Note: This dialog presents the attributes of the generic class of form field objects called "option buttons". These include "option radio buttons" and "option image buttons". The dialog caption reflects the specific type of option button being edited. The dialog itself supports switching between the different types of option buttons. In the following discussion, the generic term "option button" is used although the user should take note of the dialog caption to determine the specific option button type. Also note that radio buttons that are not owned by option boxes do not fall into this category. They have distinct attributes, and have their own edit dialog. For more information, refer to the Edit Toggle Button dialog.
The Edit Option Button dialog can be displayed by either double clicking anywhere within an option button form field object (i.e. one that is owned by an option box) or selecting the option button and clicking on the "attribute edit" icon in the tool bar. This dialog presents the current attributes of the option button. The dialog consists of three sections: identification, appearance, and properties.
This section displays naming and other identifying information for the option form field object.
| Field Name | This field contains the name of the option button. The Screen Painter automatically generates a unique name for it. This name can be maintained or changed, as long as the new name conforms to the Zim Object Naming Rules. |
| Form Name | This field contains the name of the form in which the option button was created. The field can be viewed by selecting it and scrolling left and right, but its value cannot be changed. |
| Directory | This field contains the name of the Zim directory that owns the form in which the option button was created. The field can be viewed by selecting it and scrolling left and right, but its value cannot be changed. |
| Field Number | This field contains an automatically generated identifying number for the option button. The value in this field can be used to identify the option button if it triggers a callback event. Refer to Form Fields and Callback Events for more detailed information about associating form fields with callback events. The value in this field can be changed and need not be unique. |
| Field Tag | This field contains an identifying text string for the option button. The value in this field can be used to identify the option button if it triggers a callback event. Refer to Form Fields and Callback Events for more detailed information about associating form fields with callback events. The value in this field can be changed and need not be unique. If left blank (the default), the value contained in Field Name is used for Field Tag. |
| Help Message | This field contains the text to display in an field of type "message" (if one exists in the form) when the option button receives the input focus. The message that appears at the bottom left of this dialog is itself a "message" field, and the help message associated with each field in the dialog is automatically displayed there when the field receives the input focus. If you intend to have a "message" field in your form, enter an appropriate help message text in this Help Message field. |
This section presents the display or appearance attributes of the toggle button form field object.
| Visible | This check box determines if the option button is visible by default. The visibility attribute of all form fields other than labels can be dynamically modified under Zim program control. |
| Pointer Style | This list box is used to select the pointer (or cursor) style to use when the pointer is over or in the option button, and the button is available. By default, the value is "default", which for an option button field, is the "Arrow" pointer style. |
| Style / Button Type | This list box provides for selecting the specific type of option button required. The choices are "Radio Button" and "Image Optional". Both option button types exhibit the property that within the context of their parent form field object (i.e. an option box object), no two buttons can be in the On state simultaneously. When the required button type is selected, the dialog caption changes appropriately. If the option button type selected is a "Radio Button", then the fields Auto Size, Image Type and the push button Images are not available, and the field Label is available. Conversely, if the option button type selected is "Image Optional", then the fields Auto Size, Image Type and the push button Images are available, and the field Label is not available. |
| Style / Image Type | This field is available only for "Image Optional" buttons. It can be used to select from the three supported image file types, "Bit Map", "(Windows) Meta File", and "Icon". |
| Style / Auto Size | This list box is available only for "Image Optional" buttons. It can be used to select from four different automatic image sizing options. These are "None-clipped", "Image to object", "Image proportional" and "Object to image". Refer to Image Auto Size Options for more detailed information about the different automatic image sizing options. |
| Style / Images | This field is available only for "Image Optional" option buttons. It presents the Select Button Image Files dialog from which the image files to represent the Off and On states may be selected. The Null state is not applicable to option buttons. |
| Style / Label | This field is available only for "Radio Button" option buttons. The text entered in this field is the label displayed alongside the option button. Note that the first ampersand character (&) within the text is interpreted as an instruction to underline the following character. |
This section presents the behavioral attributes of the option button field.
| Availability | This field determines the "availability" attribute of the option button field. The values are "Available", "Unavailable", "Guarded" and "Protected". Refer to Form Field Availability Attributes for a more detailed description of the characteristics of these different availability values. |
| Tab Stop | This field determines if the option button is included in the tab order. If cleared, the end-user cannot access this field by using the tab keys. The option button is still directly accessible by accelerator keys and the mouse. |
| Tab Index | This field contains a number that represents the relative position of the field in the tab sequence order. A value of zero (0) means use the tab sequence order as defined by the relative position of the field in the structure chart. |
| Data Value / Type | This field is not available for modification. It has been populated from the data type of the owning option box form field as assistance for establishing values for the On Value and Validation Rule fields. |
| Data Value / Length | This field is not available for modification. It has been populated from the data type of the owning option box form field as assistance for establishing values for the On Value and Validation Rule fields. |
| Data Value / On Value | This field contains the default "On" value for the option button. If this value matches the default value of its owning option box, then the button is placed in the On state. |
| Data Value / Validation Rule | This field can contain a validation rule for establishing multiple values which, if assigned to the option button, places it in the "On" state. |
| OK | This push button performs any required data validation, commits any changes that were made in this dialog, and returns to the Screen Painter's layout mode. |
| Cancel | This push button discards any changes that were made in this dialog and returns to the Screen Painter's layout mode. |
| Help | This push button invokes the Zim Help facility, initially displaying the section entitled Edit Option Button dialog (this section). |