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Property Description
overlaying object. The lowered setting makes it appear lower. The none setting causes no bevel to appear.
Charmode Logical Attribute Specifies the name of a character mode logical attribute defined in an Oracle Terminal resource file.
Class The name of the property class supplying values to the window properties.
Closeable Specifies whether the Close command is enabled or disabled for a window. The Close command is available on the window's menu or by double-clicking the box on the top-left corner of the window. This option cannot be applied to a root window.
Comment This property records pertinent information about the canvas. When this property is selected, a special button appears on the right of the update window. Clicking this button opens the default text editor.
Direction This property specifies the layout direction for bi-directional objects.
Fill Pattern The pattern used on the window.
Fixed Size This property determines whether you can resize the window. This property does not apply to root windows.
Font Name The default font for all items placed on the window.
Font Size The default font size for all items placed on the canvas.
Font Style The default font style for all items placed on the window.
Font Weight The default weight for all items placed on the window.
Font Width The default font width for all items placed on the window.
Foreground Color The color of the window's foreground.
Height The height of the window.
Horizontal Scroll Bar This property determines whether secondary windows are displayed with a scroll bar.
Horizontal Toolbar The name of the horizontal toolbar used by the window.
Iconifiable This property determines whether you can turn the window into an icon. This option does not apply to root windows, which can always be iconified.
Icon Name The name of the icon resource you want to represent the window. This property is valid when the iconifiable property is set to true.

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Table 13.2 Continued


Property Description
Icon Title The text screen that appears below an iconified window.
Inherit Window Determines whether the window should display the current form menu.
Modal This property determines whether the window is modal. Modal windows require the operator to respond before the window can be closed.
Moveable This property determines whether the operator can move the window. The property does not apply to root windows. They are always moveable.
Name The name of the window.
Remove on Exit This property determines whether the window is automatically hidden when the operator navigates to another window. This setting applies to modeless windows.
Title The expression that appears in the title bar of the window.
Vertical Scroll Bar Determines whether a vertical scroll bar appears on the side of the window.
View The name of the canvas-view that appears in the window.
White on Black Specifies that the object is to appear on a monochrome bitmap display device as white text on a black background.
Width The width of the window.
Window Style This property determines whether the window is used as a document window or a dialog window. Document windows always remain open within the window frame. Dialog windows are free-floating and the operator can move them outside the application window.
Visual Attribute Name The name of the visual attribute supplying values for the font, background, and foreground properties.
Vertical Toolbar The name of the vertical toolbar used by the window.
X Position Determines the X coordinate of the top- left corner of the window.
Y Position Determines the Y coordinate of the top- left corner of the window.
Zoomable Determines whether the operator can resize the window by using zooming capabilities. This property does not apply to root windows, which are always zoomable.

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NOTE
When I develop a form, I generally review and modify three properties during the formatting process. I change the width and height properties to the same size as the canvas. I do not like applications that I have to scroll to see parts of the screen. I like to size the content canvas and root window so that scroll bars do not exist on the window. The third property is the title. I place the name of the application in this property. The name will then appear in the Title bar of the window. This saves canvas space for data items.

Formatting the Employee Form

Chapter 12, "Using Object Navigator to Create Your First Oracle Form," illustrates the creation of the master block form of a master-detail form. This section of the chapter discusses formatting this application. You should find this file on the CD accompanying this book. The name of the file is EMPCH13.FMB. Open the file in Forms Designer.

Setting the Canvas and Window Properties

The first task to perform is to ensure that the canvas and window cover the entire area of your screen when you maximize the window. You can determine this coverage by running the application and maximizing the window. If you have a vertical or horizontal scroll bar on the window, the canvas is larger than the screen. If you see a white gap on one side of the canvas, the canvas is too short. Figure 13.47 illustrates the EMPCH13.FMB application before the canvas size is changed. Notice the vertical scroll bar and the white space on the right side of the canvas. This indicates that the canvas is longer than the window, but not as wide.

FIG. 13.47
The initial run of the EMPCH13.FMB file showing that the canvas is longer than the window, but not as wide.


The canvas and window are resized by changing their width and height properties on their property sheets. The following are the tasks needed to modify the canvas property sheet:

  1. Open the property sheet for canvas1 by highlighting the canvas on the Object Navigator and selecting the Tools, Properties menu option

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