Combobox

[jmendes]

Hi,
I’m a little confused about the combobox widget, in the documentation is says that it is a mix of selectbox and auto-complete textbox, which is perfect.
What I don’t understand is that what is displayed in the widget is the “choice values field” and not the “choice options field”, so I select “João Mendes” and what appears in the field is “10”.

Another thing that I don’t understand why the selectbox as a so different look then the rest of the widgets.

Thanks for your time,
João Mendes

[Scott Klement]

That's part of the difference between a 'combo box' and a 'select box'. The difference is that in a combo box, you don't have to use the drop-down... you can just type your choice in the field and it'll use whatever you type.

Since what the user types is what will be sent to the program, it would be most confusing if it showed a corresponding 'choices options field'.

In your example, you can just type '10' into the combobox, or you can use the pull-down to select "João Mendes" from the list. When you select "João Mendes", it will put the number 10 in the spot where you would type, so you can see what is selected. It would be most confusing if it placed "João Mendes" in the spot where you type when you used the drop-down, but requred you to type the number 10 when you type...

By contrast, a 'select box' (aka "drop-down box") will put the "choices options field" value into the selected value, and the user never sees the code number. That's because a select box does not allow you to just type the value, you always have to use the pull-down field.

Hope that makes sense.

If our documentation says that it works like an auto-complete textbox, or that it shows the 'choices options field' value in the blank, then the documentation is wrong. Please let me know where you saw this, so we can fix the documentation.

I didn't understand your second question about the look & feel of the select box. When I use a select box, it has the same look and feel as the other widgets... can you provide a screen shot that illustrates what you mean?

[jmendes]

Hi Scott,

Even mot agreeing with the concept I understand it. In your documentation it says:
"A combo box is combination of a Select Box and a Textbox. The properties of a combo box are defined under these other widgets."
In the case of the textbox, you type "João Mendes" it stays "João Mendes" in the field but it passes 10 into 5250...

As for the second question, I'll attach a print screen that is more easy for you to see.
I think the problem is in the conversion of the 5250 fields into select of drop box. If you see the printscreen I've converted the 2 lines of the main menu to "select" and "dropdown" and they have that "old" look. Bellow the Design bar there is a text field that I've converted to "select box" and the look is completely different.

Thanks
João Mendes

[jmendes]

Scott,
I can't attach the file, is there any other way to share it with you?


Thanks,
João Mendes

[Scott Klement]

You can e-mail it to support@profoundlogic.com, or you can add it as an attachment to a forum post.

[jmendes]

Hi Scott,
Have you managed to see the file I sent to support?

Thanks,
João Mendes

[Scott Klement]

Yes, I've seen it. It looks like there's a colored border around the 'selectbox', is that what you're referring to?

Otherwise, the selectbox and combobox at the bottom look exactly the same,

[jmendes]

Yes, but the the two boxes bellow have a blue background and a diferent look than the one bellow the design toolbar.

I's I convert a field that comes from the 5250, is looks like the boxes in the bottom, if I create a new box or convert a "non-5350" textbox into a selectbox it looks like the one bellow the design toolbar.

I would like that both situations would create a widget like the one bellow the design toolbar.

[Scott Klement]

do they have different css classes applied to them? look at the css classes in the designer.

[jmendes]

That is it, when I convert a 5250 filed into dropdown, the css classes is not set, when I put a new combo or select the css classes is "input".

Thanks Scott, I'll pay attention to this details next time.