Kexi/Handbook/Building Simple Databases/Designing Forms/Widget layouts/en: Difference between revisions

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    <!--FIXME not implemented in kexi 2.4
    ====Widget layouts====
    ====Widget layouts====


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    Using special tool called widget layouts can help to automatically lay out the form widgets. Widget layout is an action of grouping two or more widgets so these are well positioned and have appropriate sizes.  
    Using special tool called widget layouts can help to automatically lay out the form widgets. Widget layout is an action of grouping two or more widgets so these are well positioned and have appropriate sizes.  


    Using layout in a form improves alignment. Moreover, its space is better used. Text fields are closer to each other, spacing is constant.  
    Using layout in a form improves alignment. Moreover, its space is better used. Text fields are closer to each other, spacing is constant. -->


    <!--FIXME not implemented in kexi 2.4
    There are two methods to create widget layout.
    There are two methods to create widget layout.


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    * Click with the right mouse button on the layout's border and select <menuchoice>Break Layout</menuchoice> command from the context menu.  
    * Click with the right mouse button on the layout's border and select <menuchoice>Break Layout</menuchoice> command from the context menu.  
    * Click with the left mouse button on the layout's border and select <menuchoice>Format->Break Layout</menuchoice> menu command.  
    * Click with the left mouse button on the layout's border and select <menuchoice>Format->Break Layout</menuchoice> menu command.  


    {{Note|Removing widget layout using the Break Layout command will not remove widgets contained in the layout. If you want to remove the widgets as well, just select the layout by clicking on its border and press <keycap>Delete</keycap> key or use <menuchoice>Edit->Delete</menuchoice> menu command or context menu command.}}
    {{Note|Removing widget layout using the Break Layout command will not remove widgets contained in the layout. If you want to remove the widgets as well, just select the layout by clicking on its border and press <keycap>Delete</keycap> key or use <menuchoice>Edit->Delete</menuchoice> menu command or context menu command.}}
    -->


    =====Size policies for widgets within a layout=====
    ====Size policies for widgets <!--FIXME: within a layout-->====


    Instead of setting a fixed size for your widgets, in '''Kexi''' you can choose between various widget's size policies. A size policy is a flexible strategy for controlling how a widget is stretched (or shrunk) depending on other neighbouring widgets and space available within the form.  
    Instead of setting a fixed size for your widgets, in '''Kexi''' you can choose between various widget's size policies. A size policy is a flexible strategy for controlling how a widget is stretched (or shrunk) depending on other neighbouring widgets and space available within the form.  


    After putting widgets into a layout, typically each widget gets a proportional (<menuchoice>Preferred</menuchoice>) size policy. These widgets will be automatically resized with preferred settings, depending on their type and size of the entire layout itself. For example, three buttons put into the horizontal layout will be resized to fit their visible text.  
    After putting widgets into <!--FIXME: a layout-->the form, typically each widget gets a proportional (<menuchoice>Preferred</menuchoice>) size policy. These widgets will be automatically resized with preferred settings, depending on their type and size of the entire layout itself. For example, three buttons <!--FIXME: put into the horizontal layout-->on a line will be resized to fit their visible text.  


    For each widget inserted into the form, there are settings for size policy available in the '''Property Editor'''. The settings are presented as a group of properties called '''Size Policy'''.  
    For each widget inserted into the form, there are settings for size policy available in the '''Property Editor'''. The settings are presented as a group of properties called <menuchoice>Size Policy</menuchoice>.  


    This group of properties contains:
    This group of properties contains:
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    ===== Values of size policies =====
    ===== Values of size policies =====


    The following values are available in the drop down list for '''Horizontal Size Policy''' and '''Vertical Size Policy''' properties visible in the '''Property Editor''':  
    The following values are available in the drop down list for <menuchoice>Hor. Policy</menuchoice> and <menuchoice>Vert. Policy</menuchoice> visible in the '''Property Editor''':  


    ;Fixed
    ;Fixed
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    ===== Vertical and horizontal stretch =====
    ===== Vertical and horizontal stretch =====


    The '''Vertical Stretch''' and '''Horizontal Stretch''' properties accept integer values greater than or equal to 0. These properties allow to fine-tune the behavior of size policies. The default value for the properties is 0. A higher value of the stretch means that the widget will be expanded more than widgets for which a lower stretch value is set.
    The <menuchoice>Vert. Stretch</menuchoice> and <menuchoice>Hor. Stretch</menuchoice> properties accept integer values greater than or equal to 0. These properties allow to fine-tune the behavior of size policies. The default value for the properties is 0. A higher value of the stretch means that the widget will be expanded more than widgets for which a lower stretch value is set.


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    Latest revision as of 07:14, 21 April 2012

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    Size policies for widgets

    Instead of setting a fixed size for your widgets, in Kexi you can choose between various widget's size policies. A size policy is a flexible strategy for controlling how a widget is stretched (or shrunk) depending on other neighbouring widgets and space available within the form.

    After putting widgets into the form, typically each widget gets a proportional (Preferred) size policy. These widgets will be automatically resized with preferred settings, depending on their type and size of the entire layout itself. For example, three buttons on a line will be resized to fit their visible text.

    For each widget inserted into the form, there are settings for size policy available in the Property Editor. The settings are presented as a group of properties called Size Policy.

    This group of properties contains:

    Horizontal Size Policy
    defining horizontal size of the widget,
    Vertical Size Policy
    defining vertical size of the widget,
    Horizontal Stretch
    defining strength of activity of the Horizontal Size Policy,
    Vertical Stretch
    defining strength of activity of the Vertical Size Policy
    Values of size policies

    The following values are available in the drop down list for Hor. Policy and Vert. Policy visible in the Property Editor:

    Fixed
    this value means that the widget cannot be automatically resized; it should maintain the constant size defined at design time (width or height),
    Minimum
    this value means that the original size of the widget is set as minimal allowed, it is sufficient and there is no need for expanding the widget, but the widget will be expanded if needed. This type of policy can be used to force the widget to be expanded to the whole width or height, especially if you set a stretch value greater than 0.
    Maximum
    this value means that the original size of the widget is set as maximum allowed and can be decreased without breaking the widget's usability and readability if other widgets need more space,
    Preferred
    this value means that the original size of the widget is the best and preferred; the widget can be shrunk or expanded however and it will stay readable,
    Expanding
    this value means that the original size of the widget is reasonable but the widget can be also shrunk; it can be expanded as well to take as much space as possible,
    Minimum Expanding
    this value means that the original size of the widget is allowed; it can be expanded to take as much space as possible,
    Ignored
    this value means that the original size of the widget is ignored; the widget can be expanded to take as much space as possible but other widgets usually will not allow for that

    Different widget types have various default size policies; for example, button widgets have default size policy set to Minimum (in both directions), while text field widgets have vertical size policy set to Fixed.

    The most frequently used size policies are Preferred, Minimum and Maximum.

    Vertical and horizontal stretch

    The Vert. Stretch and Hor. Stretch properties accept integer values greater than or equal to 0. These properties allow to fine-tune the behavior of size policies. The default value for the properties is 0. A higher value of the stretch means that the widget will be expanded more than widgets for which a lower stretch value is set.