The diagram below shows the elements for the category "Priority". This configuration will yield a drop down combo as shown in the Form Combo List. If the category is defined as the "Color Category" for itself or for another category, then the Combo lists will also determine the Grid Color and Style for the dependent category. In the diagram for example, the Priorities 1, 2, 3 and 4 are controlling the color (and style) of the Message and the Priority in the Main Grid window.
Note that the default priority has been set to 4 (Low). This is achieved by setting the list order of this priority to the first entry. This is so that the operators automatically get a standard priority when they add a record. If it is an emergency, they must use the drop down list to choose the emergency Priority.
To get the coding for the colors, please see this section.
Category: This column shows the category that you are working with. It is the category that has been selected in the main category grid.
Code: These are the codes that will appear when the combo box drop down arrow is selected in the form. (See the Form Combo List in the diagram.) They are also the codes that will appear in the main grid.
Description: This column is a more meaningful description of the option and it appears in the combo boxes.
List Order: This is the order in which the option will appear in the drop down combo. Choose the default code to have a List Order of 1 so that operators do not have to use the drop down to set this value. Note that if you leave the ListOrder blank, then the list of options will be displayed alphabetically.
TextColor: This is the color of the text that will appear in the grid if this option is chosen and the category has been defined as the Color Category in the Category Configuration. It is a hexadecimal number where white is &HFFFFFF and Black is &H0. To get the hexadecimal number of a color you would like, have a look at the table in this section.
BackColor: This is the background color of the text that will appear in the grid if this option is chosen and the category is the "Color Category".
Font: You may choose either "Bold, "Italic" or "Bold Italic" for this column. Alternatively, if you leave it blank, then the font will be regular and not italicized.
ChildrenMap: This field is used to define the hierarchy of options to be loaded into the combo boxes. Essentially, it defines the options to be present in the children combos if a given option is chosen in the parent combo. It can also be used to make a child combo disappear if the child combo is not valid for the value of the parent combo.
The format of the ChildrenMap field is as follows:
<CHILD CATEGORY>:['ChildOption1','ChildOption2'…'ChildOptionn'], <Child Category2>:['Child2Option1', 'Child2Option2','Child2Option3'] etc.
Example: , If a site has two areas Area 1 and Area 2. In Area 1, there are two streams called StreamA and StreamB. In Area 2, there are three streams called Main, Utility and Backup.
You would therefore configure the ChildrenMap for the Area 1 option as STREAM: ['StreamA','StreamB'] and the ChildrenMap for Area 2 option as STREAM:[ 'Main','Utility','Backup']
In this case, if the user is adding a record and selects Area 1 in the Area combo, then only the options StreamA and StreamB will appear in the stream combo.
Likewise, if the user selects Area 2 in the Area combo, then only the options Main, Utility and Backup will appear in the Stream combo.
Dyanamic Fields: making the child combo appear and disappear if it is not valid for the value of the parent combo.
You use the @visible key in the ChildrenMap specifier to make child fields appear when a specific option is chosen. For more information, please see the section on Dynamic Fields.
Adding an Option:
Bring up the Main configuration screen
Click on the Options Link
Click on the Add Option link.
Enter the name of the Category for which you want this Option to apply and enter the details of the Option and then
Click on the Add Option button.
Deleting an Option:
Bring up the Main configuration screen
Click on the Options Link
Click on the option you want to delete in the table.
Click on the delete option link
Click on the Confirm Delete button.
Copying an Option:
Bring up the Main configuration screen
Click on the Options Link
Select the option you want to copy.
Click on the Copy Option link
Make the changes you want for the new item