Types of Control Elements
Input/Output Elements
Input/output elements are used
Output elements only display information. The user cannot change the data or only under particular circumstances.
Input/Output Fields
Input/Output Fields (Control Elements) (I/O fields) are text fields in the work area of a screen. The user can enter data in I/O fields or the system can display information. I/O fields are defined in the Screen Painter.Field Names
Field Names (Control Element) are text fields (output fields) which only occur in association with input/output fields. They identify the function of the particular fields.Short Descriptions
Short descriptions are text fields (output fields) which describe the contents of I/O fields in more detail.
Command Field
The
Command Field is an input field which allows the user to enter a typed command. This field is integrated into the standard toolbar (after the ENTER pushbutton) and implemented as a drop-down list which lists the last 20 commands entered by the user (command list).You can enter fast paths or transaction codes in the command field.
Status Bar
The
Status Bar displays system messages and informs the user about the system status (for example, indicating the write mode, the system and the session). The status bar is located at the bottom of the primary window.Action Elements
Action elements initiate an action when the user chooses a function. The action can be performed on the current screen or cause a screen change.
Pushbuttons
Pushbuttons are fields with a textual or graphical label and initiate a particular action, if activated.
In the R/3 System, you find pushbuttons:
Pushbuttons can be activated with the mouse (single mouse-click) or the keyboard (exception: the pushbuttons in the standard toolbar cannot be activated with the cursor, only with the function keys assigned to them). Pushbuttons in the application toolbar and the standard toolbar are defined in the Menu Painter. Pushbuttons with no fixed position are defined in the Screen Painter.
Function Keys
Function keys also initiate an action, but can only be activated with the keyboard. Currently, the R/3 System supports 24 function keys which are largely standardized. Some function keys are represented as pushbuttons in the application toolbar or in the standard toolbar.All active function keys are displayed in the
Function key menu. To display the menu, click the right mouse button.Menus
A
menu is a list of items (for example, functions or attributes) which the user can choose one at a time. In this respect, they can be compared to pushbuttons and function keys.Menu Bar, Pull-Down Menus
We distinguish between the menu bar and pull-down menus. The menu bar is a horizontal bar just below the title bar of the window. A pull-down menu is a submenu opened by choosing a menu item (known as cascading menus, if called from a pull-down menu). Pull-down menus are arranged vertically.
Besides using the mouse, you can activate menus with the
Menu Bar (Function) ( F10 ) function. You select a menu option with the arrow keys and press ENTER to activate it.Access characters
To access a menu directly, you can define access characters which are pressed in combination with the
ALT key. Another direct method is the fast path. The user enters a period followed by a string of Access Characters in the command field.Selection Elements
Selection elements are control elements with which the user can make choices. Strictly speaking, action elements are also selection elements because they choose exactly one action. In this context, the term "selection element" refers only to the selection of objects, attributes or options. Different types of selection elements are used for different purposes (choosing one or more elements, the number of alternatives, etc.).
Radio Buttons
Radio Buttons (Control Element) choose exactly
one item from among several alternatives. The number of alternatives is fixed and all items should fit on one screen (exception: vertical radio buttons in single-selection lists (step loops)). One option is always selected.Checkboxes
Checkboxes (Control Element) allow the choice of
as many items as desired , or none at all. The number of items is fixed and all items should fit on one screen (exception: vertical checkboxes in multiple-selection lists (step loops)).Single-Selection Lists
Single Selection Lists contain at least two entries. The length of the list, however, is usually
not fixed and all of the alternatives need not fit on one screen. The user cannot choose more than one entry.Multiple-Selection Lists
Multiple Selection Lists contain at least two lines. The length of the list, however, is usually
not fixed and all of the alternatives need not fit on one screen. The user can choose several entries.Other Control Elements
Control elements can be used for various purposes. They can be used to choose a value from a value set, for example, to move a slider on a scale. This is possible for continuous as well as for discrete values. Typical control elements are the scroll bars which provide a means for viewing part of an area which is larger than the screen work area. Elements which show or hide information are more usually referred to as pushbuttons.
Scroll Bars
Scroll bars inform the user that there is more information available than is displayed on the current screen. They allow scrolling up or down in the information. There are vertical and horizontal scroll bars.
Further Controls
Further controls such as sliders, scales, and so on are currently not available in SAP GUI.
Organization Elements
Organization elements are used to provide visual grouping of related control elements on a screen.
Group Box
Group boxes are used to group I/O fields with field names, or radio buttons or checkboxes. Group boxes consist of a rectangular frame and are identified by a group heading.Complex Control Elements
You can use simple control elements to develop more complex control elements. Complex controls offer more functionality, save developers to perform detailed work, and simplify interaction with the applications. Examples for complex controls are the table and the notebook. The notebook ist currently not available yet in the R/3 System.
Table (Table Control)
Table Control feature allows to display tabular data structures in the R/3 System as known from table calculation programs. It supports functions, application developers had to implement themselves. It also allows to create entry, display, and selection tables.