The grid form enables you to find and display records, sort records and select the fields displayed (exluding other fields), create records, copy text into all records in a file, amend, and delete records.
See also:
What do you want to do?
To find a record in the grid form:
On the Grid form, right-click on the grid
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Select Filter
The Filter form is displayed.
Click OK
The Filter form closes and the grid form redisplays records matching the filter criterion or criteria.
See also: Sorting records on the Grid and Column forms.
To sort records in the Grid form:
On the Grid form, select the Sort button
The Select Item From List form is displayed, enabling you to select a key path.
Select a key path and select the OK button
The Select Item From List form closes and the grid form displays records in sorted order.
You can define what fields are displayed for every record.
Tip: This may reduce data entry errors.
To select fields for display:
On the Grid form, select the Fields button
A Field Selection form is displayed.
Select a field by double-clicking its name (menu option)
It is displayed on the grid edit form as a column header. The Field Selection form remains displayed as the foreground window.
Note: If the form is not wide enough to accommodate it, the column header is not displayed. You can view the column using the horizontal scroll bar on the grid edit form after you close the Field Selection form.
When you have selected all the fields you want, select the Field Selection form OK button.
The Field Selection form closes and the grid form displays the records, but, apart from key fields, only those fields you selected.
To create a record in the grid form:
On the Grid form, right-click on the grid
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Select the Insert row option
A blank line, representing a new record, is displayed.
Left-click in the first field of the new record
The line changes colour and a text cursor is displayed in the field.
Complete each field of the record, using the TAB key to move to the next field or left-clicking in the field
The new record is saved to the file.
Tip: To view the records in sequence, select the Sort button.
See also Copying Grid Contents to the Clipboard.
This procedure copies the content of the selected field into the same field of all records in the open file.
Warning: Use the Grid form copy function with caution. It copies the content of the selected field into the same field of all records in the file.
To copy the content of the selected field in the selected record into the same field in every record in the file:
On the Grid form, right-click on the field containing the text to copy
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Select Copy
An Updating records message is displayed while the text is copied into the records. When it finishes, an Update complete message is displayed.
To amend a record in the grid form:
On the Grid form, right-click the grid line containing the record to edit
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Select Edit row
The line changes colour and a text cursor is displayed.
Complete edits to each field of the record, by using the TAB key to move to the next field or by left-clicking in the field
The edited record is saved to the file.
Tip: To view the records in sequence, select the Sort button.
To delete a record in the grid form:
On the Grid form, right-click the grid line containing the record to delete
A pop-up menu is displayed.
Select Delete row
The record is deleted from the file.
See also Copying Grid Contents.
Note: Many forms contain grids, but the Grid form described here is a complete form.
This form is displayed when you select a menu option that displays records in the standard format used by this form rather than the format used by the GEDIT form. It displays records in a table.
Tip: To switch between Grid form and the Column form, select the Column button and Grid button, respectively.
Reverse: A tick indicates that, when you select the Sort button, the form redisplays with records in descending order
AutoRefresh: A tick indicates that records are automatically redisplayed after an amendment
Start at: Restricts the range of records displayed to those whose key field value is equal to or greater than the value entered into this field
Finish at: Restricts the range of records displayed to those whose key field value is less than or equal to the value entered into this field
Tip: Select the Refresh button after editing the Start at or Finish at fields.
The popup menu is displayed when, with the pointer (mouse) cursor on a line in the grid, you click with the right-hand mouse button.
Edit row: Selects the line, enabling you to amend the record it contains.
Insert row: Creates a blank line above the line the cursor is on, enabling you to create a new record.
Delete row: Deletes the line the cursor is on, deleting the record it contains.
Copy: Selects the field the cursor is on, and copies the content of the selected field into the same field of EVERY record on the file. An Updating records message is displayed while the text is copied into the records. When it finishes, an Update complete message is displayed.
WARNING: Copy copies the content of the selected field into the same field of ALL records in the file.
Filter: Displays the Filter form, enabling the Grid form to redisplay with a subset of records that match your search criteria.
Buttons:
Sort: Displays the Select Item From List form, on which you nominate a field to be the sort 'key', and the grid form redisplays with the records in sorted order. See Sorting Records on the Grid Form.
Refresh: Redisplays records with any new modifications. See also the Autorefresh check box.
Fields: Displays the Field Selection form, enabling you to select the fields displayed -- for all displayed records. This may reduce data entry errors. See Grid Form Field Selection.
Ad-hoc: Displays the Ad-hoc enquiry form, enabling you to construct queries and display, print, or graph the result
Column: Rearranges the form into column format.
