Growing/shrinking 3 columns layout on a record view form

Classic Servoy
1

Hi Servoyans

I would like to proportionally get a 3 column to increase/decrease on a record view form when the window size is changed, see visual example below. I can’t get the required result. I tried it with various anchor settings - no luck.
Second attempt was to introduce a intermediate form containing 3 tabless tabpanels for each column and a corresponding form containing all the elements of one column - no luck either.

No I am asking myself can it be done and how to do it?

Thanks a lo for help and best regards, Robert

PS: Did already someone ask for “a container element” on a form to handle such request instead of building (a lot of) forms to just get some structure into a layout?

PS2: I do feel that the current anchor concept (with only 4 settings, i. e. left, top, …) is not sufficient for a bit more elaborated forms, e. g. there is no possibility to set anchors in respect to an other element - it’s always sort of an absolut setting to the whole form. What do others think?

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2

PS: Did already someone ask for “a container element” on a form to handle such request instead of building (a lot of) forms to just get some structure into a layout?

Yep, and I think it was Birgit :)
Basically your container type is a JPanel but that will not solve your resizing issue because that has to do with the type of Layout Servoy uses. I think (not sure though) it doesn’t allow for column resizing the way you want.

PS2: I do feel that the current anchor concept (with only 4 settings, i. e. left, top, …) is not sufficient for a bit more elaborated forms, e. g. there is no possibility to set anchors in respect to an other element - it’s always sort of an absolut setting to the whole form. What do others think?

See the above.

3

In the smart client, you could get this behavior with 2 JSplitpanes (one nested in the other one) with three forms in them (one ofr each column), with the proper resize weight setting on each JSplitPane.

Paul

4

Hi Marcel

Robert Huber:
PS: Did already someone ask for “a container element” on a form to handle such request instead of building (a lot of) forms to just get some structure into a layout?

IT2Be:
Yep, and I think it was Birgit :)

Ok, ok, I hear the message .-) my only excuse for the double attempt for this feature is our strong wish for it and as we say “Doppelt genaeht haelt besser” :-)

IT2Be:
Basically your container type is a JPanel but that will not solve your resizing issue because that has to do with the type of Layout Servoy uses. I think (not sure though) it doesn’t allow for column resizing the way you want.

PS2: I do feel that the current anchor concept (with only 4 settings, i. e. left, top, …) is not sufficient for a bit more elaborated forms, e. g. there is no possibility to set anchors in respect to an other element - it’s always sort of an absolut setting to the whole form. What do others think?

See the above.

So I have to apply for a feature. I mean if we have the (welcome) possibility to resize a window, we have to also need the layout tools and functionality to use it in a sensible way, do we?

Best regards, Robert

PS: I just realized as I wrote my german sentence that Umlaute are not accepted…

5

Yep you would need layout tools and, moreover, skills.

We are going to reach Java land i’m afraid.

The challenge for Servoy would be to pick the layout manager that does the job and still ‘belongs’ to a RAD tool that Servoy is. And, I think that the issue lies there, adding a layout manager would/could go beyond that…

6

Hi Marcel

I absolutly don’t think so as the layout manager is quite a weak part in Servoy (my opinion only of course).
But just a very good layout manager is in my opinion mandatory for the success of such a tool as Servoy - after all it’s a DB frontend application development tool which means laying out hundreds and hundreds of forms (for a medium application). We spend a lot of time in creating forms so to support that in a good way seems essentially to me. That’s also the reason behind the request for some sort of container support in Servoy to get forms done quicker and with less “form stacking”.

And, by the way, have a look at the NetBeans GUI Builder, (code named Matisse) to see what you get in other environments. There you have most of the layout support one asks for, for example if you like to insert a field between two other fields they automatically (re)align, spread and make space free to accomodate the new field, and that’s only one example.

Look at this short demo: http://www.netbeans.org/kb/41/flash-matisse.html

(No Java knowledge needed)

IT2Be:
Yep you would need layout tools and, moreover, skills.

We are going to reach Java land i’m afraid.

The challenge for Servoy would be to pick the layout manager that does the job and still ‘belongs’ to a RAD tool that Servoy is. And, I think that the issue lies there, adding a layout manager would/could go beyond that…

Sorry to say but … would/could go beyond … sounds to me like what they always said in FileMaker forum to excuse the lack of … in FMP. So I do not hope people here start to defend Servoy in a similar way and excuse everything - it would not be good for Servoy (again, my personal opinion only). The world is continuing anyway as can be seen of all the developers who already changed from FMP to Servoy.

In my opinion, developers have to have quite a lot of skills and knowledge, even of Java to a certain extent (Javabeans after all is a part of Java). And by the way, why don’t we acknowledge that even to program in JavaScript - if done in a sensible way and using the underlying OO concepts is not a beginners task who has never heard of anything OO and just wants a little bit click here and there.
Yes, you can program in such a way some somehow working stuff, but if that’s going to be called an application is another thing. And yes I know not every application needs to be built with all the bells and whistles, sometimes quite a bit less is more than sufficient.

Best regards, Robert

7

I use Java every day so I know what I am talking about I hope ;)

Let’s not go into discussion, serves nobody.

I would say simply file it as a feature request.

8

Hi Marcel

I don’t want to offend you - not at all of course as I appreciate your comments really very very much! And learned a lot by the way :-))

IT2Be:
I use Java every day so I know what I am talking about I hope ;)

Let’s not go into discussion, serves nobody.

Hopefully it serves Servoy (tools) to become better :-)

IT2Be:
I would say simply file it as a feature request.

Yes.

Best regards, Robert

PS: I still would be interested in your comment about the NetBean GUI builder (Matisse), if you have once a little time to look at.

9

I know about Matisse, don’t use it because it has (had) issues on the Mac.

But you are right ofcourse, this is one of the layout tools to make life more simple.

10

Hi Paul

Thanks for the tip. I will try it - although it’s quite complicate and support intensive if we would have to use it througout a whole application.
I therefor made a feature request to get more support in layouting and (re)sizing windows.

Best regards, Robert

pbakker:
In the smart client, you could get this behavior with 2 JSplitpanes (one nested in the other one) with three forms in them (one ofr each column), with the proper resize weight setting on each JSplitPane.

Paul

11

Robert’s request makes sense to me from an ease of development standpoint, but I wonder if there is a performance implication, as well.

What is the performance hit, if any, on having lots of forms within forms, using JSplitpanes, etc, to accomplish what Robert is going for vs. more control via properties?

Jim

12

I guess there will be hardly any difference.

One way or the other, either you create the logic or Servoy does it but ‘behind the screens’ the forms/panels need to be created.

The tools used to accomplish the job are somewhat equal.