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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 explains the dashboard properties. For information on how to divide a dashboard into different panes, and how to add components to it, 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

Live Search
spaceKey@self
additionalnone
placeholderSearch all help pages
typepage

Panel
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titleSections on this page
Table of ContentsmaxLevel3indent12pxstylenone

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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
nopaneltrue

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_property_tabs
_property_tabs
namebasic-h
nopaneltrue

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_parent
_parent
nopaneltrue

Basic Settings

FieldDescription
NameThe name of the
dashboard
screen.
Open Maximised

Insert excerpt
_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to open

the dashboard

the screen maximised.

Insert excerpt
_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 to open the

dashboard

screen as a

pop-up

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 
Insert excerpt
_app_mode
_app_mode
nopaneltrue
, to resize the

dashboard

screen.

Insert excerpt
_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 to keep the

dashboard

screen size fixed when running in in 

Insert excerpt
_app_mode
_app_mode
nopaneltrue
.

This option does not affect resizing the

dashboard

screen in 

Insert excerpt
_design_mode
_design_mode
nopaneltrue
.

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

Insert excerpt
_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to also display the toolbar in 
Insert excerpt
_app_mode
_app_mode
nopaneltrue
. The

dashboard

screen name is displayed. Toolbar icons are not displayed.

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

Show Window Button Bar

Insert excerpt
_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to display a Windows-style bar at the top of the

dashboard

screen. This has a maximise/restore button and a close button.

Image Modified

Insert excerpt
_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 to have no Windows-style bar at the top of the

dashboard

screen.

Always On Top

Insert excerpt
_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to keep the

dashboard

screen on top of other

dashboards

screens. This is useful for a

pop-up

popup window that you want a user to complete before returning to another

dashboard

screen.

Insert excerpt
_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 to allow other

dashboards

screens to be displayed in front. 

Keep Data

Insert excerpt
_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to

allow dashboard

allow screen data to be referenced even after the

dashboard

screen is closed. This is useful if an application user needs access to global data available in the system.

Insert excerpt
_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 is the default. The

dashboard

screen data is not required once the

dashboard

screen is closed.

Preload
Dashboards

screens , especially complex

dashboards

screens, can take some time to open, which can feel slow to the application user. Use this option when you need a

dashboard

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

dashboards

screens that an application user will always want to open.

Insert excerpt
_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to preload

the dashboard

the screen when PhixFlow first starts.  When the user then opens the

dashboard

screen , it displays immediately. The data itself may still take time to load.

Insert excerpt
_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 is the default. The

dashboard

screen does not need to be preloaded.

Preloading relates to the

dashboard

screen itself. Any data backing the

dashboard

screen is only loaded when the

dashboard

screen opens, and this may also take time to load.

Cache Locally

If an application user is likely to require the same

dashboard

screen in different stages of a task. Use this option so that, when the user closes and reopens the

dashboard

screen, it loads immediately. 

Insert excerpt
_check_box_tick
_check_box_tick
nopaneltrue
 to cache the

dashboard

screen on the application user's client computer when the

dashboard

screen first opens.

Insert excerpt
_check_box_untick
_check_box_untick
nopaneltrue
 is the default. The

dashboard

screen does not need to be cached.

Caching relates to the

dashboard

screen itself. Any data backing the

dashboard

screen will be reload each time the

dashboard

screen is opened.

Position

By default, new

dashboards

screens are set to Floating. If you want a

dashboard

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

dashboard

screen. This is useful for a navigation area or toolbar that you want to be visible for all other

dashboards

screens. Floating

dashboards

screens do not overlap with pinned

dashboards

screens. When the user maximises a Floating

dashboard

 screen, it expands only to the remaining space. 

Width

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

For

dashboards

screens that are not set to Open maximised, specify a

dashboard

screen height in pixels, for example 150px for a small confirmation window. The default size of a

pop-up dashboard

popup screen is approximately 500px. 

Top

Available when Position is Floating.

For

dashboards

screens that are not set to Open maximised, set an offset value in pixels to position the

dashboard

screen where it is required. For example, to display a

dashboard

screen as a

pop-up

To add dashboard elements, on the dashboard, use the pop-up menu Add Area... options to divide up the dashboard. When you add a component to a part of the dashboard, PhixFlow automatically creates a container dashboard element for it. This means different parts of the dashboard can be bound to different data views.

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 or Forms.

To delete a dashboard element, on the dashboard right-click components on part of the dashboard and select Delete. When the dashboard element is empty, right-click it and select  Insert excerpt_delete_item_delete_itemnopaneltrue Element. 

Menu Items

This section has a toolbar with standard buttons and:

  •  Image Removed Show stream-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  Insert excerpt_delete_deletenopaneltrue.Mappings

    popup window towards the top left of the screen, set:

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

    Dashboard Elements

    This section has a toolbar with standard buttons. The grid contains a list of the Dashboard Elements on this dashboard.

    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.

     

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

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

     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
    _description
    _description
    nopaneltrue

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    _

    mapping

    access
    _

    mapping
    Tip

    Actions and stream-item-actions were the way to configure dashboard functionality before PhixFlow version 9.0.0; see Using Stream Actions and Stream-item-actions

    Insert excerpt_access_accessnopaneltrue

    access
    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 dashboard, 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 stream-item-actions that are linked to the dashboard.


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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

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    _tables
    _tables
    nopaneltrue

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

    Insert excerpt
    _screen_toolbar
    _screen_toolbar
    nopaneltrue
    		Open the repository showing the list of available screens for your application.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    description
    actionflow
    _
    description
    actionflow
    nopaneltrue
    		Open the repository showing the list of available actionflows for your application.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    audit
    palette
    _
    auditList options
    palette
    nopaneltrue

    Menus and Toolbars

    Screen Toolbar

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

    Open the list of palettes.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    tables
    styles
    _
    tables
    styles
    nopaneltrue
    		Open the repository showing the list of available
    streams
    styles for your application.
    Canvas options
    Insert excerpt
    _
    screen_toolbar
    help
    _
    screen_toolbar
    help
    nopaneltrue
    		Open the
    repository showing the list of available dashboards for your application
    help topic with details about working with screens.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    actionflow
    property_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 

    Insert excerpt
    _

    palette

    lock
    _

    palette

    lock
    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.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    styles

    refresh
    _

    stylesCanvas options

    refresh
    nopaneltrue

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

    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

    Insert excerpt
    _

    help

    screen
    _

    help

    screen
    nopaneltrue

    Open the help topic with details about working with dashboards.

     Options.

    Menu optionDescription
    Insert excerpt
    _
    property_settings
    unlock
    _property
    _
    settings
    unlock
    nopaneltrue
    Open the properties tab for the dashboard
    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 dashboard to prevent accidental edits and to display the data content
    parameters
    nopaneltrue

    Unlock a dashboard 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
    _
    refresh
    element_show
    _
    refresh
    element_show
    nopaneltrue

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

    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
    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 

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    _

    screen

    delete
    _

    screen

    delete
    nopaneltrue
     

    Options

    Pane.

    Menu optionDescription

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    _
    layout
    area_
    unlock
    right
    _
    layout_unlocknopaneltrueUnlock a dashboard to edit its layout. Insert excerpt_layout_lock_layout_locknopaneltrueLock a  dashboard to prevent accidental edits and to display the data content.
    area_right
    nopaneltrue
    Insert excerpt
    _
    context
    area_
    parameters
    below
    _
    context
    area_
    parameters
    below
    nopaneltrue
    For dashboards created in PhixFlow versions 8.3 and earlier, open a window listing the context parameters in alphabetical order.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    element
    area_
    show
    left
    _
    element
    area_
    shownopaneltrueFor dashboards created in PhixFlow versions 8.3 and earlier, open the properties for the dashboard element.
    left
    nopaneltrue
    Insert excerpt
    _area_
    above
    lock_width
    _area_
    aboveTo remove a pane, use the pop-up menu options  Insert excerpt_delete_deletenopaneltrue Pane
    lock_width
    nopaneltrue

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

    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_
    right
    height
    _area_
    right
    lock_height
    nopaneltrue
    Insert excerpt
    _
    area_below
    delete
    _
    area_below_area_leftnopaneltrue
    delete
    nopaneltrue
    Insert excerpt_area_left

    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_lock_width

    remove
    _

    area_lock_width

    remove
    nopaneltrue

    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_height_area_lock_heightnopaneltrueOther delete options that may be available relate to specific types of component in the selected pane

     Element

    		Remove the selected item from the screen, whilst leaving it in the repository.
    Insert excerpt
    _element_delete
    _element_delete
    nopaneltrue

    When a specific component is selected, delete the component.

    Delete a screen element.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    delete
    form_
    item
    new
    _
    delete
    form_
    item
    new
    nopaneltrue
     Delete options depend on the selected item. Examples are:
    Create a new form in the current area.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    delete
    pin_
    item
    unpin
    _
    delete
    pin_
    item
    unpin
    nopaneltrue
     selected objects

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

    Insert excerpt
    _

    delete_item

    palette
    _

    delete_item

    palette
    nopaneltrue

     pane
    Open the palette to drag in components.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    delete_item_delete_itemnopaneltrue form 
    autosize
    _autosize
    nopaneltrue

    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
    _
    element_delete
    align
    _
    element_delete
    align
    nopaneltrue
    Delete a dashboard element.

    Options to arrange the selected components:

    Insert excerpt
    _

    form

    align_

    new

    left
    _

    form

    align_

    new

    left
    nopaneltrue

    Create a new form in the current area

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

    Insert excerpt
    _

    pin

    align_

    unpin

    right
    _

    pin

    align_

    unpin

    right
    nopaneltrue

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

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

    Insert excerpt
    _align_top
    _

    palette

    align_

    palette

    top
    nopaneltrue

    Open the palette to drag in components

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

    Insert excerpt
    _align_

    autosize

    bottom
    _align_

    autosize

    bottom
    nopaneltrue

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

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

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

    Insert excerpt
    _

    arrange

    align_

    components

    horizontal
    _

    arrange

    align_

    components

    horizontal
    nopaneltrue

    Options to arrange

    : Equally distribute the selected components

    within a pane:

    horizontally in the available space.

    Insert excerpt
    _align_

    left

    vertical
    _align_

    left

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

    Insert excerpt
    _

    align

    repository_

    right

    find
    _

    align

    repository_

    right

    find
    nopaneltrue

    		Open the repository with to see the selected component in the list. This can be useful if you want to move a component.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    align
    screen_
    top
    properties
    _
    align
    screen_
    top
    properties
    nopaneltrue
    		Open the properties tab for the screen.
    Insert excerpt
    _
    align
    record_
    bottom
    show
    _
    align
    record_
    bottom
    show
    nopaneltrue

    Display information about the table and its records.

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

    Insert excerpt
    _

    repository

    table_

    find

    properties
    _

    repository

    table_

    find

    properties
    nopaneltrue

    or Show the Table Configuration

    		Open the
    repository with to see the selected component in the list. This can be useful if you want to move a component.
    properties for the table.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    screen

    attributes_

    properties

    show
    _

    screen

    attributes_

    properties

    show
    nopaneltrue

    Open the properties tab for the dashboard.

    ...

    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
      _
    record
    • attributes_show
      _
    record
    • attributes_show
      nopanel
    trueDisplay information about the stream and its stream-items.
    • true
             for table       <name>
    • Insert excerpt
      _attributes_
    mapping
    • show
      _attributes_
    mapping
    • show
      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
    •  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
    _check_

    table

    box_

    properties

    tick
    _

    table

    check_box_

    properties

    tick
    nopaneltrue

    or Show the Stream ConfigurationOpen the properties for the stream

     to open the screen when the application starts.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    attributes

    check_box_

    show

    untick
    _check_

    attributes

    box_

    show

    untick
    nopaneltrue

    ...

    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 <name> Insert excerpt_attributes_show_attributes_shownopaneltrue for view <name> HTML Comment

    Unreachable Actions

    A workflow can have placeholder actionflows linked to a dashboard. 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_check_box_tick_check_box_ticknopaneltrue to open the screen when the application starts

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


    Live Search
    spaceKey@self
    additionalnone
    placeholderSearch all help pages
    typepage

    Panel
    borderColor#00374F
    titleColorwhite
    titleBGColor#00374F
    borderStylesolid
    titleSections on this page

    Table of Contents
    maxLevel3
    indent12px
    stylenone


    Learn More

    For links to all pages in this topic, see Designing Screens.

    Insert excerpt
    _

    check

    terms_

    box_untick

    changing
    _

    check

    terms_

    box_untick

    changing
    nopaneltrue

     is the default. The screen is opened by a user action within the application.