APPLICATION DESIGN


Designing a form that presents a dialog box
To help users to fill out documents, create a custom dialog box that prompts for specific input. You can do this by using the @DialogBox function or LotusScript. Using @DialogBox requires two forms: one, the dialog form, has a layout region that contains fields, text, and graphics, and looks like a dialog box; the other, the host form, contains a button that uses @DialogBox to display the dialog form. The two forms contain shared fields, and when users enter field values in the dialog form, the values are shared with fields on the host form that have the same names. For example, a host form called "Memo" has a button that uses @DialogBox to bring up the dialog form called "Memo Options." Both forms have a field called "Comments." Text entered into the Comments field in the Memo Options form also appears in the Comments field in the Memo document.

When you use @DialogBox, all values entered in the dialog box are stored in the document created with the host form and can be seen in its Document Properties box even if the fields do not appear on the host form. If the keyword [NoNewFields] is used with the @DialogBox function, the fields that are on both the host form and the dialog form will be updated when the dialog form is saved or refreshed. If [NoFieldUpdate] is used, no fields or field values from the dialog box form will be updated on the host form.

Layout regions are supported in IBM® Lotus® Notes® applications only.

1. Open or create the dialog form.

2. Choose Create - Layout Region - New Layout Region.

3. Resize the layout region to fit the dialog box you want to create.

4. Choose Design - Layout Properties.

5. Deselect "Show border" and select "3D style."

6. Click the layout region and then create the graphics, text, and fields for the dialog box.

7. Close and save the form.

8. Double-click the host form that will display the @DialogBox button.

9. Place the cursor where you want to add the button, and choose Create - Hotspot - Button.

10. On the Display tab, add a label and width for the button.

11. In the Programmer’s pane, click Formula, and write a formula using @DialogBox. Include the name of the dialog form.

Guidelines for designing a form that presents a dialog box

To match the Notes user interface as closely as possible, follow these guidelines:


See Also