KNOWLEDGE BASE
Log In    |    Knowledge Base    |    4D Home
Tech Tip: Contextual Menus in the Form Editor in 4D v6.5
PRODUCT: 4D | VERSION: | PLATFORM:
Published On: June 4, 1999

4D version 6.5 has implemented contextual menus throughout the Design Environment. They are a quick and easy way to set many object properties and attributes. To invoke a contextual menu right mouse click (Windows) or control-mouse click (Mac OS™).

Form Editor

Right mouse click (Windows) or control-mouse click (Mac OS) on the form editor background.

  • Cut - enabled/disabled according to the state of objects selected and clipboard contents.
  • Copy- enabled/disabled according to the state of objects selected and clipboard contents.
  • Paste- enabled/disabled according to the state of objects selected and clipboard contents.
  • Undo Redo
  • Form Method - displays the associated form method in the form method editor. If there is no method then the standard New Method dialog is displayed.
  • Turn Grid On - toggles the grid on and off. A check mark indicates whether the grid is currently on.
  • Display - choose the option to display.

    Tools Palette - displays the new v6.5 tools palette.
    Property List - displays the v6.5 property list.
    Object Properties - displays the v6 style Object Properties dialog.
    Page 0 - displays page 0, the master page.
    Paper - toggles paper on and off.
    Grid - toggles the grid on and off.
    Rulers - toggles the ruler on and off.
    Markers - displays the horizontal makers which define the boundaries of the form areas.
    Marker Labels - displays the v6.5 marker labels which show the position of the different form areas (header, data, break, and footer) in pixels, centimeters or inches from the top of the page.
    Limits - displays the boundaries of the form.
  • Goto Page - Displays the page numbers of defined pages for the form. Select a page number from the list to jump to that page.


    Form Object
    Right mouse click (Windows) or control-mouse click (Mac OS) on any form object. Some menu items may be enabled/disabled according to the type of object selected. For example if you have an automatic action object selected - such as a button - the automatic actions menu will be enabled.

    • Object Properties
    • Object Method
    • Cut- enabled/disabled according to the state of objects selected and clipboard contents.
    • Copy- enabled/disabled according to the state of objects selected and clipboard contents.
    • Paste- enabled/disabled according to the state of objects selected and clipboard contents.
    • Undo Redo
    • Color - displays 4D's standard color palette to enable coloring the object.
    • Alignment

      Left - align the selected objects to the leftmost object.
      Right- align the selected objects to the rightmost object.
      Top- align the selected objects to the highest object.
      Bottom- align the selected objects to the lowest object.
      Center Horizontally
      Center Vertically
      Dispatch Horizontally - distributes the selected objects horizontally.
      Dispatch Vertically- distributes the selected objects horizontally.
      Alignment - displays the v6.5 Alignment Wizard.

    • Border Line Style - select the appropriate border style for the object.

      None
      Plain
      Dotted
      Raised
      Sunken
      Double

    • Automatic Size
    • Automatic Action - if the object is an automatic object such as a button you can select the appropriate 4D automatic action for that object when clicked.

      No Action
      Cancel
      Accept
      Next Record
      Previous Record
      Last Record
      Delete Record
      Next Page
      Previous Page
      First Page
      Last Page
      Edit Subrecord
      Delete Subrecord
      Add Subrecord
      Auto Splitter

    • Level - you can move the selected object[s] up and down in 4D's layer hierarchy.

      Move to Front
      Move to Back
      Move Up One Level
      Move Down One Level