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This page is is for application designers who need to create forms. It explains techniques for associating text with a data field, to label a field.

Overview

There are several ways that you can use stream data to set labels on a dashboard. The text in a label can show:

  • fixed text that you enter
  • the name of the selected attribute
  • text that updates dynamically depending on the selected record
  • placeholder text.

When you are designing a form, first add a form component. The form component is the container for all the data fields and labels; see Understanding Components and Layouts. You bind the form component to a stream or view; Showing Data on a Screen. This tells PhixFlow what attributes are available to display in data fields or labels. To access a list of attributes in the stream or view that is bound to the form:

  • Either right-click on the form in the dashboard and select  Show Attributes

  • Or open the properties tab for a stream or view and expand the Attributes section.

See also

Sections on this page

Add a Fixed Text Label

Use this option where you want to specify the text exactly.

  1. From the palette, drag a static text component onto the dashboard next to a data field.
  2. Optionally, group the data field and the static text field together; see Grouping Components.
  3. In the static text component properties, in Basic Settings → Display Text, enter the fixed text you want to appear.

Use the Attribute as a Label

When designing a dashboard, you may want a field to have a label that indicates the data being displayed. Where the attribute name is a good reflection of it's data, you can use this to add a lable. For example, an attribute called Name has company name data:

To create a label from an attribute:

  1. Open a list of attributes from the stream upto here.

  2. Drag an attribute onto a form container on the dashboard.

  3. PhixFlow adds a labelled field to the form.

A labelled field is a composite component that includes:

  • a static text field, with properties → Basic Settings:
    • Name is Label
    • Display Text is the name of the attribute
  • a data field that displays data from the attribute.

For information about composite components, see Grouping Components.

The default component to use when you drag attributes onto a dashboard are set in the Application properties or in System Configuration.

Display Dynamic Text as a Label

For dynamic text fields, PhixFlow matches the field to an attribute in the bound stream or view by matching their names. This is shown in the following illustration.

Illustration

A dashboard has a form container that includes dynamic text field.


Dynamic text field showing the business name

The dynamic text field displays the attribute Name from the selected record in a grid.  
            

Dashboard with grid (top) and form (below)                                                     Stream that is bound to the grid and the form

Both the data grid and the form are bound to a stream called Business, which includes the attribute called Name.

The form contains a dynamic text field. Because we want this field to display data for the attribute Name, it has been called Name. This creates a link between the dynamic text field and the attribute.

  

Label a Field

When designing a dashboard, you usually want fields to have a label that indicates the data being displayed. For example 

Data is stored in streams and displayed using views. Any form field associated to an attribute from either of these items will automatically use the name of the attribute as its label.


To create a field from an attribute:

  1. Open the properties tab for a stream or view.

  2. In the Attributes section, drag an attribute onto a form container on the dashboard

  3. PhixFlow adds a labelled field to the form.

A labelled field is a composite component that includes:

  • a static text field, which takes its name from the attribute
  • a data field that displays data from the attribute.

For information about composite components, see Grouping Components.

The default component to use when you drag attributes onto a dashboard are set in the Application properties or in System Configuration.

Editing a Form Field Label

To change the default name of a form field:

  1. Click on the form field, then click again to select the label. 

  2. In the properties window on the right, update the Display Text to the desired value.

  3. Save your changes.


Manually Creating Form Fields

  1. In the Screen's toolbar click the  Palette button.

  2. Open the your desired palette e.g. Theme 2.1

  3. Open the Labelled Fields section e.g.

  4. Drag a labelled field onto your screen. Note, select a field that matches the type of data the attribute will display.

  5. Provide a name when prompted.

Optional Steps

If you need your field to be backed by data it will need to be associated to an attribute on a stream. 

  1. Click on the broken link Icon.

  3. Follow the wizard prompts.

Setting Place Holder Text

Place holder text can be used to display a message to communicate information to the user. The value can be set manually or set to match the form field label.

  1. Select the Form Field on the dashboard.
  3. In the properties window on the right:
    1. Type a value in the Place Holder Text field to manually set a value.
    2. Tick Use Field Name as Place Holder to use the name of the field as the place holder text.


Advanced Editing

In addition to a label, you may want additional text below the field. For example you might want to add

  • static text, to explain what the user can do.
  • dynamic text that depends on selected data.
  1. In a basic components palette, such as Basic Components, drag a Static Text or Dynamic Text layout onto a form area.

  2. Right-click the new field and select Find. In the layouts list, find the container for the fields and double-click it to open its properties.

  3. In the Advanced section, the View Type is Field container. Expand the drop-down list and select the empty row. Save the container component. This "opens" the container so you can add more components to it.

  4. In the layouts list, shift-click and drag the new component into the container. PhixFlow moves your component to be a child of the container component.

  5. Important: Open the field container properties again and reset Advanced →View Type  to Field container. All child components are now contained within the parent, which is also a composite component.


Additional Reading

Showing Data on a Screen

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