The Map Editor allows you to position text and fields on a map. The main components of the Map Editor are:
| Map Editor Screen | This is opened for you automatically when you ask to edit a map. You can use it to add new controls to a map, and move, size, edit or delete existing ones. |
| Map Properties Dialog | It is very important to set up the Map Properties correctly. In particular you need to set the map rows and columns correctly if you want to be able to navigate round the fields in an input map. (See Cursor Movement in Maps.) You should also select the map type appropriately as this will simplify the provision of a consistent user interface. |
| Control Properties | The control property dialogs allow you to set up fields on a map, modify the size, position and colour of a field, and set up some field validation and formatting information |
| Help Editor | The help editor allows you to set up a pop-up help message for each field. Save your map, then select the appropriate control and then start the Help Editor from the Edit menu or by pressing <F9>. |
You can open and edit other maps and databases if you desire while you are in the Map Editor, and access all its other facilities. When you have finished editing maps close the Map Editor and the program editor will reappear. It is a good idea to save your work quite regularly when using the Map Editor. You should also use the Integrity Check option of the MAPMAKE program from time to time.
You can also edit maps from outside the Program Editor as described here.
Unfortunately the Map Editor is a completely different program depending on whether you are using a 4.5xx or 4.6xx release of DP4. The instructions on this page refer to release 4.6xx, and currently (rather old) only printed help is available for release 4.5xx.
Although adding fields to a procedure's main map does not in itself cause any processing to be generated, it is certainly the case that the properties of the fields on the map have a strong influence on what is possible in field processing. Also maps control many aspects of processing that until you are familiar with QAB you might expect to have controlled in the field processing itself. The following table sets out some of the key influences fields in a map have on the field processing.
| Setup Screen | Feature | Description & Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Map Properties | Number of rows Number of columns Column Major |
Enable intuitive cursor movement between input fields on a data entry screen. See Cursor Movement in Maps. If this is not set up correctly your program may not work as you expect. |
| Control Properties (General Tab) | Field Nr | Inputs Fields must be processed in field number sequence during field processing, so make sure fields are numbered logically in your map. For example fields used to define the record to be processed (key fields) must come first. |
| Edit/Checkbox Properties (Data tab) |
Field type Name |
Edit and Checkbox controls can be associated with database fields. Paticularly for edit fields you should generally ensure the field processed in field processing matches the field declared in the map. |
| Edit/Checkbox Properties (Data tab) |
Display length Depth Scale factor |
These properties should generally match the corresponding properties of the fields processed in the map field (depth -1 should equal high-low occurs). It is acceptable to use a different length except for character type fields - for these using the correct length is important, though for an output only field you may truncate the length for a single occurs field or an edit field validated with the correct database field. |
| Edit Properties (General tab) |
Clear First | If this is property is set then the field will be set to the default value (as determined by the database default or the Yes then the default is shown for database fields, and local fields are shown as blank. If this is No, the last value is displayed |
| Auto Enter | Move to the next field when the field is full | |
| Null Banned | Do not allow a null value for a field | |
| Edit Properties Access tab) |
Read access, Write access |
Define the access level a user must have to Read/Change the contents of this field |
| Edit Properties Colour tab) |
Colour scheme | Select the colour scheme for the field |
This is not an exhaustive list of the features that can be controlled from the Map Properties and Edit Properties dialogs. For further information see the Map Editor help