To keep my ARev 3.12 application from being ditched for a less-suitable Windows alternative, I need to quickly prototype an OpenInsight replacement.

I don't need to replicate all the functionality of the existing application to begin with - though that will be the ultimate objective. I just need to demonstrate that OI is a viable alternative.

I've gone through "Getting Started" using the downloaded OI 7.0 demo. After some initial fits-and-starts, I've aliased files to my new OI application and am proceding with data entry screen development.

Here's where I'm stumped. If I let OI create a default data entry form using all the dictionary items in a datafile, I end up with many controls in unsuitable places - just as in the tutorial. I can move the controls about on a page, but I can't move any controls from one page to another using drag-and-drop. Some controls are half-hidden at the top of pages 2 and above. And when I click on them to drag 'em somewhere else, they disappear "up" one page (i.e. n-1).

On the other hand, if I create a simple one page form with just a few dict items (with the expectation of adding more controls later on), I can't find a simple way to enter multiple controls thereafter. It appears I need to enter them one-at-a-time, or should I say one control first and a label second, for each dict item.

Needless to say, I haven't taken the second route too far. And I'm not sure how I would paginate things if I did. The concept of screen display as pages in ARev is somewhat burned into my mind and a little difficult to dislodge.

Any recommendations for an OI newbie on the most efficient way to create the equivalent of a multiplage ARev screen in OI would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Bill

Bill,

but I can't move any controls from one page to another using drag-and-drop.

Try cut and paste. Cut the items from screen 1 - flip to screen N and then paste.

The Sprezzatura Group

World leaders in all things RevSoft

Cut-and-paste works fine for controls I can see. It's a big help.

However, there are controls that I can tab through but cannot see. They appear to be "lodged" between adjacent pages, but visible in neither. Very odd.

I'm s-l-o-w-l-y trying to unravel the PAGE, CREATE and QUICK events associated with the data entry forms in the EXAMPLES application. It's all going to take a while to sink in.

Bill

Bill,

If I let OI create a default data entry form using all the dictionary items in a datafile, I end up with many controls in unsuitable places…

FWIW, when I started our conversion from AREV to OI, we did the default thing. However, I very quickly stopped doing that because it was not a time-saver. It was more trouble than it's worth. Also, fwiw, you really should start exploring the use of TABs to handle your multiple page forms. I think that you will find your forms to be more appealing.

Play with something simple to get the hang of it. Needless to say, there are plenty of experts on this site who can advise and assist you in your journey. The SEARCH on this site can also be very useful.

Good luck,

Ray Chan

Bill,

However, there are controls that I can tab through but cannot see. They appear to be "lodged" between adjacent pages, but visible in neither. Very odd.

As you have already learned and heard from Ray, this approach lends itself to far too many problems than solutions. Your "lodged" controls can be retrieved by tabbing to one of them, shift-clicking on a visible control, then Ctrl-T to top align them. Of course, fixing this form might take longer than starting over…

You have discovered what we believe is the single most difficult but necessary aspect of OI application development: GUI design. There are some products out there to help accelerate the process (i.e. Revelation's porting lab, our FrameWorks, etc.) but they still require you to pour in a lot of time and energy just to make a halfway decent product.

I'm s-l-o-w-l-y trying to unravel the PAGE, CREATE and QUICK events associated with the data entry forms in the EXAMPLES application. It's all going to take a while to sink in.

Is this for TAB control? If so, then I highly recommend exploring different options. There are at least three other methods which, IMHO, are much easier and provide more aesthetically pleasing results. At least one of these has been discussed and documented on this website. It involves the use of multiframed bitmaps and the BUTTONDOWN event. Sprezz has used WinAPI calls to create true tabs. You would need to contact them for more information. Finally, we have an OLE-based tab control. You can contact us for more information on that.

[email protected]

SRP Computer Solutions, Inc.

Don, Ray, and Sprezz,

Thank you all very much for your advice.

Knowing just enough to be easily frustrated by my ignorance and inabilities, I realize I'm going to have to keep things super simple for now, just bringing as much functionality from ARev into OI as possible.

Between the "Converting ARev to OI" and other whitepapers, the EXAMPLES application, the on-line docs, and the help you fellows generously supply, there's a lot to digest and assimilate.

Elegance will come, but right now I'm simply in the "make-it-work" mode. So, I've ditched the default form and started from scratch. I'll post again when I need more advice.

Bill

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