Specifying presentation options for a Link control
Three predefined formats are available for Link controls: Strong, Standard, and Simple. Using these formats consistently in your application makes the user interface more predictable and makes it easier for users to complete forms.
Prerequisite: Add a link control to a layout.
- On the Presentation tab of the Properties
panel, set the Control format option to one of the following
settings:
- Strong – Use this format for the primary link on a form. Use it only once per view.
- Standard – Use this format as a secondary style.
- Simple – Use this format for the least important links on the form.
- Other – Use a custom format created in the Skin rule. Press the Down Arrow key in the adjacent field to select the custom format.
To convert existing customized Link controls to a predefined format, use the pzUpdateButtonLinkFormats activity. For more information, see Update-Button-Link-Formats.
- Optional: To add a label to the link, select the Include a label check box and in the adjacent field enter the text for the label or press the Down Arrow key and select a predefined label.
- Optional: To specify a format for the label, press the Down Arrow key in the Label format field and select one.
-
In the
Type
field, select one of the following settings to
determine what happens when a user clicks the link at run time:
- URL – Launches the URL that you specify in the adjacent field.
- Email – Opens the email composer and uses the text that you enter in the adjacent field in the To: field of the email message.
- Phone – Opens the phone dialer or another configured phone application.
-
Optional: Set advanced presentation options.
Instead of creating a new custom format in the skin, you can adjust elements in a cell by applying Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) helper classes. For example, you can use a CSS helper class to center an element in a cell or to double the standard right margin for the element.
- Cell read-write classes – Click the Open helper class picker icon to specify one or more CSS helper classes to apply to this cell when the form is displayed in read-write mode. You can enter several helper classes, separated by a space. Alternatively, you can enter the name of a custom style to apply to this cell.
- Cell read-only classes – Click the Open helper class picker icon to specify one or more CSS helper classes to apply to this cell when the form is displayed in read-only mode. You can enter several helper classes, separated by a space. Alternatively, you can enter the name of a custom style to apply to this cell.
- Inline style (not for production use) – You can use this field to define an inline style by entering CSS code. However, entering an inline style results in a guardrail warning. For maintainability and reuse, the recommended approach is to use read-write or read-only classes.
- Link controls
Add a Link control to a form to enable users to open a new application view or to move the cursor to a new position on the current view.
- Styling options for Link controls
Establishing a consistent look for Link controls in your application saves development time, gives your application a more predictable user interface, and makes it easier for users to complete forms.
- Adding and configuring a Link control
By adding a Link control to a layout, you make it possible for application users to display a new form or move the cursor to a different spot on the current form. By configuring a Link control, you give your application a consistent look and feel.
- Specifying the caption for a Link control
Using a caption for a Link control makes it easier for application users to understand the link's purpose and to complete their tasks.
- Specifying the image source and tooltip for a Link control
Using images and tooltips to indicate a link's purpose makes it easier for application users to understand a form and to complete their tasks.
- Defining the behavior of form elements
Ensure that users see and complete only the fields that are relevant to the processing of a case by defining the rules that govern the behavior of form elements.
- Copying, moving, or deleting a control
You can use basic Windows operations to speed the development of your controls.
Previous topic Specifying the image source and tooltip for a Link control Next topic Multi-select list controls