (default)

Width

For screens that are not set to Open maximised, specify a screen width in pixels, for example 500px for a small confirmation window. The default size for a pop-up screen approximately 800px.Height

For screens that are not set to Open maximised, specify a screen height in pixels, for example 150px for a small confirmation window. The default size of a pop-up screen is approximately 500px. 

Top

Available when Position is Floating.

For screens that are not set to Open maximised, set an offset value in pixels to position the screen where it is required. For example, to display a screen as a pop-up window towards the top left of the screen set:

  • Top: 60px
  • Left: 60px
LeftRightBottom

Dashboard Elements

This section lists the Dashboard Elements on this screen.

PhixFlow creates dashboard elements when you use the pop-up menu Add Area... options to divide up the screen. In PhixFlow version 8.3 and earlier, dashboard elements enabled different parts of the screen to be bound to different sources of data, either a stream (table) or view.

Where dashboard elements are bound to data, you can link them, so that the data in one dashboard element drives the data in another; see Linked and Driving Views.

Menu Items

This section has a toolbar with standard buttons and:

  •  Image Removed Show stream actions (record-actions)
  • Insert excerpt_filter_filternopaneltrueThe grid contains a list of menu items. To add a menu item to the list, click  Insert excerpt_add_addnopaneltrueclick  Insert excerpt_add_addnopaneltrue
  • Select 
    • either Add a new sub-menu
    • or Add a new menu item; see Menu
  • PhixFlow opens a new properties tab for a menu item or sub-menu; see Menu for details.
  • To remove a menu, use the toolbar button Image Removed Delete Everywhere.

    Mappings

    This section has a toolbar with standard buttons

    Components on the screen, such as buttons or data-components, can have actions. You may want an action to take data from attributes in different streams (tables) or views. Where the attributes have different names, you must map the dataset, so that the action recognises the data. This grid contains a list of mappings for components on this screen. PhixFlow evaluates all the mapped datasets when it runs an action.

    You can delete a mapping from the grid.

    To configure a mapping, in the screen, right-click 

    Unreachable Actions

    Todo - New feature related to actionflows?

    Actions

    This section has a toolbar with standard buttons. The grid displays a list of actions and/or (todo - check) stream item actions (record-actions) that are linked to the screen.

    Insert excerpt_access_accessnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_description_descriptionnopaneltrue Insert excerpt_audit_auditnopaneltrue

    Menus and Toolbars

    Screen Toolbar

    There is a toolbar above the screen canvas. This provides the following options:

    List options Insert excerpt_tables_tables

     is the default. The screen does not need to be cached.

    Caching relates to the screen itself. Any data backing the screen will be reload each time the screen is opened.

    Position

    By default, new screens are set to Floating. If you want a screen to open with a fixed position, select one of the Pinned drop-down options:

    • Pinned to top
    • Pinned to bottom
    • Pinned to left
    • Pinned to right
    • Floating

    Use the Pinned options to create a permanently visible screen. This is useful for a navigation area or toolbar that you want to be visible for all other screens. Floating screens do not overlap with pinned screens. When the user maximises a Floating screen, it expands only to the remaining space. 

    Width

    For screens that are not set to Open maximised, specify a screen width in pixels, for example 500px for a small confirmation window. The default size for a popup screen approximately 800px.
    Height

    For screens that are not set to Open maximised, specify a screen height in pixels, for example 150px for a small confirmation window. The default size of a popup screen is approximately 500px. 

    Top

    Available when Position is Floating.

    For screens that are not set to Open maximised, set an offset value in pixels to position the screen where it is required. For example, to display a screen as a popup window towards the top left of the screen, set:

    • Top: 60px
    • Left: 60px
    Left
    Right
    Bottom

    Screen Elements

    Screen elements are specific sections on a screen that posses their own properties, specifically each element can be backed by a different table.

    To view a list of the elements for a specific screen, open the 

    Insert excerpt
    _property_settings
    _property_settings
    nopaneltrue
    available from the screen toolbar; see Screen Element.  

    Menu Items

    This section has a toolbar with standard buttons and:

    •  Image Added Show Table-actions
    • Insert excerpt
      _filter
      _filter
      nopaneltrue

    The grid contains a list of menu items. To add a menu item to the list, click 

    Insert excerpt
    _add
    _add
    nopaneltrue

    1. Click 
      Insert excerpt
      _add
      _add
      nopaneltrue
    2. Select 
    3. PhixFlow opens a new properties tab for a menu item or sub-menu; see Startup Actions for details.

    To remove a menu, use the toolbar button 

    Insert excerpt
    _delete
    _delete
    nopaneltrue
    .

    Mappings

    This section has a toolbar with standard buttons

    Components on the screen, such as buttons or data-components, can have actionflows or record-actions. Record-actions can take data from attributes in different tables  or views. Where the attributes have different names, you must map the attribute, so that the record-action recognises the data. This grid contains a list of mappings for the components on this screen. 

    To configure a mapping, in the screen, right-click a component and select 

    Insert excerpt
    _mapping
    _mapping
    nopaneltrue
    .

    Unreachable Actions

    This section has a toolbar with standard buttons. The grid displays a list of actionflows that are linked to components on the screen, but do not exist yet.

    Tip

    Actionflows are a new way to configure actions, introduced in PhixFlow version 9.0.0; see Understanding Actionflows.

    Actions

    This section has a toolbar with standard buttons. The grid displays a list of actions and record-actions that are linked to the screen.

    Tip

    Actions and record-actions were the way to configure screen functionality before PhixFlow version 9.0.0; see Using Table-Actions and Record-Action

    Insert excerpt
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    _description
    nopaneltrue

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    _access
    nopaneltrue


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    _audit
    _audit
    nopaneltrue

    Menus and Toolbars

    Screen Toolbar

    There is a toolbar above the screen canvas. This provides the following options:

    List options

    Insert excerpt
    _tables
    _tables
    nopaneltrue

    Open the repository showing the list of available tables for your application.

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    _screen_toolbar
    _screen_toolbar
    nopaneltrue
    Open the repository showing the list of available screens for your application.
    Insert excerpt
    _actionflow
    _actionflow
    nopaneltrue
    Open the repository showing the list of available actionflows for your application.
    Insert excerpt
    _palette
    _palette
    nopaneltrue
    Open the list of palettes.
    Insert excerpt
    _styles
    _styles
    nopaneltrue
    Open the repository showing the list of available
    tables
    styles for your application.
    Canvas options
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    _
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    _
    screen_toolbar
    help
    nopaneltrue
    Open the
    repository showing the list of available screens for your application
    help topic with details about working with screens.
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    actionflow
    settings
    _
    actionflow
    property_settings
    nopaneltrue
    Open the
    repository showing the list of available actionflows for your application.
    properties tab for the screen.

    Insert excerpt
    _unlock
    _unlock
    nopaneltrue

    or 

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    palette

    lock
    _

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    nopaneltrue

    Open the list of palettes

    Unlock a screen to edit its layout.

    Lock a screen to prevent accidental edits and to display the data content.

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    _

    styles

    refresh
    _

    stylesnopaneltrueOpen the repository showing the list of available styles for your application.Canvas options

    refresh
    nopaneltrue

    Update the screen to reflect changes made elsewhere in PhixFlow, such as the screen properties, layer orders or shared styles.

    Screen Popup Menu

    Right-click on a screen to display its popup menu. The options available depend on where you click. If there are many options, some are moved onto the sub-menu

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    help

    screen
    _

    help

    screen
    nopaneltrue

    Open the help topic with details about working with screens.

     Options.

    Menu optionDescription
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    property_settings
    unlock
    _
    property_settings
    unlock
    nopaneltrue
    Open the properties tab for the screen
    Unlock a screen to edit its layout.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    layout_unlock
    lock
    _
    layout_unlock
    lock
    nopaneltrue
    or 
    Lock a  screen to prevent accidental edits and to display the data content.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    layout
    context_
    lock
    parameters
    _
    layout
    context_
    lockLock a screen to prevent accidental edits and to display the data content
    parameters
    nopaneltrue

    Unlock a screen to edit its layout.

    For screens created in PhixFlow versions 8.3 and earlier, open a window listing the context parameters in alphabetical order.
    Insert excerpt
    _element_
    refresh
    show
    _element_
    refresh

    Screen Pop-up Menu

    Right-click on a screen to display its pop-up menu. The options available depend on where you click. If there are many options, some are moved onto the sub-menu
    show
    nopaneltrue

    Update the screen to reflect changes made elsewhere in PhixFlow, such as the screen properties, layer orders or shared styles.

    For screens created in PhixFlow versions 8.3 and earlier, open the properties for the screen element.
    Insert excerpt
    _area_above
    _area_above
    nopaneltrue

    Use these options to divide a screen into multiple, resizable panes. Select the option to add a pane relative to the currently selected pane.

    To remove a pane, use the popup menu options 

    Insert excerpt
    _

    screen

    delete
    _

    screen

    delete
    nopaneltrue
     

    Options

    Pane.

    Menu optionDescription

    Insert excerpt
    _
    layout
    area_
    unlock
    right
    _
    layout
    area_
    unlock
    right
    nopaneltrue
    Unlock a screen to edit its layout.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    layout
    area_
    lock
    below
    _
    layout
    area_
    lock
    below
    nopaneltrue
    Lock a screen to prevent accidental edits and to display the data content.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    context
    area_
    parameters
    left
    _
    context
    area_
    parameters
    left
    nopaneltrue
    For dashboards created in PhixFlow versions 8.3 and earlier, open a window listing the context parameters in alphabetical order.
    Insert excerpt
    _area_
    element
    lock_
    show
    width
    _
    element
    area_lock_
    show
    width
    nopaneltrue
    For dashboards created in PhixFlow versions 8.3 and earlier, open the properties for the dashboard element
    Fix the height or width of the selected pane. You will no longer be able to resize a pane by dragging its dividing line.
    Insert excerpt
    _area_lock_
    above
    height
    _area
    _abovenopaneltrue

    Use these options to divide a screen into multiple, resizable panes. Select the option to add a pane relative to the currently selected pane.

    To remove a pane, use the pop-up menu options 
    _lock_height
    nopaneltrue
    Insert excerpt
    _delete
    _delete
    nopaneltrue
     Pane.

    When a specific component is selected, delete the component.

    Delete options depend on the selected item, for example:

    • Delete Selected Objects
    • Delete Pane
    • Delete Form 

    Insert excerpt
    _

    area_right_area_rightnopaneltrue

    remove
    _remove
    nopaneltrue
     Element

    Remove the selected item from the screen, whilst leaving it in the repository.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    area
    element_
    below
    delete
    _
    area
    element_
    below
    delete
    nopaneltrue
    Delete a screen element.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    area
    form_
    left
    new
    _
    area
    form_
    left
    new
    nopaneltrue
    Create a new form in the current area.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    area
    pin_
    lock_width
    unpin
    _
    area
    pin_
    lock_width
    unpin
    nopanel
    trueFix the height or width of the selected pane. You will no longer be able to resize a pane by dragging its dividing line
    true

    Pin a component to fix its position; see Pinning and Unpinning.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    area_lock_height

    palette
    _

    area_lock_height

    palette
    nopaneltrue

    Open the palette to drag in components.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    delete
    autosize
    _
    deleteOther delete options that may be available relate to specific types of component in the selected pane
    autosize
    nopaneltrue

    When a specific component is selected, delete the component.

    Toggle whether or not the currently selected component is automatically auto sized when an application window is resized by the user.

    Note

    Using this option, or manually resizing a component may change the state of the Layout → Style Settings → Auto Size property.


    Insert excerpt
    _
    delete_item
    align
    _
    delete_item
    align
    nopaneltrue
     Delete options depend on

    Options to arrange the selected

    item. Examples are

    components:

    Insert excerpt
    _

    delete

    align_

    item

    left
    _

    delete

    align_

    item

    left
    nopaneltrue

     selected objects

    : Align the left edges of all the selected components to the component that is furthest to the left.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    delete

    align_

    item

    right
    _

    delete

    align_

    item

    right
    nopaneltrue

     pane

    : Align the right edges of all the selected components to the component that is furthest to the right.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    delete

    align_

    item

    top
    _

    delete

    align_

    item

    top
    nopaneltrue

     form 

    : Align the top edges of the selected components to the component that is positioned highest.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    element

    align_

    delete

    bottom
    _

    element

    align_

    delete

    bottom
    nopaneltrue

    Delete a dashboard element

    : Align the bottom edges of the selected components to the component that is positioned lowest.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    form

    align_

    new

    horizontal
    _

    form

    align_

    new

    horizontal
    nopaneltrue

    Create a new form in the current area

    : Equally distribute the selected components horizontally in the available space.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    pin

    align_

    unpin

    vertical
    _

    pin

    align_

    unpin

    vertical
    nopaneltrue

    Pin a component to fix its position; see Pinning and Unpinning

    : Equally distribute the selected components vertically in the available space.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    palette

    repository_find
    _repository_

    palette

    find
    nopaneltrue

    Open the
    palette to drag in components
    repository with to see the selected component in the list. This can be useful if you want to move a component.
    Insert excerpt
    _screen_
    autosize
    properties
    _
    autosize NoteUsing this option, or manually resizing a component may change the state of the Layout → Style Settings → Auto Size property
    screen_properties
    nopaneltrue

    Toggle whether or not the currently selected component is automatically auto sized when an application window is resized by the user.

    Open the properties tab for the screen.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    arrange
    record_
    components
    show
    _
    arrange
    record_
    components
    show
    nopaneltrue
    Options to arrange the selected components within a pane:

    Display information about the table and its records.

    Insert excerpt
    _
    align_left
    mapping
    _
    align_left
    mapping
    nopaneltrue
    Opens a new mapping element properties tab where you can map attributes with different names to components.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    align_right
    children
    _
    align_right
    children
    nopanel
    true
    true
    For the selected parent container, select all the child components.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    align

    table_

    top

    properties
    _

    align

    table_

    top

    properties
    nopaneltrue

    or Show the Table Configuration

    Open the properties for the table.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    align

    attributes_

    bottom

    show
    _

    align

    attributes_

    bottomnopaneltrue

    show
    nopaneltrue
    ...

    Show the list of attributes that are bound to the component. The attributes can be from a table or view. This is shown in the option:

    • Insert excerpt
      _
    distribute
    • attributes_
    horizontal
    • show
      _
    distribute
    • attributes_
    horizontal
    • show
      nopaneltrue
       
      for table 
      <name>
    • Insert excerpt
      _
    distribute
    • attributes_
    vertical
    • show
      _
    distribute
    • attributes_
    vertical
    • show
      nopaneltrue
    Insert excerpt_repository_find_repository_findnopaneltrueOpen the repository with to see the selected component in the list. This can be useful if you want to move a component. Insert excerpt_screen_properties_screen_propertiesnopaneltrueOpen the properties tab for the screen
    •  for view <name>


    HTML Comment

    Unreachable Actions

    A workflow can have placeholder actionflows linked to a screen. If the actionflow has not been wired then it is listed here.

    Open on Startup

    You may have a screen that acts as your application's welcome window. Use this option to open a screen whenever the application starts.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    record

    check_box_

    show

    tick
    _

    record

    check_box_

    show

    tick
    nopaneltrue

    Display information about the stream (table) and its (stream items) records

     to open the screen when the application starts.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    mapping

    check_box_untick
    _

    mapping

    check_box_untick
    nopaneltrue

    Opens a new mapping element properties tab where you can map attributes with different names to components. Insert excerpt_children_childrennopaneltrueFor the selected parent container, select all the child components. Insert excerpt_table_properties_table_propertiesnopaneltrueor Show the Stream ConfigurationOpen the properties for the stream (table). Insert excerpt_attributes_show_attributes_shownopaneltrue...

    Show the list of attributes that are bound to the component. The attributes can be from a stream or view. This is shown in the option:

    Insert excerpt_attributes_show_attributes_shownopaneltrue for stream (table)<name>

     is the default. The screen is opened by a user interacting with the application. 


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    Insert excerpt
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    nopaneltrue

     for view <name>