InputType and Suggest Properties
Scope
Languages: Java, .NET, .NET Mobile
Objects: Transactions
Controls: Edits
Introduction
Developing friendly user interfaces is one of the main challenges faced by application developers today. Because of its high level of interaction with the end user, the application's interface is able to generate a positive or negative user experience.
Among other things, a friendly user interface involves making data input as simple and fast as possible. GeneXus 9.0 introduces two properties that can be set to simplify data input and help design more attractive and friendly interfaces. These properties are InputType and Suggest .
Description
InputType and Suggest will be explained with an example. Let's consider the following transactions:
Clients
ClientID*
ClientName
CountryID
CountryName
Country
CountryID*
CountryName
In this case, the default web form to operate with clients would be as follows:
Input Type
Given that CountryName is a key candidate and can determine CountryID, we'd like to enter the name instead of the key. In order to accomplish this, GeneXus 9.0 allows you to set the CountryID Edit control to show CountryName and "hide" CountryID. This is very similar to Dynamic Combo Boxes. In order to make these changes, you will only have to set the InputType CountryID control property with the "Description" value:
Once we set InputType = Descriptions, it won't be necessary to enter CountryID any longer.
Suggest
As you can see, setting the CountryID InputType property with Descriptions is really a good improvement simply because it is not necessary to enter codes any longer. Besides offering a higher degree of user-friendliness, it won't be necessary to remember any codes.
In addition, we can use the Suggest property to enter data without remembering exact names.
If the Suggest property is set, a list of Countries will be displayed with all the possible countries to select from, according to what we have entered in the Edit box:
As you can see, pressing the letter "U" will display all the countries that begin with this letter. Next, if the user enters the letter "R," Uruguay will be selected because it is the only country that begins with the letters "UR."
Comments & Collaboration
Interesting links
Input Type property
Suggest property
Official 'GeneXus and Ajax' site
Sample to see ajax features running online
Sample KB to download
More information about AJAX
Attachment |