How do you assign a script to a tab

[bluearrow]

Hi,

How do you assign a script to a tab?

Lets say I have a five tab panel. The user is in Tab1. Every tab is assigned an object name (TAB1, TAB2, etc). The user clicks TAB3. I need to execute several actions and checks before going to the selected tab. How do you do it?

I do have a solution already, but I do not like it (because of aesthetical reasons). Please read bellow. The ideal solution would be to use the tabs itself or to solve the flashing and tab viewing efect of the buttons.

Problems of using the tabs itself:

- I have seen no way to implement a 2 or 3 line text in the tabs.

- I do not know how to directly assign a script to the tabs

- There is little control over the tabs physical appearance (although the text itself can be tricked to be different format in each tab).

Solution I am using at the moment:

I have created the tab panel, created a tab mask (an extra tab panel of only one tab the size of the other 5 tabs), placed the tab mask over the tabs, placed 5 buttons over the tab mask, then assigned scripts to each button. Finally I have grouped the buttons (to minimize flashing). This is fine but:

- Whenever I click a button, the flashing effect is noticeable, more than when if no buttons were present and the user cliked the tab panel itself.

- Whenever I click a button, I can see the tabs behind the buttons and the tab mask. This is just for a second, but it does not look very professional or aesthetical. I have tried resizing the tabs to 1 pixel but I can still see them while FileMaker flashes after pressing the button. I have resized the tabs to the same size as the buttons, but it is still noticeable. I would like to completely eliminate this annoying effect.

Thanks

[jogarcia]

I understand that you can´t assign scripts to tabs...

[bdonelson]

I have been attempting to solve that same problem myself. Could you post an example of this tab mask? My current "solution" has been to have buttons placed above the tabs, so that they are always visible.

Thanks,

[SteveB]

See this for an example:

24U

Steve

[bdonelson]

Nice Idea!

Now that I know that it can be done I'll just have to figure out the tab script part.

Thanks,

Actually this doesn't involve scripts. It uses actual nested tabs. Still a nice idea.

Edited March 12, 2007 by Guest
Upon Further Review.

[bdonelson]

Another Possible Solution!

Set the Tab Control Font Size to 1, and use your own tab selection buttons.

Any Thoughts?

Also, Tab Justification to Full. Add Color Boxes behind each tab to cover the tab switching, and it should look like normal.

Edited March 12, 2007 by Guest
And More to come...

[mr_vodka]

See if this helps.

[bluearrow]

Thank you all for your replies.

I found out that the flashing effect had to do with the correct placement of the buttons over the tabs. If I play moving the buttons a little bit up or down, then the flashing completly dissapears. Now I have the tab-mask-buttons solution working fine, no flashing at all. Even the tabs behing do not show up when the user clicks the button. I guess in FileMaker you have to play a lot with the placement of the layout elements in order to minimize/mull (in some cases) the disturbing flashing effect.