4.0

Defining Objects on a Form
Designing a Form 73
When you define an object you can:
• Give it a unique name that is useful when sorting or searching
records, arranging tab order, or defining calculations.
• Provide filling options such as a list of possible entries and help
messages that appear in fill view.
• Set validation options such as whether a field must be filled or can
be skipped.
See the previous section, “Creating Objects on a Form” on page 64 to
learn how to create objects. See “International Settings” on page 19 for
information on selecting a form language.
To define an object:
1 Select a fillable object on your form, a fillable object in a table
cell, or a comb element in design view.
You cannot define nonfillable objects such as lines.
2 Click the Object Definition button in the design toolbar or
choose
Object Definition...
in the Format menu.
To open a shortcut menu, click the right mouse button over the
selected object. Choose
Object Definition...
in this menu.
The dialog box that appears varies depending on the selected object. See
the following sections for descriptions of the definition options available
for each type of fillable object in a form.
Defining a Graphic Object
Click the Object Definition button in the design toolbar (or choose
Object
Definition...
in the Format menu) to open the Graphic Definition Dialog
box when a graphic object is selected. This dialog box lets you select how
you want the graphic object to appear in the fill graphic field. See
“Adding Graphics to Your Form” on page 66 for detailed information.
Defining a Fill Text Object
Click the Object Definition button in the design toolbar (or choose
Object
Definition...
in the Format menu) to open the Fill Text Definition dialog
box when a fill text object is selected. This dialog box allows you to set
property, filling, and validation options. The properties tab allows you
to:
• . Provide a name for your field.
• Select a field type.
• Select a data format and define the format further.