Show TOC

Tips and GuidelinesLocate this document in the navigation structure

Use

To ensure in forms that boxes, lines, and shading fit correctly with text, follow these guidelines:

  • In your form design, match graphical elements and windows to each other. By default, a box defined in a window has the dimensions and starting point of the window.

    You should define a window for each graphical element. The fact that the graphical element and the window have the same starting point and dimensions makes it simpler to work with boxes, lines, and shading.

    Example: You define a window with the dimensions 6 CM high and 8 CM wide. If you enter the following statement in the text element of the window, the system paints a 10 halftone with the same dimensions, with the upper left corner aligning with the upper left corner of the window.

    /: BOX INTENSITY 10

  • Use the POSITION command to adjust the position of a box or line relative to a window.

    For example, the following commands in a form window would allow more room above the first line of text in the window. The box starts 0.2 CM above the top of the window.

    /: POSITION YORIGIN '-0.2' CM

    /: SIZE HEIGHT '+0.2' CM

    /: BOX INTENSITY 5

    If you have defined this amount of space, you should make the box larger, so that it encloses the entire window.

    In the above example, the SIZE command ensures that the box is 0.2 CM higher. The box thereby encloses the entire window, although it begins a little above the window.

  • You can draw a horizontal line by setting the argument HEIGHT in the BOX command to the value 0. If you want a vertical line, set the argument WIDTH to 0.

    /: BOX FRAME 10 TW WIDTH 0 TW HEIGHT '10' CM

    Vertical line 10 CM long

    /: BOX FRAME 10 TW WIDTH '10' CM HEIGHT 0 TW

    Horizontal line 10 CM long

  • Adjust the tabs in the window to the position of the lines and boxes.

    Assume you want to set up a table. With the following commands, you can draw vertical lines with 10 CM spacing between them and 13.5 CM from the left border of the window:

    /: BOX WIDTH '17.5' CM HEIGHT '13.5' CM FRAME 10 TW

    /: BOX WIDTH '17.5' CM HEIGHT 1 CM FRAME 10 TW INTENSITY 15

    /: BOX XPOS '10.0' CM WIDTH 0 TW HEIGHT '13.5' CM FRAME 10 TW

    /: BOX XPOS '13.5' CM WIDTH 0 TW HEIGHT '13.5' CM FRAME 10 TW

    In the paragraph formats used for the table, set the tabs as displayed below. This causes the entries in the first, second and third table columns to be right-justified. Make sure that the entries fit in the columns that you have defined with the lines.

     

    Format TB

    Fill

    Table

    Tabs:

    1

    9.5 CM

    RIGHT

    2

    13.0 CM

    RIGHT

    3

    17.0 CM

    RIGHT