Referring to an element in a WLanguage process

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What is an element?
Handling an element
Handling a second-level element
Special cases: Items of a data file or query
Handling a third-level element
Special cases: Menu options
Retrieving the name of an element in the code
Overview
Retrieving the name of an element by Drag and Drop

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Referring to an element in a WLanguage process

What is an element?

The table below presents the different elements found in an application:

Element	Second-level element	Third-level element

Window	Window controls Window menus Cells of a status bar	Controls belonging to a supercontrol or to a toolbar Menu options Table columns
Page Frameset	Page controls Page menus	Table columns
Report	Report controls Report blocks	Table columns
Query	Query items
Data file	Items of a data file

The menu options and the items found in a data file are handled differently. For more details, see Special case: Items and Special case: Menu options.

Remark: To simplify the writing of WLanguage processes, WINDEV, WEBDEV and WINDEV Mobile allow you to easily retrieve the name of an element in a code window. See Retrieving the name of an element in the code for more details.

Handling an element

To handle an element (page, window, report, query or data file) in a WLanguage process, simply use the name of this element. This name can be used:

in a WLanguage function.
with a WLanguage property.
in direct assignment.

For example:

// Initialize and run the QRY_CustomerList query
HExecuteQuery(QRY_CustomerList)

// Modify the number of copies for the RPT_Customer report
RPT_Customer..NbCopy = 10

// Retrieve the title of the WIN_SearchWin window
ResTitle is string = WIN_SearchWin

// Retrieve the title of the PAGE_SearchPage page
ResTitle is string = PAGE_SearchPage

Handling a second-level element

To handle a second-level element (control or menu of a window, control or menu of a page, control or block of a report, ...) in a WLanguage process, you must:

use this second-level element directly. This syntax is valid only if this second-level element is handled from the window (or from the report) to which it belongs.
use the following notation: "<ElementName>.<Name2ndLevelElement>".

A second-level element can be handled:

in a WLanguage function.
with a WLanguage property.
in direct assignment.

For example:

// Expands the list of the COMBO_FrenchCity combo box
// of the WIN_Customer window
ComboOpen(COMBO_FrenchCity)
// equivalent to: ComboOpen(WIN_Customer.COMBO_FrenchCity)

// Modify the background color of CtTotalBT control
// in the RPT_Order report
CtTotalBT..BrushColor = LightBlue
// equivalent to RPT_Order.CtTotalBT..BrushColor = LightBlue

// Initialize the EDT_City edit control of the
// WIN_Customer window from another window
WIN_Customer.EDT_City = "Momtpellier"

// Refresh the LOOP_ProductLooper looper
// from the start of looper
LooperDisplay(LOOP_ProductLooper, taStart)
// equivalent to: LooperDisplay(PAGE_CustomerPage.LOOPER_ProductLooper, taStart)

Special cases: Items of a data file or query

To handle an item found in a data file or in a query by programming, you must:

use the name of the item directly. This syntax is valid only if the item is handled by a function or by a property into which the name of the data file or the name of the query to which the item belongs is specified.
use the following syntax: "<FileName/ItemName>.<ItemName>".

For example:

// Assign to the ZC item of CUSTOMER file
// the value entered in the EDT_ZipCode control
CUSTOMER.ZC = EDT_ZipCode

// Moves to the 2000th record
// of CUSTOMER file according to CUSTNAME item
HReadFirst(CUSTOMER, CUSTNAME)
HForward(CUSTOMER, CUSTNAME, 1999)

Handling a third-level element

To handle a third-level element (control belonging to a supercontrol, control belonging to a toolbar, table column, ...) in a WLanguage process, you must:

use the name of this third-level element directly. This syntax is valid only if the following conditions are fulfilled:
- this third-level element is handled from the second-level element to which it belongs (supercontrol, toolbar or table).
- no other third-level element is using the same name.
use the following notation if the third-level element is used from the window (or from the report) to which it belongs: "<Name2ndLevelElement>.<Name3rdLevelElement>".
use the following notation if the third-level element is handled from another window (or from another report): "<ElementName>.<Name2ndLevelElement>.<Name3rdLevelElement>".

A third-level element can be handled:

in a WLanguage function.
with a WLanguage property.
in direct assignment.

For example:

// Modify the width of COL_CustomerName column
// No other COL_CustomerName column is found in the window
COL_CustomerName..Width += 10

// Modify the maximum number of characters in the EDT_Font control
// belonging to the SC_SctStyle supercontrol from the supercontrol window
SC_SctStyle.EDT_Font..Size += 10

// Modify the height of the EDT_Font control belonging to the
// BAR_Style toolbar from another window
WIN_Customer.BAR_Style.EDT_Font..Height += 10

Special cases: Menu options

To handle a menu option by programming, you must:

use the name of the option directly. This syntax is valid only if the menu option is handled from the menu or from the window associated with the menu.
use one of the following syntaxes: "<WindowName>.<OptionName>" or "<WindowName>.<MenuName>.<OptionName>".

For example:

// Change the color of the font for the OPT_CustomerForm option
// of the MENU_Customer menu from the window of this menu
OPT_CustomerForm..Color = DarkBlue

// Change the color of the font for the OPT_CustomerForm option
// of the MENU_Customer menu from another window
WIN_Customer.MENU_Customer.OPT_CustomerForm..Color = DarkBlue
// equivalent to: WIN_Customer.OPT_CustomerForm..Color = DarkBlue

Retrieving the name of an element in the code

Overview

To retrieve the name of an element (regardless of its level) in the code:

use the automatic completion.
The automatic completion proposes an assisted input of the WLanguage code. See Automatic completion for more details.
perform Drag and Drop operations between the element to use and the code window.
These Drag and Drop operations can be performed:
- between the "Project explorer" pane and the code window.
- between the "Project explorer" pane and the "Context-sensitive view of code" pane.
- between the element and the code window.
- between the element and the "Context-sensitive view of code" pane.

Retrieving the name of an element by Drag and Drop

To retrieve the name of an element by Drag and Drop:

Select the element whose name must be retrieved:
- in the "Project explorer" pane.
- from an editor (window editor to retrieve the name of a control for example).
Keep the left mouse button down while moving the element:
- toward the code window.
- toward the "Context-sensitive view of code" pane.
Release the mouse button at the location where the name of the element should be used. The name of the dropped element is displayed.