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Adding Controls to the Form

Data entry controls make it possible for print operators to enter data on the data entry form. More than one type of control might work for your situation; however, you might find that one type is more intuitive for your users than another, because it requires less explanation or offers specific choices to the user.

Organizational controls include the group box control and the group divider line control. This type of control improves usability by organizing the data entry controls on your form into sections. Organizational controls cannot be modified by print operators at print time.

ClosedTo add a data entry control by using the Create menu

  1. On the Create menu of Data Entry Form view, click Data Entry Control, and then click the control that you want to add to the form. Alternatively, click the icon on the object toolbar, and then click the control that you want.

  2. Click the location on the data entry form where you want to place the control.

  3. Double-click the control to open the Control Properties dialog. Alternatively, right-click the control, and then click Properties.

  4. In the left navigation pane, click Linked Data Source.

  5. In the list of data sources on the Linked Data Source property page, click the data source that you want to be linked to the selected control.

  6. Make additional customizations to the control as needed by using the other property pages in the navigation pane.

  7. Click Close to close the Control Properties dialog.

ClosedTo add a data entry control by using the Data Sources Toolbox

  1. Open the Data Entry Form view.

  2. In the Data Sources pane of the Toolbox, click the data source for which you want to create a data entry control, and then drag it to the location on the data entry form where you want to place it. The Create Data Entry Control dialog opens.

    3.  

    The Create Data Entry Control dialog displays only the controls that are appropriate for the data source type that you selected. For example, if you selected a data source that is a "text" type, the number input box and slider controls are not available in the dialog.

  3. Click the control type that you want to create, and then click Create to add the control to the data entry form.

  4. Double-click the control to open the Control Properties dialog. Alternatively, right-click the control, and then click Properties.

  5. Make additional customizations to the control as needed by using the other property pages in the navigation pane.

  6. Click Close to close the Control Properties dialog.

ClosedTo add a group box to the data entry form

  1. On the Create menu of Data Entry Form view, click Data Entry Control, and then click Group Box. Alternatively, click the icon on the object toolbar, and then click Group Box.

  2. Click the location on the data entry form where you want to place the control.

  3. Double-click the group box to open the Group Box Properties dialog. Alternatively, right-click the group box, and then click Properties.

  4. In the navigation pane, click Group Box in the list of property pages.

  5. In the Text field, enter the heading that you want for the selected group box.

  6. Click Close to close the dialog.

ClosedTo add a group divider line to the data entry form

  1. On the Create menu of Data Entry Form view, click Data Entry Control, and then click Group Divider Line. Alternatively, click the icon on the object toolbar, and then click Group Divider Line.

  2. Click the location on the data entry form where you want to place the line. Group divider lines can be placed either horizontally or vertically.

  3. Double-click the group divider line to open the Group Divider Line Properties dialog. Alternatively, right-click the line, and then click Properties.

  4. In the navigation pane, click Group Divider Line in the list of property pages.

  5. In the Length field, specify a length for the line.

  6. In the navigation pane, click Position in the list of property pages.

  7. In the X and Y fields, specify coordinates for the beginning point of the line on the data entry form.

  8. Click Close to close the dialog.

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