Comfill control

Use this control to add a combination Combo Box and Fill button. Comfill has all the properties of a Combo Box, plus the capability for Fill button. You can select which comfill buttons to display. For example, to display just a Fill button, set the Third Button Visible property to true by selecting the check box and set the Combo Button Visible property to false, by clearing the checkbox.

You can specify a form to display as a pop-up when the user hovers over the comfill. Subforms displayed as pop-ups are read-only; users cannot interact with them. If you want your users to be able to interact with the form, you must display the subform on another form instead of as a pop-up. To display the form as a subform, use the subform control.

Search for	Example	Results
A single word	`cat`	Topics that contain the word "cat". You will also find its grammatical variations, such as "cats".
A phrase. You can specify that the search results contain a specific phrase.	`"cat food"` (quotation marks)	Topics that contain the literal phrase "cat food" and all its grammatical variations. Without the quotation marks, the query is equivalent to specifying an OR operator, which finds topics with one of the individual words instead of the phrase.

Search for	Operator	Example
Two or more words in the same topic	`AND` `and` `+` (plus symbol) `&` (ampersand)	`cat AND dog` `"cat food"+milk` `"cat food"&"dog food"`
Either word in a topic	`OR` `or` `\|` (pipe)	`cat OR dog` `cat \| dog`
Topics that do not contain a specific word or phrase	`NOT` `not` `!` (exclamation point)	`NOT cat` `! dog`
Topics that contain one string and do not contain another	`^` (caret)	`cat ^ mouse`
A combination of search types	`( )` parentheses	`cat + (dog \| mouse)` `cat \| dog + (! mouse)`

To place a comfill box on a form, click Comfill and then click the form.

Put the name of the database field or variable that you want to associate with this control into the Input property.

Best practice

Use image id=7 for fill boxes. Find and Fill buttons should not use the down arrow icon, because it makes the Find or Fill look like a Combo Box.

Property	Usage
Name	Specify a unique identifier for the object on the screen. (Optional) This name is used by external applications, such as RAD, to dynamically change the properties of the object.
X	Specify the object’s horizontal position based on the left edge of the object.
Y	Specify the object’s vertical position based on the top edge of the object.
Width	Specify the width of the object in alignment grid units.
Height	Specify the height of the object in alignment grid units.
Visible	Select this option to make the object visible on the form. Clear the check box to hide the object from view on the form.
Visible Condition	Specify an expression to override the Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.
Caption	Unused.
Caption Condition	Unused.
Input	Specify the database field or variable to associate with this control.
Accessible Name	Specify a component name for use with accessibility software. (Optional) Note This function is only supported by the Web client. If no name is present, the Web client defaults to looking for a nearby label to use for the name of the component. For buttons, check boxes, or radio buttons, it uses the component’s text. Accessibility software can query the Web client to get this information and use it to present data to the user in a variety of ways. For example, speech simulation software says the name and the type of component when the component has focus.
Accessible Description	Specify a component description for use with accessibility software. (Optional) Note This function is only supported by the Web client. If no description is present, the Web client defaults to looking for a nearby label to use for the name of the component. For buttons, check boxes, or radio buttons, the Web client will use the component’s text. Accessibility software can query the Web client to get this information, and use it to present it to the user in a variety of ways. For example, when a component gets focus, speech simulation software will say the name and the type of component, based on the settings in the Accessible Name and Accessible Description fields.
Tab Stop	Specify the tab sort order for this field. By default, the TAB key navigates the focus on a form from top to bottom and left to right. Objects that have a non-zero Tab Stop are visited first, in ascending order. For a button, file, radio button or check box, you will almost always use the default of 0.
Read-Only	Select this option to disable editing capabilities and provide only viewing access to the field. Give read–only fields a tab–stop value of –1 to prevent users from tabbing into them.
Read-Only Condition	Specify an expression to override the Read-Only property when that expression evaluates to true.
Mandatory	Select this option so that a red asterisk indicating a required field is displayed. This is a visible change only. - To make the field mandatory for any form it appears on, use the System Definition Utility. - To make the field mandatory for a small number of forms only, use Format Control.
Mandatory Condition	Specify an expression to override the Mandatory property when that expression evaluates to true.
Array Length	Specify the size of the scrolling region used to view array entries. A scroll bar appears beside the fields to allow users to view the array entries. If a field is assigned an Array Length of 5, the form stacks five fields vertically to allow users to view the five array entries. If the Input data type is scalar, only a single text box appears. Note The screen object must be associated with an array data structure. The default is 0, which means one vertical line of information appears. You can set this value to any positive integers.
Password	Select this option to make the text entered in the field a series of asterisks on the screen. The data is not encrypted, just transposed.
Maximum Chars	Specify the number of characters the user can enter in the field. The default is 0 (unlimited).
Maximum Characters Beep	Select this option to notify the user by sounding a beep that they reached the maximum number of characters.
Case Conversion	Specify how to change the case of text entered in the field. The choices are None, Upper, Lower.
Decimals	Specify the number of decimal points for numbers in this field. Service Manager modifies numbers entered in the field to the number of decimal points you specify.
Parse	Select this option to verify that the text entered in a field is the correct syntax. The syntax for the field is defined by the type of field it displays (date, expression, number, and so forth).
Data Changed Event	Specify the option number (such as Button ID) to call if the data contained in the object changed. This sends an event to the display RAD application.
Value List	In conjunction with the Input property, defines how the Display List values are identified in the database. Value and Display Lists are entered using the Edit List dialog box. You can enter hard coded entries for each list, or you can supply a variable as the first and only entry. The run time values of the variable are used to populate these lists. This property is supported only in association with the toolbar configuration Knowledge Management Extended, which is not intended to be used outside of the out-of-box Knowledge Management module. Note: When defining Value List and Display List properties, you should avoid using the following reserved characters: semicolon (;) tab key newline (carriage return) form feed backspace equal sign (=) Important: Do not use keys (like backspace), as the system cannot process their ASCII representation entries correctly which causes unpredictable results.
Value List Condition	Specify an expression to override the property when that expression evaluates to true.
Display List	Specify the values that appear in the drop-down list at run time. There must be a one–to–one correspondence between the values for Value List and for Display List. If the Display List is the only populated property, the display values are written to the database. This property is supported only in association with the toolbar configuration Knowledge Management Extended, which is not intended to be used outside of the out-of-box Knowledge Management module. Note: When defining Value List and Display List properties, you should avoid using the following reserved characters: semicolon (;) tab key newline (carriage return) form feed backspace equal sign (=) Important: Do not use keys (like backspace), as the system cannot process their ASCII representation entries correctly which causes unpredictable results.
Display List Condition	Specify an expression to override the Display List property, when the expression evaluates to True.
Box Lines	Specify the window size of the drop-down list.
Select Only	Selecting the check box requires the user to select from the Combo Box drop-down list. If the user makes a manual entry, the value must already exist in the drop-down list (defined in the Value List and Display List properties). Clearing the check box allows the user to select from the drop-down list or to manually enter a value. The Select Only Forms Designer property for the comfill widget is not enforced in the Web client. Users can enter free-formed text even with the property checked.
Input Conversion	Specify the name of an Input Conversion routine. This property is used by RAD subroutines that mask the display of data on an input field, or check and validate the entry of data into an input field. If specified, the routine is called at runtime to convert the contents of the field before it is displayed on the screen. For examples, refer to the RAD input and output routines.
Mask	Specify the mask value (the condition that sets a value to be passed for this field to the input and output conversion routines). When a field has a mask value and you save the record, the format of the mask value displays in the field. For example, you decide to update the purchase cost information of a contract in Configuration Management. You enter a date in the Currency EX Date field of the Financial tab as 02/26/09. The condition for the mask value is set as: xxx dd,yyyy. When you save the record, the Currency Ex Date field displays the date format of February 26, 2009. Valid values for the mask vary depending on the routine being called.
Output Conversion	Specify the name of an Output Conversion routine. This property is used by RAD subroutines that mask the display of data on an output field, or check and validate the entry of data into an input field. If specified, the routine is called at runtime to convert the contents of the field before it is displayed on the screen. For examples, refer to the RAD input and output routines.
Combo Button Visible	Select this option to make the Combo Button visible when the form opens.
Combo Button Visible Condition	Specify an expression to override the ComboButton Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.
Fill Button ID	Specify a Control ID to transmit when clicked. For example, 3 corresponds to F3, and 0 corresponds to Enter.
Fill Button Image	Specify an icon to display on the field, if desired. You can select from 1 to 17. The default value is 7.
Fill Button Visible	Select this option to make the Fill Button visible when the form opens.
Fill Button Visible Condition	Specify an expression to override the Fill Button Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.
Third Button ID	Specify a Control ID to transmit when clicked. For example, 3 corresponds to F3, and 0 corresponds to Enter.
Third Button Image	Specify an icon to display on the field, if desired. You can select from 1 to 17. The default value is 10.
Third Button Visible	Select this option to make the Third Button visible when the form opens.
Third Button Visible Condition	Specify an expression to override the Third Button Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.
Popup Subform Format	Specify the form to display.
Popup Subform Input	Specify the database field or variable to associate with this control.
Popup Subform Enabled	Select this option to enable the Popup Subform for this control.
Popup Subform Enabled Condition	Specify an expression to override the Popup Subform Enabled property when that expression evaluates to true.
Auto Complete	Enable the auto complete feature for this control. Note This setting takes effect only when the comfillAutoComplete parameter is set to true. Auto complete is supported only for Service Manager 9.34 or later versions.

Property

Usage

Name

Specify a unique identifier for the object on the screen. (Optional)

This name is used by external applications, such as RAD, to dynamically change the properties of the object.

Specify the object’s horizontal position based on the left edge of the object.

Specify the object’s vertical position based on the top edge of the object.

Width

Specify the width of the object in alignment grid units.

Height

Specify the height of the object in alignment grid units.

Visible

Select this option to make the object visible on the form. Clear the check box to hide the object from view on the form.

Visible Condition

Specify an expression to override the Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.

Caption

Unused.

Caption Condition

Unused.

Input

Specify the database field or variable to associate with this control.

Accessible Name

Specify a component name for use with accessibility software. (Optional)

Note This function is only supported by the Web client.

If no name is present, the Web client defaults to looking for a nearby label to use for the name of the component. For buttons, check boxes, or radio buttons, it uses the component’s text. Accessibility software can query the Web client to get this information and use it to present data to the user in a variety of ways. For example, speech simulation software says the name and the type of component when the component has focus.

Accessible Description

Specify a component description for use with accessibility software. (Optional)

Note This function is only supported by the Web client.

If no description is present, the Web client defaults to looking for a nearby label to use for the name of the component. For buttons, check boxes, or radio buttons, the Web client will use the component’s text. Accessibility software can query the Web client to get this information, and use it to present it to the user in a variety of ways. For example, when a component gets focus, speech simulation software will say the name and the type of component, based on the settings in the Accessible Name and Accessible Description fields.

Tab Stop

Specify the tab sort order for this field. By default, the TAB key navigates the focus on a form from top to bottom and left to right. Objects that have a non-zero Tab Stop are visited first, in ascending order. For a button, file, radio button or check box, you will almost always use the default of 0.

Read-Only

Select this option to disable editing capabilities and provide only viewing access to the field. Give read–only fields a tab–stop value of –1 to prevent users from tabbing into them.

Read-Only Condition

Specify an expression to override the Read-Only property when that expression evaluates to true.

Mandatory

Select this option so that a red asterisk indicating a required field is displayed. This is a visible change only.
- To make the field mandatory for any form it appears on, use the System Definition Utility.
- To make the field mandatory for a small number of forms only, use Format Control.

Mandatory Condition

Specify an expression to override the Mandatory property when that expression evaluates to true.

Array Length

Specify the size of the scrolling region used to view array entries. A scroll bar appears beside the fields to allow users to view the array entries.

If a field is assigned an Array Length of 5, the form stacks five fields vertically to allow users to view the five array entries.
If the Input data type is scalar, only a single text box appears.

Note The screen object must be associated with an array data structure.

The default is 0, which means one vertical line of information appears. You can set this value to any positive integers.

Password

Select this option to make the text entered in the field a series of asterisks on the screen. The data is not encrypted, just transposed.

Maximum Chars

Specify the number of characters the user can enter in the field. The default is 0 (unlimited).

Maximum Characters Beep

Select this option to notify the user by sounding a beep that they reached the maximum number of characters.

Case Conversion

Specify how to change the case of text entered in the field. The choices are None, Upper, Lower.

Decimals

Specify the number of decimal points for numbers in this field.
Service Manager modifies numbers entered in the field to the number of decimal points you specify.

Parse

Select this option to verify that the text entered in a field is the correct syntax. The syntax for the field is defined by the type of field it displays (date, expression, number, and so forth).

Data Changed Event

Specify the option number (such as Button ID) to call if the data contained in the object changed. This sends an event to the display RAD application.

Value List

In conjunction with the Input property, defines how the Display List values are identified in the database. Value and Display Lists are entered using the Edit List dialog box. You can enter hard coded entries for each list, or you can supply a variable as the first and only entry. The run time values of the variable are used to populate these lists.

This property is supported only in association with the toolbar configuration Knowledge Management Extended, which is not intended to be used outside of the out-of-box Knowledge Management module.

Note: When defining Value List and Display List properties, you should avoid using the following reserved characters:

semicolon (;)
tab key
newline (carriage return)
form feed
backspace
equal sign (=)

Important: Do not use keys (like backspace), as the system cannot process their ASCII representation entries correctly which causes unpredictable results.

Value List Condition

Specify an expression to override the property when that expression evaluates to true.

Display List

Specify the values that appear in the drop-down list at run time. There must be a one–to–one correspondence between the values for Value List and for Display List. If the Display List is the only populated property, the display values are written to the database.

This property is supported only in association with the toolbar configuration Knowledge Management Extended, which is not intended to be used outside of the out-of-box Knowledge Management module.

Note: When defining Value List and Display List properties, you should avoid using the following reserved characters:

semicolon (;)
tab key
newline (carriage return)
form feed
backspace
equal sign (=)

Important: Do not use keys (like backspace), as the system cannot process their ASCII representation entries correctly which causes unpredictable results.

Display List Condition

Specify an expression to override the Display List property, when the expression evaluates to True.

Box Lines

Specify the window size of the drop-down list.

Select Only

Selecting the check box requires the user to select from the Combo Box drop-down list. If the user makes a manual entry, the value must already exist in the drop-down list (defined in the Value List and Display List properties).

Clearing the check box allows the user to select from the drop-down list or to manually enter a value.
The Select Only Forms Designer property for the comfill widget is not enforced in the Web client. Users can enter free-formed text even with the property checked.

Input Conversion

Specify the name of an Input Conversion routine. This property is used by RAD subroutines that mask the display of data on an input field, or check and validate the entry of data into an input field. If specified, the routine is called at runtime to convert the contents of the field before it is displayed on the screen. For examples, refer to the RAD input and output routines.

Mask

Specify the mask value (the condition that sets a value to be passed for this field to the input and output conversion routines). When a field has a mask value and you save the record, the format of the mask value displays in the field. For example, you decide to update the purchase cost information of a contract in Configuration Management. You enter a date in the Currency EX Date field of the Financial tab as 02/26/09. The condition for the mask value is set as: xxx dd,yyyy. When you save the record, the Currency Ex Date field displays the date format of February 26, 2009. Valid values for the mask vary depending on the routine being called.

Output Conversion

Specify the name of an Output Conversion routine. This property is used by RAD subroutines that mask the display of data on an output field, or check and validate the entry of data into an input field. If specified, the routine is called at runtime to convert the contents of the field before it is displayed on the screen. For examples, refer to the RAD input and output routines.

Combo Button Visible

Select this option to make the Combo Button visible when the form opens.

Combo Button Visible Condition

Specify an expression to override the ComboButton Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.

Fill Button ID

Specify a Control ID to transmit when clicked. For example, 3 corresponds to F3, and 0 corresponds to Enter.

Fill Button Image

Specify an icon to display on the field, if desired. You can select from 1 to 17. The default value is 7.

Fill Button Visible

Select this option to make the Fill Button visible when the form opens.

Fill Button Visible Condition

Specify an expression to override the Fill Button Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.

Third Button ID

Specify a Control ID to transmit when clicked. For example, 3 corresponds to F3, and 0 corresponds to Enter.

Third Button Image

Specify an icon to display on the field, if desired. You can select from 1 to 17. The default value is 10.

Third Button Visible

Select this option to make the Third Button visible when the form opens.

Third Button Visible Condition

Specify an expression to override the Third Button Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.

Popup Subform Format

Specify the form to display.

Popup Subform Input

Specify the database field or variable to associate with this control.

Popup Subform Enabled

Select this option to enable the Popup Subform for this control.

Popup Subform Enabled Condition

Specify an expression to override the Popup Subform Enabled property when that expression evaluates to true.

Auto Complete

Enable the auto complete feature for this control.

Note This setting takes effect only when the comfillAutoComplete parameter is set to true. Auto complete is supported only for Service Manager 9.34 or later versions.

Related concepts

Related tasks

Related references