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Button control

Use this control to add an input field that displays and enables users to update the contents of a numeric field and offers spinner buttons to increase or decrease a value.

To place a button on a form, click Button and then click the form.
Be sure to put the name of the database field or variable that you want to associate with this control into the Input property.

Note: Do not use the value 888 as a Button ID. The value 888 is a reserved number.

Best practices

  • Use easy to understand names and descriptions for buttons.
  • Make all buttons on a form the same type (all image, all text button or all text link).
  • Place navigational buttons along the left edge or the top border of the form.
  • Place other buttons at the top or bottom border.
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 Specify a text caption for the object.
Caption Condition Specify an expression to override the Caption property when that expression evaluates to true.
Input Specify the database field or variable to associate with this control.
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.
Justification Specify the justification for the object label as Left, Right, or Center.
Button ID Specify a numeric identification that specifies a Control ID to transmit when clicked.
Button ID Condition Specify an expression to override the Button ID property when that expression evaluates to true.
Image File

Specifies the name of an image file to display on the control. The image file must reside in any of the following paths, in which Service Manager looks for the image:

Windows client:

  • <Service Manager>\Client\plugins\com.hp.ov.sm.client.common_x.xx.xxx\src\resources\icons

  • A local directory on the client machine, which is specified in the Image path field (Window > Preferences). For example: C:\smCustomImages.

Web client:

  • <Service Manager web tier>\images. For example: <Tomcat>\webapps\webtier-9.61\images.

Note When you specify the image file for this property, you need to provide both the file name and the file name extension.
Image Condition Specify an expression to override the Image property when that expression evaluates to true.
Balloon Help Specify a text string that appears when the cursor is held over the button to offer more information about the button’s function.
Enabled Specify an initial state.
Enabled Condition Specify a condition that enables the button when a table row is selected. Example: [%tablename] == "selected" or [%tablename] != "selected" where tablename is the value of the Name property of the table on the screen.

Related concepts

Form creation
Forms Designer
Creating and editing forms
Using the drawing canvas
Forms Designer properties view
Setting properties
Forms Designer best practices
Building accessible forms

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Create a form using the Form Wizard
Update a form

Access Forms Designer
Create a form using the Form Wizard
Update a form
Add a dynamic form to a form

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