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Introduction

Auto complete allows the browser to predict the value the user is entering. When a user types in the field, the application automatically displays the options to fill in the required value based on the typed values.

This can be more effective when you have a business need to select the correct option from among the list that maintains the same type. For example, the user can enter only the starting letters for the customer's Last Name and the application displays the list of values for them to select from.

When you configure auto complete, you can also configure fields to auto populate based on the value of another field. In this example, when the user selects the customer's Last Name from the auto complete options, the application auto populates the customer's First Name and Middle Name.

Prerequisites

• The entity must have the required query.
• The form you are editing must exist.
• The control you are configuring with auto complete must exist.

Detailed Steps

Step 1. Select the control.

Select the control you want to configure. You may need to drill down to this control's container. This example configures a control in the Customer Details tab.

Step 2. Open the control's properties, then click the AutoComplete icon.

This example uses the Last Name textbox in the Customer Details tab.

Step 3. Enter the Query/Method information.

The Auto Complete wizard opens.

Enter the query from the entity. It has to exist there before you configure it here. This example uses a query from entCustomer.

If desired, modify the minimum length. This is the number of characters after which the application displays options for values.

Step 4. Open the Display Columns tab.

Click the Display Columns tab next to the Query/Method tab so you can set the columns that the application will auto complete.

Step 5. Add the columns.

You have to tell the application which fields are to be auto completed.

Step 6. Open the Control Mapping tab.

If you want the application to retrieve values based on which option the user selects, you have to tell the application which control to populate.

Step 7. Add the controls to the Columns list, then click OK.

In this example, when the user selects an option for Customer Last Name, then the application will populate the corresponding Middle Name and First Name.

Step 8. Save the form.

Then, run the Preview. Xelence displays the form output. You can test your updated settings.

When you have previewed your form, it should look something like this. When the user enters three characters, the application displays the possible values for the field, and when the user completes the field, the application populates the configured fields.

What are the improvements over S3 Version 6?

Previously, there were separate property options for query, display columns and control mapping. Now, for ease the auto complete property options are put together in a single wizard, tab-wise.

This post is part of the Maintenance Form topic. Click here to open the Maintenance Form Overview.

#Xelence
#Forms