Disable the Enter button while performing a find

[benoitbob]

We have a script that is used to find certain clients. It goes to the find layout and pauses so that you can enter your criterea, once the criterea is entered you then click a button named find and this takes you to another layout with the results. The problem is that users commonly hit enter rather than click the find button, it there a way to disable the enter button or to have it perform the script rather than the find in it's current layout???

[CobaltSky]

Hello benoitbob,

There are various ways.

One would be to have the script that starts the process off conclude with a pause in a loop; viz:

Enter Find Mode[ ]

Loop

Pause Script [indefinitely]

Beep

End Loop

Then set up a separate script that continues the process and performs the find and attach it to your find button (choosing the option to Halt the current script when you set up the button definition).

The Enter key will then simply cause the initial script to pass around within the loop - which will beep but perform no actions, so the user will be forced to click your find button in order to execute the find.

[Fitch]

If you have set Allow User Abort OFF, the user cannot cancel the script. So you can put them in Find mode, Pause, and then when they hit Enter, the script continues and you control what happens next. I have Find scripts like this, where the user may hit Enter or click a button, no difference, because all the button does is continue the script.

[benoitbob]

Thank You Ray and Tom, both suggestions are helpful. I went with Ray's suggestion and am quite pleased.

[Fitch]

Ah, but consider your poor users, who so desperately want to use the Enter key. Why not accommodate them if it's in your power to do so.

"A user interface is well-designed when the program behaves exactly how the user thought it would."

Joel Spolsky , User Interface Design for Programmers

[Oldsneekers]

How about adding a visual que. Make find button is a calculation field with text formatted based on the mode. Eg: if current mode is browse, text is formatted to 0 for RGB (which is black). If mode is find, the 119 for RGB (which is a light gray).

Additionally the button script can be started with the if mode =find, exit script step.

Lastly, as suggested above, use the user's impulses, make the the button a calc field with two "labels". Case( mode =browse; "Enter search criteria" ; mode=find; "Execute search")

Have fun.

[CobaltSky]

a calculation field with text formatted based on the mode... If mode is find, the 119 for RGB

I'm afraid you will find that calculations do not work in find mode.

[f10ab1b]

Ray,

I know this thread is old, but I just found it and your answer about the loop-beep script was a HUGE help. I have had this same problem and could not figure out a way to disable the Enter key. There are reasons I don't want my users using it, and your script is a perfect way of stopping them.

Corey

[CobaltSky]

Hi Corey,

Glad you found the info helpful.

Mind you, in forum terms this thread is still young. The answers to some questions that are still being asked can be found in threads that date back *years* rather than months...