Form Controls
Nodes in the XML document can be created as data-entry devices (such as input fields and combo boxes). Data-entry devices are intended for easier editing in Authentic View. For example, an input field makes it clear to the Authentic View user that input is expected in this location while a combo box lists, as well as restricts, the values a user can enter. When data is entered into a data-entry device, the data is inserted into the XML document as element content or as an attribute's value. In the HTML, Text, and RTF output, the data-entry device is rendered as an object that is the same as that displayed in Authentic View, or a near-equivalent. Note that data-entry devices accept input to the XML document and, therefore, will not work in the HTML output.
General mechanism
Given below is a list of the data-entry devices available in StyleVision, together with (i) an explanation of how data is entered in the XML document for each device and (ii) how the data-entry devices will be output in plain text format.
Data-Entry Device | Data in XML File | Output to Plain Text Format |
Input Field (Text Box) | Text entered by user | Text entered by user |
Multiline Input Field | Text entered by user | Text entered by user |
Combo box | User selection is mapped to a value. | Selected value |
Check box | User selection is mapped to a value. | [] (unselected); [x] (selected) |
Radio button | User selection is mapped to a value. | () (unselected); (o) (selected) |
Button | User selection is mapped to a value. | Button text |
The text values entered in the input fields are entered directly into the XML document as XML content. For the other data-entry devices, the Authentic View user's selection is mapped to a value. StyleVision enables you to define the list of options the user will see and the XML value to which each option is mapped. Typically, you will define the options and their corresponding values in a dialog.
General usage
To create a data-entry device, do the following:
| 1. | Drag a node from the Schema Tree window into Design View and drop it at the desired location. |
| 2. | From the context menu that appears, select the data-entry device you wish to create the node as. |
| 3. | For some data-entry devices, a dialog pops up. In these cases, enter the required information in the dialog, and click OK. |
To reopen and edit the properties of a data-entry device, select the data-entry device (not the node containing it), and edit its properties in the Properties sidebar.
Note:
•Data can be entered in data-entry devices only in Authentic View.
•Data-entry devices can also be created by changing the current component type of a node to a data-entry device. To do this right-click the node and select Change to.
•In the HTML and RTF output, the entry selected by the user is displayed in the output. Changing the value of a data-entry device in the HTML document does not change the text value in either the XML document or HTML document.
•In the case of some data-entry devices, such as check boxes, where the device cannot correctly be rendered in print, an alternative rendition is implemented.