Brady Form Designer User Manual

Form Designer User Guide

DOC-FD-UG-US-23/02/06

The information in this manual is not binding and may be modified without prior notice.

Supply of the software described in this manual is subject to a user license. The software may not be used, copied or reproduced on any medium whatsoever, except in accordance with this license.

No portion of this manual may be copied, reproduced or transmitted by any means whatsoever, for purposes other than the personal use of the buyer, unless written permission is obtained from Braton Groupe sarl .

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Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

The layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1

The Menu bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

The Tool bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

The Tool box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2

The Properties Grid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

The Main Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4

The Status bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

The Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

What are Actions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5

Chapter 2: Creating a form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9

The designing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9

Example 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9

DBForm.xmf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Placing the controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Setting the control properties (no data) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10

Setting the control properties (with data) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-11

Setting the Database grid’s properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12

Setting the Form’s properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12

Setting the Text box’s properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13

Setting the Combo box’s properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Setting the Buttons’ properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14

Example 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17

Generic.xmf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17

Placing the controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-17

Setting the control properties (no data) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-18

Setting the control properties (with data) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20

Setting the Buttons’ properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-20

Setting the form properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-22

Setting the ListBox properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-23

Setting the ComboBox properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-24

Setting the Textbox properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25

Setting the Preview properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25

Setting the Datagrid properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-25

C H A P T E R 1

Introduction

Form Designer is a visual designing tool that allows the rapid building of front-end data entry and label printing applications.

It includes features such as:

• Label and printer type selection

• Print preview

The layout

• Page and Printer settings

• Database connections

• Multiple Screen/Form application

• Pre-defined values and data control

Form Designer’s layout is easy to use reducing the time necessary to familiarize yourself with the software. It includes a Menu bar , a Tool bar, a Tool box, a Properties grid, a Main window and a Status bar. .

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The Menu bar The Menu bar comprises itself of 6 items: File, Edit, View,

Data, Layout and Help. When clicked, each item will

expand showing a new list of items, to allow the user to perform a variety of functions. To access the menu items more quickly, press Alt + the underlined letter from your desired choice: Alt+F will open the File menu.

The Tool bar The Tool ba r is usually displayed just below the Menu bar.

It is made up of icons which represent the most commonly used software functions. These icons can be clicked to quickly access these functions.

New

Open

Save

Copy

Cut

Delete

Paste

Undo

Redo

to Grid

Snap

Align

Space

Evenly

Bring to

Front

Send

to Back

The Tool box The Tool Box is made up of the 12 controls that can be

added to a form: Label, Link label, Button, TextBox, CheckBox, GroupBox, ListBox, ComboBox, DataGrid, DatabaseGrid, PictureBox, Preview.

Form Designer User Guide Chapter 1 - 3

Each control serves a special purpose. They can be linked to fixed or variable data and can be associated with actions. To insert a control into your form; simply click on the control and drag and drop it into the form.

Control Description

Label non-active text used to show the

name of a input field

LinkLabel active text used to link to a webpage

or other specific location

Button an active control used to perform set

functions/actions TextBox data entry field CheckBox a control used to activate/deactivate

or select/deselect predefined features GroupBox non active box placed around a

group of controls for visual

organization ListBox displays a list of data as defined in its

properties ComboBox displays a drop-down list of data as

defined in its properties Datagrid displays pre-defined data in a grid

such as variable names, values or

customized data

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Control Description

DatabaseGrid displays the database defined in the

properties along with some basic

functionalities such as filters and

search fields. PictureBox a box where an image can be

imported into Preview a box that will display a preview of the

label attached to the form

The Properties Grid

The Main Window

The Properties Grid lists all the properties for the selected control. Here you can change the characteristics of your controls such as control name, color, size, actions... It is context sensitive, so the list of properties will change according to the control selected. Having the grid displayed replaces the usual right-click menu command.

The Main window, displayed in the center, is your work area. Here, you will add controls and create the forms you will use to input data for label printing. Once the form has been created and configured, you can go to View > Execution to run the form and see its final result.

Form Designer User Guide Chapter 1 - 5

MAIN WINDOW

The Status bar The Status bar gives you the x axis and y axis location of

your pointer, the form name and the name and basic details of the control you have selected.

The Basics

What are Actions?

Actions are functions that are assigned to buttons and to

load/unload forms. In Form Designer, 12 pre-defined Actions have been included in the Actions menu to save you time and to eliminate the need for programming. In some cases, where specific parameters must be configured, these, too, have been pre-defined in the Action’s configuration.

The pre-defined Actions are:.

Action Show the document property dialog box

Displays the properties dialog box for the selected document which shows information such as creation date and its location.

Action Show the form dialog box

Displays the form dialog box where the user can set the values for the form variables

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Action Show the options dialog box

Displays an options dialog box where you can, for instance, change the display language and other settings.

Action Show the printing dialog box

Displays the print dialog box where you print from. Here, you can also set the number of labels printed and see a preview of the print job among other things.

Action Show the printer selection dialog box

Displays a dialog box showing a list of all of the possible printers to print from.

Action Show the printer settings dialog box

Displays the printer settings dialog box where settings can be set

Action Show the page setup dialog box

Displays the page setup dialog box where the user can set label size, page size, margin size...

Action Print

Allows the user to print.

Parameters Label Quantity

Sends the printer the number of labels to be printed. If the document includes a counter, the counter increments along with the number of labels.

Form Designer User Guide Chapter 1 - 7

Label Copy

Lets the printer know how many identical copies of each label should be printer

Inter Cut

Lets the printer know how many labels to print before each cut.

Page Copy

Lets the printer know how many copies of each page to print

Action Select printer

Allows the user to print from the selected printer and override any printers that may be associated with the document.

Parameter Printer

Allows you to set a printer as the default printer to use when the button is clicked, or to use the printer selected from a list - if a printer selection variable is used and defined in the form properties

Action Show Label Designer

Allows the user to launch the Label designer for label editing.

Parameter Show

Launches and displays the Label designer

Action Load a new form .

Allows the user to open a new form.

Parameters File name

Links an xmf file to the action

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New Window

Opens the chosen file in a new window if set to true

Action Execute a VB Script

Allows the user to execute a user-defined VB Script that can perform actions beyond the Form Designer’s capabilities. This gives the user greater flexibility.

Parameters File name

Links a vbs file to the action

Synchronous

Synchronizes the VB Script with Form Designer

C H A P T E R 2

Creating a form

The designing

Designing forms is easy with Form Designer. All controls can be added to a form by way of drag and drop, then configured in the properties grid to set color, text, action...

To show you how to create a form, we will reproduce 2 examples: the DBF.xmf form and the Generic.xmf form.

Example 1

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DBForm.xmf This simple form includes a Database Grid where you can

quickly view, change or add data in your database.

• Placing the controls

For this example, you will need to drag and drop the following controls:

• 2 Labels

• 1 TextBox

• 1 ComboBox

• 1 Database Grid

• 1 Preview

• 2 Buttons

Place the items as in the following diagram.

• Setting the control properties (no data)

With Form Designer, it is easy to set your control properties since the Properties grid is displayed on the right-hand side of your screen. If you do not see the Properties Grid, go to View > Properties grid.

When you select a control in your form, the associated list of properties will be displayed in the Properties Grid.

1 Set the Label properties as follows:

• Name: lblLabelNumber

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Number your Labels:

• Font name: MS Sans Serif

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• Font size: 8,25

• Font Bold: True

• Name: lblPrinter

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Printer:

• Font name: MS Sans Serif

• Font size: 8,25

• Font Bold: False

2 Set the Preview properties as follows:

• Name: prvPreview

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Preview

3 Set the Database Grid properties as follows:

• Name: dbgDatabase

• Contents > Type: Fixed contents

• Contents > Value: DataBaseGrid

4 Set the Text box properties as follows:

• Setting the control properties (with data)

• Name: txbQty

5 Set the Combo Box properties as follows:

• Name: cbxPrinter

6 Set the Button properties as follows:

• Name: btnPrint

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Print

and the second button as:

• Name: btnPortal

• Contents > Type: Fixed contents

• Contents > Value: Back to Portal

Some of the controls require more than just setting text properties. Buttons require actions, grids require data, boxes require variables. The next few steps will walk you

Chapter 2 - 12 Form Designer User Guide

through these controls, their properties and configurations.

Setting the Database grid’s properties

A Database grid allows the user to view a pre-selected database. A selected row will display the associated label in the preview box. The user can Add, Delete, Filter and

Search for information with the Database grid.

• Database > Connection: select Batcher from the drop-

down menu

• Database > Table: Select Print Job from the drop down menu

Note

In Database > Connection, you can select from an existing list of linked databases or add a new one. The latter will take you to the ‘Add Database Connection’ wizard.

Setting the Form’s properties

Although the form does not appear in the ToolBox, it, too, is a control to be configured. In fact, for certain controls, such as datagrids or listboxes, where data can be linked, the Form acts as the base, and requires specific parameters to be set in order for the data controls to be functional.

• Attached label: Identity.lab

• Variables: 7 variables should have automatically filled

in this field. The 7 variables are the label variables received from the label’s attached database. However, two Form variables must also be added to use with the

Form Designer User Guide Chapter 2 - 13

print button to set the label’s default printer as the one be used for printing and to state the number of labels printed.

To add these new variables:

1 Click on the down-arrow from the Variables field. 2 In the section titled Form Variables, click Add 3 Type-in Printer and OK

4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Qty

When you return to the Form properties grid, you will notice that you now have 9 variables.

Setting the Text box’s properties

This TextBox is used to tell the printer how many label copies it must print. The number entered in the textbox by the user defines the number of copies. If a counter is present on the label, the counter will be incremented with each label copy. To set the properties:

• Contents > Type: Variable contents

• Contents > Value: select Qty from the drop-down list

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(this variable was created in the form properties)

Setting the Combo box’s properties

The ComboBox is used to select a printer from the predefined list. To set the properties:

• Contents >Type: Variable contents

• Contents > Value: select Printer from the drop-down

list (this variable was created in the form properties)

• Data > Type: Printers

• Data > Value > Printers type: select THT

Setting the Buttons’ properties

Buttons not only require the standard text properties such as Name and Font, they also require an action. Form Designer has included, in its Button properties grid, an action field that allows you to pick from a standard list of actions. These actions have been created and predefined for the ease of the user, eliminating the need for complex programming and reducing the possibility of errors.

1 Click on the Print button (btnPrint)

2 Go to Actions and click the button. A dialog box

appears

3 Click Add 4 In Description, click the down-arrow and choose Select

printer. One parameter must be defined.

Form Designer User Guide Chapter 2 - 15

5 Click on parameters. A new dialog box appears. 6 Set Type as Variable 7 Set Value as Printer (which you can select from a drop

down list... Printer is the form variable created in the form properties). Click OK

8 Back in the original Actions window, click Add 9 Under Various > Description, click the down-arrow and

choose Print. Four parameters must be defined.

• Label Quantity: set Type as Variable and Value as Qty (this variable can be selected from a drop-down

list... it is the variable created in the form properties)

• Label Copy : leave with default settings

• Inter Cut: leave with default settings

• Page Copy: leave with default settings

10 Click OK

The Print button has been configured to print the number of labels as defined by the user in txbQty. The label’s counter will be incremented accordingly (if appllicable).

1 Click the Back to Portal button (btnPortal)

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2 Click on the button. A new dialog box appears 3 Go to Various > Description and select Load new form

from the drop-down menu. 2 parameters must be defined.

• File Name: set Type as Fixed and Value as MainMenu.xmf

• New Window: set Type as Fixed and leave Value

empty

The Back to Portal button has been configured to open the MainMenu.xmf form where the user can select a printer and access the page setup, the printer settings and printer management

Form Designer User Guide Chapter 2 - 17

Example 2

Generic.xmf This form allows you to see some of the more advanced

features of Form Designer. It lets you choose a label from a list, view its data variables, preview your label, choose how many label copies you would like printed as well as configure and select the printer to be used.

• Placing the controls

For this example, you will need to drag and drop the following controls:

• 3 labels

• 1 link label

• 1 picture box

• 3 buttons

• 1 textbox

• 1 listbox

• 1 combo box

• 1 group box

• 1 preview

• 1 datagrid

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Place the items as in the following diagram:

• Setting the control properties (no data)

When you select a control in your form, the associated list of properties will be displayed in the Properties Grid.

1 Set the label properties as follows:

• Name: lblSelect

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Select your label:

• Font name: MS Sans Serif

• Font size: 8,25

• Font Bold: True

• Name: lblPrinter

• Contents > Type: Fixed Variables

• Contents > Value: Printer:

• Font name: MS Sans Serif

• Font size: 8,25

• Font Bold: True

• Name: lblQty

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Label Quantity:

• Font name: MS Sans Serif

• Font size: 8,25

• Font Bold: True

2 Set the Picture box properties as follows:

• Name: picRandD

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• Image File Name: RandD.jpg ( clicking on the downarrow will open a dialog box: Select Fixed and locate the image in the Icons folder of you software’s directory)

• Alignment: TopCenter

• Stretch Mode: OriginSize

3 Set the LinkLabel properties as follows:

• Name: llblyourwebsite

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: yourwebsite.com

• Font Name: MS Sans Serif

• Font Size: 8,25

• Font Bold: False

• Navigate URL: http://www.yourwebsite.com

4 Set the GroupBox properties as follows:

• Name: gbxPreview

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Preview

5 Set the Button properties as follows:

• Name: btnSetting

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Settings

• Image File Name: pagesetup.bmp

• Name: btnPrint

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Print

• Name: btnPortal

• Contents > Type: Fixed Contents

• Contents > Value: Back to Portal

6 Set the Preview properties as follows:

• Name: prvLabel

7 Set the ListBox properties as follows:

• Name: lbxLabels

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8 Set the TextBox properties as follows:

• Name: tbxQty

9 Set the ComboBox properties as follows:

• Name: cbxPrinters

10 Set the DatagridBox properties as follows:

• Name: dgdVariables

• Setting the control properties (with data)

Setting the Buttons’ properties 1 Click on the Settings button (btnSettings) 2 Go to Actions and click the button.

A dialog box opens.

3 Click on Add 4 Under Various > Description, click on the down-arrow

and select Show the printer selection dialog box

5 Click OK

The Settings button has been configured to open a dialog box where the user can select a printer to print to that may be different from those available in the dropdown ComboBox (to configure, see Setting the ComboBox properties )

1 Click the Print button (btnPrint) 2 Go to Actions and click the button.

A dialog box opens.

3 Click on Add 4 Under Various > Description, click on the down-arrow

and select Print. Four parameters must be defined.

5 Under Various > Parameters, click on the button

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• Label Quantity: leave with default settings

• Label Copy : leave with default settings

• Inter Cut: leave with default settings

• Page Copy: leave with default settings

6 Click OK

The Print button has been configured to print the selected label. The parameters set make it so that the there is only one page copy of the print job and that the number of label copies corresponds to the number defined by the user .

1 Click on the Settings button (btnSettings) 2 Go to Actions and click the button.

A dialog box opens.

3 Click on Add 4 Under Various > Description, click on the down-arrow

and select Load a new form 5 Under Various > Parameters, click on the button 6 Under Various

• Name: File Name

• Type: Fixed

• Value: MainMenu.xmf

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7 Repeat steps 6 : name it New Window and set its value

as True

8 Click OK The Back to Portal button has been configured to open the

MainMenu.xmf file which allows the user to select a printer, change its settings, manage printers, modify the page setup and navigate to other forms.

Setting the form properties

For the purpose of this example, you will notice that there is a listbox which displays a list of labels. Therefore, it can be said that there is a Label Selection variable since there is no fixed, attached label.

There are also 2 other variables required in this form: the Printer Selection variable which is selected from the dropdown combobox, and the Label Quantity variable , which the user defines in the textbox as being the number of label copies to be printed.

To set the Form variables:

1 Click on the down-arrow in the Variables field of the

form’s property grid

A dialog box appears 2 Under Form Variables , click Add

Form Designer User Guide Chapter 2 - 23

3 Type-in Label Selection 4 Repeat steps 2 and 3 for Printer Selection and Label

Quantity

These variables will be required when configuring the ListBox, the TextBox and the ComboBox.

As mentioned earlier, there is no fixed attached label. However, a label must be attached, anyway. To do so:

1 Click on the down-arrow in the Attached label field of the

form’s properties grid A dialog box appears. 2 Select Variable since we do not want to attached a

specific label The dialog box changes to show the list of Form variables

that have just been set.

3 Select the Label Selection variable and click OK

Setting the ListBox properties

The ListBox is used to display a list of all of the .lab labels that can be selected for printing. To configure, you must select the location from which the list of labels is coming from, and define the contents as variable, since they will change along with your selection. To do so:

1 In the properties grid, click on Contents > Type and

define it as Variable

2 Click on Contents > Value and define it as Label

Selection 3 Click on Data > Type and select directory. The information

in the ListBox will come from a specific directory 4 Click on the down-arrow in Data > Value > Folder A dialog box appears

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5 Select fixed and locate the Label folder in your software’s

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