An expandable editor object in a grid column used to enter or display data from memo, text blob or character fields.

Syntax

These controls are created by assigning the appropriate editorType to the GridColumn object.

Properties

The following tables list the properties and events of interest in the ColumnEditor class. (No methods are associated with this class.)

Property

Default

Description

baseClassName

COLUMNEDITOR

Identifies the object as an instance of the ColumnEditor class

className

(COLUMNEDITOR)

Identifies the object as an instance of a custom class. When no custom class exists, defaults to baseClassName

colorHighlight

 

The color of the text in the ColumnEdItor object when the object has focus

colorNormal

WindowText
/Window

The color of the text in the ColumnEditor object when the object does not have focus

dropDownHeight

8

The height of the ColumnEditor's dropdown editing window. The dropDownHeight property's value is in units matching the metric of the columnEditor's parent Form.

evalTags

true

Whether or not to apply embedded formatting tags when displaying the contents of the columnEditor's datalinked field.

value

 

The value currently displayed in the ColumnEditor object

wrap

true

Whether to word-wrap the text in the ColumnEditor control.

 

Event

Parameters

Description

key

<char expN>,
<position expN>,
<shift expL>,
<ctrl expL>

When a key is pressed. Return value may change or cancel keystroke.

valid

 

When attempting to remove focus. Must return true, or focus remains.

 

The following table lists the common properties and events of the ColumnEditor class:

Property

 

Event

Method

fontBold
fontItalic

fontName

fontSize

fontStrikeout

fontUnderline

 

hWnd
parent

speedTip

statusMessage

beforeCellPaint
onCellPaint

onGotFocus

onLostFocus

none

Description

A ColumnEditor object provides functionality similar to that of an Editor object, but in a grid cell. A ColumnEditor may be datalinked (via its parent gridColumn object) to a memo field, a text type blob field, or a character field.

When a ColumnEditor object has focus, a button is displayed which can be used to open an expanded, or drop-down window, in which to view or edit data. Clicking the mouse outside the expanded editor window, or pressing tab or shift-tab, will close the window.

When not expanded, ColumnEditor objects initially display the first non-blank line of data from its datalinked field. This is to make it easier for a user to determine what, if any, data has been entered into the field.

To enter or edit data in a ColumnEditor object:

  1. Give it focus by clicking on it with a left mouse button, or by using the tab or arrow keys to move to it within the grid object.

To exit the ColumnEditor:

Click outside the ColumnEditor's cell

 or

Navigate your way out using the tab, or shift-tab, keys.

Altering column dimensions

You may widen a ColumnEditor by widening its grid column.

You may change the height of a ColumnEditor's grid cell, to display more than one line of data in the grid cell, by changing the grid's cellHeight property.

You may change the height of a ColumnEditor's expanded window by changing its dropDownHeight value.

The expanded window will not expand beyond the edge of the ColumnEditor's Form or Subform.

Formatting text

When the ColumnEditor is contained within a Form whose mdi property is set to true, the Format Toolbar may be used to apply various formatting options to the text. To access the Format Toolbar:

  1. Give the ColumnEditor focus

By default, a ColumnEditor will apply any formatting embedded in its datalinked field, when displaying data. To turn this off:

Set the ColumnEditor's evalTags property to false

 or

Uncheck "Apply Formatting" via it's right-click popup menu.