New Tip - Required Fields Different Backgroun Color

[jimoo]

If you sub-class the VFP textbox and use it on your forms (something I recommend doing) then this is a quick way to incorporate a different color background on your text fields for the required fields.

When a user views the form, they can easily determine which fields are mandatory.

faq184-5011 Give required fields a different background color

Jim Osieczonek
Delta Business Group, LLC

http://www.deltabg.com

 

[sermac]

Jim, can I ask your thoughts on this. . .

. . .required fields have lite red background if required and regular white or lite green when "answered". How might you do that?

(. . .I have be using a red "X" label next to the field and making visible/invisible accordingly, bit of a hassle to maintain.)

Any thoughts?

Bill

 

[jimoo]

I played with it a bit and got it working. I don't know if it was the best way, but it seems to work well.

Here is what I did.

On the textbox (at the library level) I created a new class (method) and called it colorbackground.

I placed the following code in this new method:

IF This.Required
	* This.Backcolor = 16777215		&& White Background
 	* This.Backcolor = 8454143		&& Yellow Background
	IF EMPTY(THIS.VALUE)
 		This.Backcolor = 8421631	&& light red
	ELSE
		This.Backcolor = 8454016	&& light red
	ENDIF	 
ENDIF

In the Refresh event and valid events, of this textbox, I added the following code:

thisform.colorbackground()

Remember to add the property "required" on the textbox if you have not done so already.

Add 4 or 5 of these fields to a form. Set the required property to .t. for a few of them.

Add the following code in the VALID EVENT
DODEFAULT()

This can come before or after other valid event code.


Jim Osieczonek
Delta Business Group, LLC

http://www.deltabg.com

 

[MarciaAkins]

Hi Jim.

>> Give required fields a different background color <<

You may want to add a property to your text box called RequiredBackColor and make it configurable.



Marcia G. Akins

http://www.TightlineComputers.com

 

[jimoo]

Good point. I just started playing with this little class. I am going to change the faq to add sermac's request and I'll add that suggestion too.



Jim Osieczonek
Delta Business Group, LLC

http://www.deltabg.com