Getting Started with DataGrid and another datagrid form

[Douglas Ruisaard]

The more you understand a task, the more versatile and appropriate any given tool becomes.

I think the biggest struggle for me is finding examples which are "close" to my own goal.  I have no problem reverse engineering code... I've done it for a very long time.  But unless the outcome closely approximates my need, such an exercise can be frustrating.  In addition LC (which I very much like) has its own quirks regarding datagrids which are VERY confusing to the datagrid newbie... see my most recent issue with scrolling, for example.

To provide a more effective and cumulative wishlist of suggestions, expectations and content, I really need to go back and (re-)employ your tool with my (now) somewhat fuller understanding of how to define and manipulate datagrids.

I will do so in the near future and get back to you.  I suspect that one just has to have a certain amount of base-level understanding of the datagrid components and behaviours in order to use datagrids.  It's the old boot-strap problem.



> Subject: Re: Getting Started with DataGrid and another datagrid form
> 	question
> 
> Dear Douglas,
> 
> Thanks for your interesting feedback about your attempt to use DGH for the
> first time, with creating a datagrid form.
> 
> All the properties for customizing the datagrid apart, I've created the
> form template area (the way to custom the content of a row with controls
> such as image, buttons, etc) with the following objectives:
> - in the standard way to customize a datagrid template, we have to open the
> row template group inside the template card. In DGH all this group is
> copied inside a "visual" area we can manipulate
> - when dropping some controls in the template area, with the datagrid, you
> are alone with the required script for managing all these controls. DGH, at
> the condition to respond to the right dialog, is building a minimal script
> depending of the kind of controls you added. Unfortunately this is
> difficult to cover all the needs, because they are all specific depending
> of the developer and what he want to do. But at least the goal of the
> installed script is to give you the keys and philosophy to understand what
> it is required for the controls.For a button, how to perform an action, for
> a checkbox, how to check or uncheck it, for an image how to display it, to
> click it, etc
> - one of the recurrent difficulties for users was to understand the
> datagrid rows remains empty until you have populate it. And because it is
> empty you will never see the beautiful button or image you have added if
> you have not at least a row data. This is why in DGH, upper the template
> area, we have a datagrid preview, to see immediately the control we have
> added.
> 
> Your comment make me realize that it is not enough when you are beginning
> with form template. One of my unexploited idea was to add kind of presets
> template with for example a text on the left and four checkboxes on the
> right, etc so the developper could start with ready to use templates to add
> to his datagrid. The problem of the approach is covering needs, I can't
> anticipate.
> 
> What might have you expected from DGH in this task? More tutorial
> explaining how the template area is working?, more lessons?, contextual
> help in DGH to help you to start? Something else? Feel free to expand, I'm
> always interested in approachs or ways I could try to implement in the goal
> to improve DGH.
> 
>

Douglas Ruisaard
Trilogy Software
(250) 573-3935