Field as Button - Get(...........

[onefish]

G'day,

I haven't checked in here for a very long time. Looks like I'm now in the dark ages with 7.3 but it still works for my limited use.

I'm knocking up a quick database that will run in kiosk mode on a tablet PC to gather field data. Problem is that there will be some manual entry fields and kiosk mode doesn't like the tablet's on screen qwerty keyboard. Besides that the qwerty is tiny and not able to be used without a stylus (stupid).

I've got no problems developing a qwerty in FM to pop up in a new window. What I am trying to figure out is if there is an easy way (read, not a script for every manual entry field) to capture the active field name and active field contents. I have formatted the field as a button and attached a script using the get functions named above but when the button is selected apparently FM doesn't recognise it as an active field.

I will set the info into global fields as well as setting the record ID to a field in the keyboard table to create a relationship but I need to tell the keyboard table which field to set with the information entered and pass the current field contents to the keyboard for editing.

I can easily do this by creating a separate script for every manual entry field which simply goes to the field and select/perform (this activates the field) then runs the script which uses the set field function (with active .......) and opens the keyboard but this is allot of scripts.

Is there a way to get this data about different fields without having to write a seperate script for each field? I've tried several things but can't seem to find one.

Thanks in advance, if anyone has a solution.

Cheers!

P.S. A solution would also make scripting for the keyboard much simpler as I intend to format calculation fields as buttons in order to have shift and caps lock functions. Then set the global field with gField & active field contents, etc............

Edited February 7, 2010 by Guest

[IdealData]

Problem is that there will be some manual entry fields and kiosk mode doesn't like the tablet's on screen qwerty keyboard

Does the pop up keyboard work ok in normal mode?

Is there a reason for running in kiosk mode?

FM10 has some better features for determining ActviveField - download the trial, it may be worth upgrading.

[onefish]

The xp keyboard works OK in normal mode but it's so small it's even hard to hit the correct key with a stylus. I've tried adjusting screen resolution but everything gets very blurry. I'm running in kiosk mode because there's very limited screen real estate and I need all I can get with the application designed to be used with a finger, i.e. big font and buttons. I may upgrade one day but can't justify the cost at the moment as I usually just knock up the odd database for my own use to manipulate or track certain bits of data and FM7 still does this fine.

Anyway, without any better solution I have just begun writing all the script. A couple hundred in total but eight hours later I'm nearly finished. It all works superbly! Pass data from a field to the keyboard for editing then pass back to the field on enter. Caps lock, shift, backspace (and clear), space, all the things you'd expect to have on a keyboard all work perfect and it works with all 16 tables and hundreds of fields of course.

Would have been nice to save all that scripting but hey, it works and that's the main thing!

Cheers

[pgabrielson]

onefish,

Nice work. I was wondering if you could share your "Backspace" script. I have not been able to get my head around it. I am working on a Kiosk keypad, but would like to be able to backspace to correct mistaken entries.

Thanks for any help.

Paul

I am using FM 8.5 Advanced.