Disappearing text in text fields

[fbugeja]

I am creating a database for school use - I am a teacher. In the database, I have created a number of help screens, each containing a text field. I can type text in these fields - but when I exit from FM7 and re-open the database the text seemingly has disappeared. However, when I go into Preview mode, the image shows the "disappeared" text!

Why is the text in my text fields disappearing when I am in Browse mode? I have checked all possibilites (eg white coloured text), but no luck!

Any help appreciated!

Frank Bugeja

[transpower]

Your Help screen should not be use a text field. It should be layout with a text area, using the A tool.

[Fenton]

As transpower says, you can use a dedicated layout for each Help "screen." This is what I call a "layout-based" Help system. It's probably the easiest way, for simple files and beginners.

What you have now is what I call a "field-based" Help system. The data you typed is there. The fact that you see it in Preview mode tells me that it's in the 1st record (either of all records, or of the found set).

As you've discovered, if you use a "field-based" system, you have to build a navigation mechanism to "go to" the correct record and layout.

You have to go to the correct layout with a "layout-based" system also. But generally that's "hard-coded" when you create the button (you don't need a script).

With "field-based" systems, it's just like any other database. You need a relationship from the layout's button to the particular Help record. But, conversely, you may only need 1 layout and 1 field for all Help notes. So you save there.

I wrote an article about this (a long time ago). It's called "Help!" (duh), article#23.

http://www.fentonjones.com/FM101.html

Direct link to article:

http://www.fentonjones.com/Articles/23_Help.html

[Disclaimer: There's some good basic stuff in those articles. But as I said, they were written several years ago. Some of the techniques would be different (and simpler) in version 7. Techniques using auto-enter, for example, would often use the "allow to replace existing" now. Constant1 relationships are not needed to pass globals now (though sometimes useful for other things). Etc..]

[LaRetta]

Transpower said, "It should be layout with a text area, using the A tool. "

Well, I simply don't agree. Help systems should be Management-driven for User assistance and not Developer-driven to cost a business money every time a training sentence or user-clarification is added. And since I don't believe in allowing Management or Users access to layout mode either, their 'Help' would be strangled.

Frank, I admit I'm a bit stumped as to why your field is disappearing. Can you provide more information such as the type of layout you are on? If you create a new base table layout and place the field, can you type into it?

I suspect that your layout references a different TO. Check Layout > Layout Setup and see what table it is based upon. If this is a columnar/report layout is the field touching the Header? Can you attach your file by any chance? I'm intrigued and would love to help you figure it out.

LaRetta

[fbugeja]

I created a new blank layout, created a text field called Help which was placed on the blank layout, then entered the necessary text. I then created a button from the main screen to the Help layout screen.

Frank

[Fenton]

But the thing is, having a field in a record on a layout does not guarantee that clicking a button somewhere else is going to go to that layout and record. Otherwise there wouldn't be much for us to do -)

I believe it's the "go to the record" part that you're not getting. Entering Preview mode shows the whole found set of records; but the 1st page is always the 1st record. You say you see your field then, so it's in the first record.

But your Browse mode button/script is not going to that record, or you'd see the field (unless you've put into a Subsummary part, which I doubt).

You want more than 1 help text I imagine; and you must have more than 1 record (or else you'd see it). So that means your "go to layout and record" Help button/script needs to know which to go to, and probably needs a script (as it's more than 1 step). Then it has to be able to come back (unless you open a new window, then close it).

We cannot tell you what is going wrong from your short description. But you mention nothing about what record; only layout, which is only part of the navigation.

Or, you can do as transpower suggests, and just use a layout, entering text in layout mode. There's a difference. That's what my article is about.

[fbugeja]

I never knew that such a query would elicit such responses!

To save frustration, I will follow the suggestion of creating a new layout and entering text with the A (Text) tool!

Frank

[fbugeja]

Fenton - me (Frank) again!

I think your answer is beginning to make sense after what I have just found out. It seems that when I created a new student record, a new help screen (but empty) was also created. (Why? I think because of the Help button's link to the Help layout). Therefore, clicking the Help button on the new record went to the newly created but empty-text Help screen! The solution was to make sure that we went to the first Help screen - where the text was! I created the following script:

Go to Record [First]

Go to Layout [Name]

and, so far, it seems to work!

Correct me if I am wrong in my logic - I am still learning the idiosyncracies of FM7, and would appreciate correction of my answer.

Frank

[QuinTech]

If i may jump in -- a better method might be to make those help fields global. That way you can stay on the same record. Easier navigation.

Sharp catch on Fenton's part to find the problem.

Jerry

[Himitsu]

Frank, why don't you upload it and we can just take a look and add some stuff to it. Then you can see what we did and you might learn that way.

[fbugeja]

Sorry for delay in responding but how do you upload files and in what format is it best to upload? .fp7 or .zip?

[Lee Smith]

Hi Frank,

Use Zip. Zip works best for both platforms. Besides, I don't think the upload will allow a non-compressed file anyway.

Lee