Control Types

In Layout Designer, controls are divided into three groups:

• Simple property controls
• Simple non-property controls
• Complex controls

In this topic:

Simple Property Controls

Simple property controls are specific controls that are directly linked to the properties for an item, such as Type and Severity for Change Request items. A property control displays an item property on a form. Property controls are simple controls that are directly linked to a property for a item, display the current value for the property, and optionally enable the user to select a new value for the property. A property may appear more than once within a form, as long as each instance appears on a separate tab. A property may appear at most once on any single tab within the form.

Each item property has a default representation; for example, all enumerations default to combo box controls. The Layout Designer enables you to quickly and easily add the property to the form in its default representation or to select a different representation.

For example, for a change request item, the Type property is an enumeration with two values: Defect and Suggestion. Because it is an enumeration, it defaults to a combo box control. However, because it is a short list of mutually exclusive options, it could easily be represented as a radio set. In fact, because there are only two possible values (the change request either is a suggestion or it is not a suggestion), it could even be represented as a check box.

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Simple Non-Property Controls

Non-property controls are stand-alone controls that are not linked to item properties. Non-property controls include label, group, image, and static text controls. They can be used to add labels, help text, and images (such as a company logo) to a form.

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Complex Controls

Complex controls are made up of any number of simple controls and, in general, contain the same components as the corresponding interface in StarTeam. Complex controls include controls like the User List with its accompanying Add and Remove buttons. Complex controls enable you to easily incorporate entire sections of the user interface into your form. Complex controls are meant to be the only control on a tab. If you add one or more simple controls to a tab that contains a complex control, the simple controls will be placed on a separate tab at runtime.

The bounding box for the complex control represents the entire area to be taken up by all components within the control. It is the responsibility for the client application to determine the layout of specific components within the control. Specific components within the control may be assigned tab index values, access key assignments, and tool tip text. This is part of the inherent implementation of the control and cannot be customized.

The following are complex controls:

• Custom Property List Control
• Attachments Control
• Item History Control
• Item Labels Control
• Item Links Control
• Item References Control
• User List Control

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Control Attributes for all Controls

All of the controls have the following attributes.

Name	A unique name for the control. By default, unique names are generated by the system, formed by appending a two-digit, sequential number to the property or control name. Names can be edited by selecting the Name field in the Properties Pane. A unique name should be provided.
X-Position	The position of the top left corner of the control, specified as a number of dialog units*, along the X, or horizontal, axis of the form.
Y-Position	The position of the top left corner of the control, specified as a number of dialog units*, along the Y, or vertical, axis of the form.
Width	The horizontal measurement of the control specified as a number of dialog units*.
Height	The vertical measurement of the control specified as a number of dialog units*.
Auto move	(optional) Specifies whether or not the control can reposition itself as the dialog is resized (none, horizontal, vertical, or both). The default is none.
Auto size	(optional) Specifies whether or not the control can resize itself as the dialog is resized (none, horizontal, vertical, or both). The default is none.

Additionally, all property controls have the following attributes.

Property	The name of the item property that the control will expose on the form.
Tab index	(optional) The order in which the control gains focus as the user moves the insertion point through the form using the Tab key.
Info tip	(optional) Text that appears in a tip pop-up when the mouse pointer hovers over the control. If no text is entered, no pop-up tip help is displayed.

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