12.1.2.1.1.12. Grid

Grid controls are useful tools for displaying and manipulating large sets of data in a structured format. They enable users to sort, filter, add, edit, and interact with data in a tabular view, making it easier to visualize and analyze complex information.

*For tips and tricks on how to manage grids using business rules, click here.

When a grid control is selected in the design environment, its associated properties are displayed in the Control Properties panel.

*To access the Control Behavior category, users must first create the form behavior.

1. Binding: In this category, users can link a control to its corresponding attribute and define its binding properties.
   • For more information on the fields in this category, click here.

*The choice of attribute for a grid depends on the type of grid being created. For more information on selecting appropriate attributes for specific grid types, click here.

2. Name: In this category, users can access basic properties required for the control’s identification and proper referencing in the code.
   • For more information on these properties and how to configure them, click here.
3. Control Behavior: In this category, users can configure the behavior of the control and define how it interacts with the form or application.

   • Control Governance

     • In the Control Governance field, users can configure various properties that govern the functionality of controls.
       • To access the control governance properties, click on the ellipses () inside the field. It will display the Form / Behavior / Control window.
         • This window consists of two tabs:
           • Grid
           • Validation

       !!Please note that users are limited to configuring only the required field validation properties for grid controls and cannot set up required range validations.

   • For more information on these properties and how to configure them, click here.

     !!Please note that the linked section contains information on setting an initial value, which is not applicable to grid controls and can be ignored.

4. Appearance: In this category, users can customize the visual appearance of the control.
   • Alternating Row Colors: This is a checkbox which, if selected, applies alternating background colors to consecutive rows in the grid.

     • Alternating Row Colors Preview: Web View

   • Default Page Size: This field allows users to set the number of items that are displayed in the grid at one time.
     • By default, the page size is set to 20. To adjust this size, users can enter numbers into the field either manually or by clicking the increment/decrement arrows.
       

       **In the web application, a pagination bar appears at the bottom of a grid when the number of items in the grid exceeds the specified threshold set by the Default Page Size field. The pagination bar includes controls such as buttons for moving to the next or previous page, buttons for navigating to the first or last page, and a dropdown field for changing the default number of items displayed per page.

   • Minimum Height: This is a numeric updown field that allows users to set the minimum height of the control.
     • By default, the minimum height is set to 400. To adjust this size, users can enter numbers into the field either manually or by clicking the increment/decrement arrows.
   • Maximum Height: This is a numeric updown field that allows users to set the maximum height of the control.
     • By default, the maximum height is set to 400. To adjust this size, users can enter numbers into the field either manually or by clicking the increment/decrement arrows.
       
       *

       The grid will automatically adjust its vertical size to fit the displayed data within the specified height range.

       • Grids will render at least as tall as the specified minimum height.
         • Note: Regardless of the minimum height setting, grids will always render tall enough to display at least one row of data.
         
         
       • Grids will never render taller than the specified maximum height; a scrollbar appears when the number of rows exceeds this limit.
         
         • Note: If no maximum height is specified, grids will render as tall as needed to display all rows.

     • Grid Height Adjustments Preview: Web View

   • Show Horizontal Lines: This is a checkbox which, if selected, displays horizontal lines between rows in the grid.
   • Show Outer Border: This is a checkbox which, if selected, displays a border around the outer edges of the grid.
   • Show Vertical Lines in Body: This is a checkbox which, if selected, displays vertical lines between columns in the grid body.
   • Show Vertical Lines in Header: This is a checkbox which, if selected, displays vertical lines between columns in the grid header.

     • Lines & Borders Preview: Web View

   • Tooltip: This field allows users to input a tooltip for the control.
     • Users can customize the control tooltip in multiple languages.
       

       **Users can determine which languages are available for use in the Settings of the Designer. Currently, however, only five languages are supported on the web server: English, French, German, Arabic, and Hebrew.

     • In the web application, the tooltip is represented by the tooltip icon ( ) next to the control.
       

       **A tooltip is a brief message or description that appears when the user hovers their cursor over the tooltip icon next to the control. This feature can help to provide additional context and guidance to the user as they interact with the form or application.

5. Caption Appearance: In this category, users can customize the visual appearance of the control’s caption.
   • For more information on the fields in this category, click here.

Quick Forms Application

To apply the Quick Forms feature to grid controls, take the following steps:

• Create a new form and leave the Entity field empty.
  
• Confirm the prompt to design the form.
• In the Form Designer, drag a grid control from the toolbox and drop it onto the design environment.
• Go to the Entity Designer and copy the name of the main entity—that is, the entity associated with the form that the grid is referencing.
  
• Return to the newly created form and paste the entity name into the Server ID field.
  
• Save the form.
• If you want to automatically add columns to the grid (based on the attributes defined in the main entity), confirm the following prompt:
  
  • Once added, these columns can be viewed and customized in the control properties of the grid.

!When dealing with numerous attributes, the automatic addition of these columns can become confusing. In such situations, it is recommended to decline the aforementioned prompt and add the desired columns manually instead.

• Confirm the prompt to generate a form behavior.
• After users have answered the prompts, the form will close automatically. When the form is opened again, users will find that the grid is now linked to the appropriate attribute.

*For more information on the Quick Forms feature, click here.

Grid Control Preview: Web View

*For more information on how to use this field in the web application, click here.