OpenOffice.org OpenOffice - 3.0 Quick Start Guide download pdf (Page 261)

Modifying a form

We will be moving the controls to different places in the form and

changing the background to a picture. We will also modify the label for

the PaymentType field as well as change the field to a list box.

First, we must decide what we want to change and to what. The

discussion will follow this ten step outline.

1) The Date field in the main form needs a dropdown capability. It

also needs to be lengthened to show the day of the week, month,

day, and year.

2) Shorten the length of the payment fields (all fields containing the

word payment).

3) The controls need to be move into groups: food, fuel subform, and

miscellaneous.

4) Some of the labels need to have their wording changed. Some

single words should be two words. Some abbreviations should be

used if possible (Misc. for miscellaneous).

5) The widths of several fields and labels need to be changed. Only

Lunch, Supper, Motel, and Tolls have acceptable lengths. But for a

better appearance, changes will be made to these as well.

6) All the fields whose label ends in

Payment

will be replaced with a

list box. This box contains the entries from the Payment Type

table.

7) The Note field needs to be lengthened vertically and a scroll bar

added. It also needs to be moved.

8) Changes need to be made in the Date and PaymentType columns

of the subform that are similar to the changes in the main form.

9) Headings need to be added for each group in the main form.

10) The background needs to be changed to a picture. Some of the

labels will have to be modified so that they can be read clearly.

The font color of the headings needs to be changed as well.

Here are some pointers that we will be using in these steps. The

controls in the main form consists of a label and its field. Sometimes

we want to work with the entire control, and other times we want to

work with only the label or the field. There are times when we want to

work with a group of controls.

• Clicking a label or field selects the entire control. A border

appears around the control with eight green handles (Figure

200). You can then drag and drop it where you want.

Chapter 8 Getting Started with Base 261

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OpenOffice.org OpenOffice - 3.0 Quick Start Guide Page 261