Quick Window Questions

[designer]

First, I did pay a little dues by rewatching the Fundamentals of Forms video.

What is the best video to understand PanX Windows - setting their initial size, location, attributes? I know some things can be handled in BluePrint but I thought there was a way of designating a “window type” and the various attributes seen in BluePrint. I see some things are in the form properties, but not all.

The ruler in graphics mode is in inches but the properties designations seem to all be in Pixels. I recall some app, maybe Panorama, maybe not, where I could click in the upper left hand corner of the ruler and change the units - like from inches to pixels. Is there a way to change the ruler units in PanX? In order to make a nice tight fit, I had to move the black rectangle (all items grouped) under the top and left rulers. I see the window could be a little shorter. Maybe I’ll just size it the same as the black rectangle.

Once I made a dialog window - no menu/tools, just a title - but then I couldn’t remember how to put it in Graphics mode. How would I put such a window in graphics mode? Would I need to create a procedure to do that? To make sure I didn’t make that mistake again, in the window I’m working on, I used an Awesome Font Awesome gear (cog) button that switches to graphics mode.

My window is designated in Database options as the window to open at the start, but I don’t know where to put the info to designate the size/location. I understand the various window statements - like if I wanted to open a window via a procedure - but this is the first window that opens with the database. I see the size (min/max) in the form attritbutes, but not the location.

Do I put the window size (and attributes options - Title, etc.) in the Form Event Procedure?

I want that window to open centered on the screen with just ACA Password Entry as a title. I saw Jim’s procedure example for centering a window, but what about the first window, how do you control its location?

Am I remembering correctly that PanX first opens a window, then runs .Initialize? So the window issues have to be handled somewhere other than .Initialize.

I wanted to have a grey push button to save and close the database. I ended up doing it the old fashioned way - a grey oval object with a text label on top, grouped together, with the procedure for the oval to be save and close. It works. What would be a better way? I couldn’t see how to make the background of a push button anything but white. I tried a gradient button but though I selected it and set a color in appearence, it was still white. So I’m missing some fundamental aspects.

[admin]

@designer

What is the best video to understand PanX Windows - setting their initial size, location, attributes?

There’s no video for that. Just written documentation.

@designer

I thought there was a way of designating a “window type”

There’s no such thing as a “window type” in Panorama X.

@designer

I see some things are in the form properties, but not all.

If it’s in the Blueprint, it’s in the form properties. Blueprints are created using the properties, so it’s impossible for something to be in the blueprint that isn’t in the properties.

@designer

Is there a way to change the ruler units in PanX?

Panorama 6 could do that, but in Panorama X, you cannot change the ruler units.

@designer

How would I put such a window in graphics mode?

Escape key.

But my advice - don’t ever make a window like that!! At least the window should always have a title/drag bar. macOS really doesn’t like windows without that.

@designer

but I don’t know where to put the info to designate the size/location.

It’s all documented.

Newly Opened Database Window Arrangement

I want that window to open centered on the screen

Aha, you want the position calculated. Well that’s documented farther down on the same page:

@designer

I wanted to have a grey push button to save an close the database. I ended up doing it the old fashioned way - a grey oval object with a text label on top, grouped together, with the procedure for the oval to be save and close. It works. What would be a better way?

If you want a grey oval button, then what you did is the only way.

I couldn’t see how to make the background of a push button anything but white.

Standard push buttons are just that - standard. The look is defined by Apple (and may change in different versions of macOS, in fact it has changed). If you want your buttons to use a non-Apple style, you’ll have to construct that yourself, as you did. I’d think twice before doing that - Apple worked hard on developing their human interface guidelines. It’s generally best to take advantage of that.

[designer]

Thank you Jim, I’m off to Newly Opened Database window Arrangement.
Once I get into a database, Procedure Land, I’m as happy as a pig in slop.

I appreciate the Apple Interface efforts but I think they like “White Background” way too much. My Copy button is default, the left pointed hand is alternate Copy (previous password), the Quit saves and quits, and the cog puts me in graphics mode. This just for me - training wheels.

I’ll leave the drag/title bar, but I don’t need the Add, Delete, Record Count, etc.

[designer]

Database now opens where and titled the way I want it. Thank you!

But I don’t need those tools. Reading about toolbars, it appears individual windows can not have their own (or none) toolbars.

" It is not possible to independently customize the toolbar in different windows of the same type."

So it seems the only way to have a window without tools (record count, etc.) is to have a dialog window - that has it’s own issues.

Am I understanding that correctly? It’s fine if that’s just the way it is. I can move on. It just seems cleaner if I can remove the elements I don’t need ( I can get to graphics mode via my cog button).

I must be missing something here. I’d imagine, if you were creating a user database, you’d what complete control over what they can/cannot do - no graphics mode, no add or delete, etc. but when you get into the database (Ye olde Author Mode), you want all those tools back. Is that a world in another universe?

[admin]

It’s no problem to have a window without tools. What I was recommending against was having a window without a title bar.

@designer

but when you get into the database (Ye olde Author Mode), you want all those tools back.

The Window menu has a command to hide/show the toolbars. Of course if you’ve eliminated the Window menu, you’re out of luck.

Also note that for a form, the Window menu has commands to switch between graphics/data mode. So that’s another way to do that even without the toolbar. When you switch to Graphics mode, it automatically shows the toolbar. But it doesn’t automatically hide it again when you switch back to data mode, you have to do that yourself.

[designer]

Ah, I can hide the tool bar, then Save and I’m good - almost. Because it throws off the dimensions of the window. But I can change the initial dimensions to shorten the window height so it’s snug up against the bottom of my black rectangle again.

I thought people would keep the toolbar for convenience during development, then, about Beta time, remove the tools and just work with different menu styles/components. But hiding the toolbar and having custom menus that don’t allow un-hiding it, works just as well.

There’s no “command” to bring the tool bar back - like with a procedure?

Why do I have an image of the old commercial, “Help, I’ve (hidden my tool bar and removed the Window Menu) fallen and I can’t get up.”

[designer]

About as good as it’s going to get:

[admin]

@designer

There’s no “command” to bring the tool bar back - like with a procedure?

Have you met me? Of course there’s a procedure command! (Actually, you’re one of the handful of people on this forum that have met me!)

[designer]

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