page moving

[Ricardo]

I have a little problem were the layout is longer than the users screen so the user has to scroll up and down the layout.

The problem is - at the bottom of the page i have a field with a drop down list which when the user selects from the list they are automatically for some reason taken up to the top of the layout again. So then they have to scroll right back down to the bottom when they need to enter info in other fields at the bottom of the layout

is there a fix for this?

Help appreciated.

Ricardo.

[Kurt Knippel]

This is a problem with the way in which you have the Tab Order set. When the user selects an item from the list Filemaker automatically goes to the next field in the tab order, which is most likely the first field on the layout.

You could add a hidden, non-enterable field at the bottom and set that field to be after the field in question in the tab order. This way it'll stay at the bottom of the layout.

Although I would really look at getting rid of the scrolling on the layout in the first place. It is usually an ineffecient way to work and multiple screens would likely serve you better.

[Kundinger]

Hi Ricardo,

I'm in agreement with "Kurt". The best resolution to your issue is to redesign your layout to prevent user scrolling.

Some thoughts on this...

- create 'user interface screens' (layouts) for users to interact with your solution. If you need 'more' real estate then what will 'fit' on one screen, I recommend creating multiple screen layouts. Keep every screen layout consistent.

- create 'report' layouts for outputing to paper/pdf only. These layout should not be accessible to users. Users should be able to view the same data on a 'user screen' that requires no horizontal or vertical scrolling. An exception to this would be the inclusion of scrollable 'portals'. These portals are however surrounded by other 'interface components' (buttons, fields, etc.) that don't 'move' or 'disappear'.

Hope these ideas help...

Bob Kundinger

[Vaughan]

A "tabbed" interface can be good for this. Easy to do, looks expensive.

[Ricardo]

Thanks All,

Tab in to a hidden non editable field - why didn't i think of that?

i will go with that for now.

I agree with your points on keeping the layouts of the db to one common size and all of the other layouts on the db are but this one layout isn't and i can't change it because the users want to keep it as it is.

Thanks for all of your help,

Ricardo.