Kexi/Handbook/Building Simple Databases/Designing Forms/Setting widgets size and position by hand

Setting widgets size and position by hand

In case when your form has no main layout set for auto-positioning and auto-resizing its widgets, you will probably want to modify the position and size of widgets so the form can look cleaner and be easier to use. The Kexi form designer simplifies this task by offering the following groups of commands:

Adjusting sizes of selected widgets. The commands are available in the Format->Adjust Widgets Size submenu of the menubar and in the Adjust Widgets Size submenu of the context menu. The toolbar's drop down button Adjust Widgets Size is also available.

To Fit

The size of the selected widgets will be altered so each widget will be resized to its preferred size and its contents; for example, a text label's size will be changed to fit its text. The position of the widgets will not be changed.

To Grid

The size of the selected widgets will be altered so each widget's corner will be placed on the form's (or other container's) grid point. The widget's position can be slightly altered.

To Shortest

The height of the selected widgets will be altered so that each of them will have the same height as the shortest one. The position of the widgets will not be changed.

To Tallest

The height of the selected widgets will be altered so that each of them will have the same height as the tallest one. The position of the widgets will not be changed.

To Narrowest

The width of the selected widgets will be altered so that each of them will have the same height as the narrowest one. The position of the widgets will not be changed.

To Widest

The width of the selected widgets will be altered so that each of them will have the same height as the widest one. The position of the widgets will not be changed.

Aligning positions of the selected widgets. The commands are available in the Format->Align Widgets Position submenu of the menubar and in the Align Widgets Position submenu of the context menu. The toolbar's drop down button Align Widgets Position is also available.

To Left

All the selected widgets' left positions will be moved to the position of the leftmost widget's left edge.

To Right

All the selected widgets' right positions will be moved to the position of the rightmost widget's right edge.

To Top

All the selected widgets' top positions will be moved to the position of the uppermost widget's upper edge.

To Bottom

All the selected widgets' bottom positions will be moved to the position of the bottommost widget's bottom edge.

To Grid

All the selected widgets' top-left corners will be moved so that they are positioned in the nearest grid point.

None of the above commands resizes the widgets.

There are also additional commands available: Bring Widget to Front (i.e. above all other widgets) and Send Widget to Back (i.e. below all other widgets). These two commands are rarely used, as it is not common to place one widget on top of an other (except when a container widget contains other widget inside). Also note that clicking a widget with a mouse button is enough to bring the widget to front.