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Bind to List - If desired, select a List or Data Link to bind the field to. The field will be transformed to a pull-down list, and the list entries will come from the List or Data Link. To return the field to a text box, select "-- None --". Note that pull-down lists force the user to select an entry from the list, or make no entry at all. The user cannot type in an arbitrary entry.

If the Data Link requires input values from the CATSWeb form or record (via stored procedure parameters, replacements into the SQL of an SQL data link, etc.)  it will malfunction when used as a list binding. In those cases, use an Intelligent List instead.

Quick Tip - Multi-row Lists

After you bind a field to a list, submit, and re-open the Field Definition page you will receive new options (Main List Style, Query List Style, etc.) if your system includes the Multi-select List option. These options allow you to configure your list to use multiple rows or to accept multiple selections. IMPORTANT: If the data in your list contains commas, you should not use the multi-select option.

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Caption Style Class - A drop down list of possible CSS styles. Requires CSS Interface Preference. This specifies the CSS class that will be used for style in the Caption cell on the form. See Value Style Class for the field value.

Default Value - If desired, enter a default value for the field. This value will appear in the form each time a user adds a new record. The user can change the default value prior to saving the record. The default value can be a literal constant, or it can be a link to a variable, the value of which is supplied at runtime. To specify a variable or token, the first character of the default value must be an exclamation point ("!").

• If the field is designated as the Signature Request Field in a Signature Controlled Operation, the special values of "Signatures Not Requested" and "Request Signatures" may be used.
  • In order to default the Signature Request Field for an Issue Disposition form, you must use a Modify Form Field Properties Configurable Action to set the Field Value property. Set the value to "0" for "Signatures Not Requested" or "1" for "Request Signatures" (see note below).
    

Here are some examples:

Default Value	Result
Sally Williams	The literal value "Sally Williams" is the default at all times.
!{My Name}	The name of the current CATSWeb user is inserted as the default. Similar text tokens may be used to define other variable/relative values, just as they may be used in Queries.
!{Employee Names}	The first name found in the internal "{Employee Names}" list is inserted as the default. Similar text tokens may be used to define other variable/relative values, just as they may be used in Queries.
![My Custom Data Link]	The first value found in the user-specified "[My Custom Data Link]" Data Link is inserted as the default. If the Data Link requires input values from the CATSWeb form or record (via stored procedure parameters, replacements into the SQL of an SQL data link, etc.)  it cannot be used to provide a default value.
!My Own List	The first value found in the user-specified "My Own List" List is inserted as the default.
!{Today + 5}	The date 5 days in the future is the default. Similar date tokens may be used to define other variable/relative dates, just as they may be used in Queries. Date ranges are not applicable here, since the default is a single value. This application note outlines other ways to use variable/relative dates.
!LP|EN	The name of the current user is inserted as the default. This example uses the CATSWeb internal code for the employee name field of the current session record. When the form definition is edited again, it will automatically be replaced by "!{My Name}", which is equivalent and easier to interpret for administrators. Direct entry of internal codes such as this should only be attempted by experienced administrators, or at the direction of AssurX.com technical support personnel.
Request Signatures	The Signature Request Field defaults to "Request Signatures" when a new record is created, instead of the usual default of "Signatures Not Requested".

Note that if the Control Type is a pull-down list, the default value will only appear if the value is also included in the list. The default value has special meaning for Text Cell and Drill Down Button controls. Note that an alternative way of setting the value of fields, even when the form is in Edit mode, is to use the Field Value property in a Modify Form Field Properties configurable action.

Editable on Edit - Uncheck this box to make the field non-editable on forms during edit mode. This default setting may be overriden for particular users by defining a Field Access Restriction.

NOTE: Because Disposition information is stored with the Issue record, and Effectiveness information is stored with the Action record, the Disposition and Effectiveness forms always operate in edit mode.
  Extended Default - This setting is used with Memo fields to allow a default value to be specified that is longer than allowed by the Default Value setting (limited to 50 characters). To use this feature, check the Extended Default checkbox, and submit the field definition. Edit the field definition again.  A new Extended Default memo field will appear on the field definition form. You may now enter up to 4000 characters of text to serve as the default value of this memo field. The Default Value setting will now be ignored. To return the memo field to the normal mode of using the Default Value setting for its default, uncheck the Extended Default checkbox and submit the field definition.
 
Field Length - This is only shown for text fields, and is the maximum length of the text field (non-editable).
  Field Type - When the control has an actual underlying data field, this is the field type (non-editable). This is important because a field designed to receive numeric input will give the user a validation error if non-numeric text is entered instead.

When the control does not have an underlying data field (e.g. Submit Buttons, Fixed Text Areas), this setting is somewhat arbitrary and intended to best reflect the data represented by the control. For example, a Submit Button will indicate "None", since it is a graphic file with no real data, and a Fixed Text Area control will indicate "Memo", since it is designed to display long alphanumeric data.

Field types are expressed using generic terms that may or may not be the same as the field type designators used by the underlying Database Management System (DBMS). CATSWeb Database Documentation provides DBMS-specific mappings for these generic terms. Field types include the following:

• Text - A text field can accept any kind of alphanumeric input. The field has a maximum length as specified by the Field Length setting. This is mapped to the following:
  • .NET: String.
  • SQL Server: NVarChar().
  • Oracle: NVarChar2.

• Yes/No - A binary check box that represents Yes or No, True or False, etc. Can also be used for Signature Request fields. This is mapped to the following:
  • .NET: Boolean or Short.
  • SQL Server: Bit or SmallInt.
  • Oracle: Number.

• Currency - A field designed to display currency values, entries must be numeric.CATSWeb Currency fields do not include cents. To include cents, use a CATSWeb Double Precision field. This is mapped to the following:
  • .NET: Decimal,Numeric, Double or Float.
  • SQL Server: Decimal(18,0).
  • Oracle: Number.

• Integer - An integer number in the range of -32,768 to 32,767. This is mapped to the following:
  • .NET: Short.
  • SQL Server: SmallInt
  • Oracle: Number.

• Long Integer - An integer number in the range of -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647.
  • .NET: Integer.
  • SQL Server: Int.
  • Oracle: Number.

• Single Precision - A single precision floating point number. These have a range of -3.402823E38 to -1.401298E-45 for negative values, and 1.401298E-45 to 3.402823E38 for positive values. Most decimal or integer numbers can be represented by this field type (e.g. typical numbers with less than 10 decimal places).
  • .NET: Float.
  • SQL Server: Float.
  • Oracle: Number.

• Double Precision - A double precision floating point number. These have a range of -1.79769313486232E308 to -4.94065645841247E-324 for negative values, and 4.94065645841247E-324 to 1.79769313486232E308 for positive values. This field type is appropriate for numbers that must be specified with an ultra high degree of precision (e.g. scientific values with 10 or more decimal places).
  • .NET: Double.
  • SQL Server: Float.
  • Oracle: Number.

• Memo - A text field that has unlimited length.
  • .NET: String.
  • SQL Server: NVarChar(Max).
  • Oracle: Number.

• Date - A field that only accepts valid dates. Dates may be entered in a variety of formats. Dates will be displayed in the format specified in the Regional Settings applet on the web server (available via Control Panel).
  • .NET: DateTime
  • SQL Server: DateTime

• None - Drill down buttons and some other control types with no underlying table field (e.g. Submit Buttons) have the "None" designation.

Named Format	Alternate Text
General Date	Display a date and time (e.g. "4/3/93 05:34 PM"). The date format is determined by the system's (web server's) international settings.
Short Date	Display a date using the system's (web server's) short date format (e.g. "4/19/2000").
Medium Date	Display a date using the system's (web server's) medium date format (e.g. " 19-Apr-00").
Long Date	Display a date using the system's (web server's) long date format (e.g. "Wednesday, April 19, 2000").
Currency	Display a number with thousands separator and a currency symbol based on the system's (web server's) locale setting (e.g. "$1,045.68").
Fixed	Display a number with at least one digit to the left and two digits to the right of the decimal separator. (e.g. "0.14").
Standard	Display number with thousand separator, at least one digit to the left and two digits to the right of the decimal separator. (e.g. "1,234,567.80").
Percent	Display number multiplied by 100 with a percent sign appended to the right. Always display two digits to the right of the decimal separator. (e.g. " 12.00%").
Scientific	Display number using standard scientific notation. (e.g. "1.23E+06").

Graphics File - For Drill Down Buttons, this specifies the optional graphical element (image) used. If the filename of the image is specified by itself, CATSWeb will look for the image in the CATSWeb directory on the web server. To load an image from a CATSWeb subdirectory, such as the LinkGraphics subdirectory, specify the image like this: "LinkGraphics/Customer.gif".

Submit Button controls also specify a Graphics File. In this case, the image is expected to be in the CATSWeb graphics subdirectory, or other subdirectory as may be specified in the Graphics Subdirectory setting of the current Interface Preference.
  Height - This setting is available for memo fields and multi-row lists. It specifies the height of the field in units of text rows.
  Link Text - The link text (200 characters max) is used by Drill Down Button and Text Cell controls. Refer to those topics for more information.

List Value Validation - This setting is only relevant when a field has been bound to a list. When checked, CATSWeb will validate that submitted values are members of the list. This setting is typically only used with Intelligent Lists. Read this topic for more information.
  Mandatory - Check this box to require the user to make an entry in the field before the record can be saved. CATSWeb requires that some fields are always mandatory, and this setting will be ignored for those fields (see System Mandatory below).
  Mandatory on Closure - This setting is available for fields in Action and Subtask forms. When checked, CATSWeb validates that a value has been entered in the field when a user changes the record's status to Closed. For check boxes, it validates that the box has been checked. This setting does not affect the color-coding of the field on the form. If a Signature Controlled Operation is configured to automatically close the record upon addition of the final signature, this setting will be ignored.
  Mandatory on Completion - This setting is available for fields in Action and Subtask forms. When checked, CATSWeb validates that a value has been entered in the field when a user changes the record's status to Completed. For check boxes, it validates that the box has been checked. This setting does not affect the color-coding of the field on the form. If a Signature Controlled Operation is configured to automatically complete the record upon addition of the final signature, this setting will be ignored.
 

Order Fields - The numeric value specified in the Order fields determines the order in which the field appears on the form.

• Lower negative numbers appear first in the form, and higher positive numbers appear later on the form.
• Specify the value of 0 (zero) to eliminate a field from the form. This effectively hides the field on the form.
  Suggestions for using an Order = 0.
  • Avoid using Order = 0 on mandatory fields that require input from the user.
  • Order = 0 prevents fields from being visible in an archive or forwarded copy of the record. If the field needs to be accessible in an archive or a forwarded copy of the record, it is recommended that hiding the field be done via a Configurable Action or Event Hook and Hidden Outside Form.
• When editing the field order, it is desirable to use increments of 10 or 20 (or more) so that a field may be later inserted between two existing fields in the ordering sequence.
• CATSWeb ignores missing numeric values, and places the fields in ascending order given whatever non-zero values are present. Forms are always generated row by row, column by column, beginning in the upper left and finishing in the lower right.

A field may be used in several different forms, so there may be more than one Order field available. The field can be in the same position on each form, in different positions, or may not appear on some forms as desried.

• Issues: Issue Order, Disposition Order, Query Order.
• Actions: Action Order, Effectiveness Order, Query Order.
• Subtasks: Subtask Order, Query Order.
• Subforms: Subform Order, Query Order.

To edit the order parameters simultaneously across many fields, use the Edit Field Order button which appears near the top of the field definitions list. This form allows most order parameters to be modified, but not all.

• Some fields require special processing and validation of the order settings (e.g. the dept/empl assignment pull-downs) and must be edited in the definition form for the individual field.
  

Subtask forms have a design quirk due to their child relationship to parent Actions. There are two hidden, non-changeable fields that appear at fixed order positions of 20 and 60.

• One of them is a ParentTypeStr field which morphs to a "Parent Type" visible field at position 60. This is what gives the appearance that the field can't be moved. The real field does move, but the shadow field which morphs to a visible field with the same default caption doesn't move.
  

Here are guidelines for Subtask form designs which will make them look good:

1. Reserve order positions 20-400 for system and hidden fields. Place no other fields in that order range except for the ones listed below.
   
   
2. Place the following fields in that order range, preferably at the specific values shown:
   
   ParentType ("Parent Type") - 40
   ParentID ("Parent ID") - 80
   SourceDept ("From Dept") - 100
   UDUserCreated ("From Employee") - 200
   DateOpened ("Opened") - 300
   AssignmentDate ("Assigned") - 400
   
   
3. Use values of 401 and above for normal fields.
   
   
4. Use values of 19 and below, including negative numbers but excluding 0, for things like drill down buttons that you wish to place at the very top of the form.
   
   

Following these guidelines will insure that should we remove some of these odd fields that "clog things up" in future versions, there will be no overall visual impact on forms created in CATSWeb. The block of system/special fields in the 20-400 range would simply go away, and the normal fields would shift up to fill their spots."

List in Query/Pull-down In Query - By default, CATSWeb transforms selection lists to text boxes in the query form. This is to allow entry of wildcards, inequalities, multiple criteria, tokens, etc. in the query field. Checking this box causes a list to be used in queriy forms, thereby limiting the possible entries to the members of the list. The setting is ignored if the field is not bound to a list.

If the Multiple-select List option is installed, the Query List Style setting will determine the style of list. If that option is not installed, the list will be a pull-down list. Note that the caption for this setting may either be "List in Query" or "Pull-down In Query" depending on whether or not the Multiple-select List option is installed, and the original version of the CATSWeb system.

Quick Tip - Lists In Query Forms

It may seem like a convenience to the user to enable lists in query forms.  Experience has shown that users quickly outgrow this convenience and develop a thirst for power (wildcards, multiple criteria, etc.). If you elect to use lists in query forms, consider installing the Multi-select list option and specifying a multi-select list via the Query List Style setting.

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Query List Style - This setting is only available for fields that are bound to lists, and only if the Multi-select Lists option has been installed. It specifies the style of the list in query forms, but only takes effect if the List in Query setting is also checked. See the Main List Style setting for more information on available options.

If the Multi-select List option is chosen, the selected items are returned to CATSWeb as a comma-delimited string. This means that they will be automatically OR-ed together when the query is executed, just as if the user had entered a comma-delimited list of values into a text field. Since saved queries always use memo fields to save the query parameters, the Multi-select List option may always be used, even if the associated table field is a short text field that would not be able to accommodate multiple selections in the data entry form.

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Reload Button - Check this box to cause an iconic reload button () to appear next to the field. All reload buttons do the same thing: cause the current form contents to be returned to the server for possible processing by Intelligent Lists and Event Hooks. Enabling the iconic reload button to appear next to the field is a convenience to the user. In the special case of a Submit Button control, the reload button that appears is the full-sized reload button ().

Quick Tip - Fast Keyboard Data Entry

Placing a Reload Button next to a field can make data entry easier when Intelligent Lists or Event Hooks are in place. A user can make an entry in the field, hit Tab, then Enter, and this "clicks" the Reload button in most browsers. Tab shifts focus from the field to the button, and Enter clicks it.

System Mandatory - Specifies whether or not CATSWeb requires the field to be entered (non-editable). Table Field - The name that CATSWeb uses internally to refer to the field (non-editable). When the field is actually a control with no corresponding physical field in the underlying data table, this is referred to as Control Name.
  Text - This setting is used to specify the text that is actually displayed on the form by a Fixed Text Area field. The Caption setting is used only for the listing of the field within the field definitions list.

• When the Dashboards feature is installed, you may also specify a Display Part to provide the contents for the Fixed Text Area.
• For Action records, you can also display a custom child listing.

• This setting may be overriden by settings in the current Interface Preference (see the Form Section Breaks and Form Fixed Text Areas sections).
• When a form is displaying in read-only (View) mode, this setting may or may not be used, depending on the Use Color in Read-only View setting.

Use Color in Read-only View - This setting is only available for Section Break and Fixed Text Area controls. It specifies whether or not the background color is used when a form is viewed in read-only mode. If color is not used, the background and text colors will be set according to the settings in the current Interface Preference for read-only fields and captions.
  Use Full Row - CATSWeb forms are organized in rows and columns. Checking this box causes the field to expand to fill all of the columns in its row. See also: Form Columns, Form Rows
  Validation Rule - Numeric and date fields may be given an optional validation rule which can assure that the value entered is in a specific range. Use of a validation rule will require that the field always has a value. It is similar to making a field mandatory, except that the field caption does not appear as a mandatory field. The validation rule is defined from the following operators:

> (greater than)

< (less than)

= (equal to)

<> (not equal to)

>= (greater than or equal to)

<= (less than or equal to)

The boolean operators "AND" and "OR" may also appear in the rule, but there can only be a single instance of "AND" or "OR" in a rule. A special token "{Today}" is available for rules that apply to date fields, and it enables the current date to be used in a rule.

If a validation rule is malformed or cannot be evaluated, it will be ignored. Here are several examples of validation rules:

Validation Rule	Guarantees that...
>0	The numeric value is greater than 0 (zero).
>={Today}	The date entered is the current date or a future date (greater or equal to today).
>-5 AND <5	The numeric value is between -5 and 5.
>=1/1/2000 AND <={today}	The date is in the year 2000 or later, up to and including the current date.

NOTE: More sophisticated custom validation rules can be implemented via Event Hooks that use ActiveX DLL functions. These validation rules can operate on any field type, and can perform complex validations based on combinations of values submitted by the user, existing data values, etc. Here is an example of an ActiveX validation rule function.

Visible on Add - Check this box to make the field visible and available on forms when a new record is being added. This default setting may be overriden for particular users by defining a Field Access Restriction. The order settings for the field determine whether or not a field is present on a particular form (see Order Fields below). Fields that are not visible and have a non-zero order on a particular form will show up as an empty cell on the form. Note that if you designate a mandatory field to be invisible with a non-zero order, you must specify a default value, or implement an Event Hook to provide the value. If you do not, the user will not be able to save records that are added or edited via this form. A field will be visible on the read-only view of the form if either Visible on Add or Visible on Edit are checked.

NOTE: Because Disposition information is stored with the Issue record, and Effectiveness information is stored with the Action record, the Disposition and Effectiveness forms always operate in edit mode.
  Visible on Edit - Check this box to make the field visible and available on forms during edit mode. This default setting may be overriden for particular users by defining a Field Access Restriction. The order settings for the field determine whether or not a field is present on a particular form (see Order Fields below). Fields that are not visible and have a non-zero order on a particular form will show up as an empty cell on the form. A field will be visible on the read-only view of the form if either Visible on Add or Visible on Edit are checked.

NOTE: Because Disposition information is stored with the Issue record, and Effectiveness information is stored with the Action record, the Disposition and Effectiveness forms always operate in edit mode.
  Visible on View - Check this box to make the field visible and available on forms during view mode.
  Width - This setting is only available for memo fields. It specifies the width of the memo field in units of text columns.