Reactor Implementation Guide

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HistoryEdited Jun 30, 2011 5:07 PM by Sam Sehnert…

LiveField

The LiveField control is a field in your database, except that each key stroke updates the field, and triggers any other calculations (validation, relationships, etc) based on that field, without running a script or committing the record.

Live filtering can creates an as-you-type search effect using a portal. Each character entered narrows down the records that match, enabling you to type only as many characters as are needed to find a unique match. No scripts are involved and the record is not committed.

As-you-type can validation allow you to do things like light-up (or enable) a button as soon as valid data has been entered - you see this a lot with license codes, but its also useful for email addresses, phone numbers passwords, and more, when you want to ensure the data has been entered correctly.

What's more, because the field is a Reactor control it can easily be hidden or disabled too - no more conditional formatting tricks, hidden tab tricks or dodgy portals surrounding the field to make it hide and show!


LiveField( "fieldName" {; status ; bgColor ; scriptOnLoad ; scriptParameter})


Parameters

Parameter Name Description
1 fieldName Field to filter on. Must be enclosed in quotes and be the full Table Occurrence::FieldName form.
2 status
(opt)		 Text or name of a field containing “enabled” (the default), “disabled”, or “hidden”, or a calc which returns one of those 3 values.
3 bgColor
(opt)		 Default is white, but you can specify the color: see “Background Color” in the “Basics” section.
4 scriptOnLoad
(opt)		 The name of a script to run once loaded.
5 scriptParameter
(opt)		 A parameter for the script above.


Example:


LiveField ( "Home::Filter Entry" ; "enabled" ; "rgb( 0, 0, 0 )" ; "Focus LiveField" )


Additional Notes:

  1. For filtering, you need a relationship from an input "Filter Field" to the data table. To make it "live", the filter entry field is replaced with a small web viewer showing a single field. As you type, the web viewer uses the Reactor to update the actual filter field in FileMaker, thus affecting the relationship and causing the portal display to refresh.
  2. To reduce flashing on XP and Vista, the Filter Entry field is set to global storage. Because of this, you need to overlay the portal with the Filter Entry field to cause it to update correctly.
  3. The LiveField() function can be used to edit any field on the layout table, but it cannot be used for related fields.
  4. Because LiveField() updates the field as you type (but doesn't commit the record) you can perform realtime calculations such as validation calculations or conditional formatting based on the value typed so far. You can also display live feedback such as the number of matching records for the characters typed so far.
  5. Unlike ScriptTrigger techniques, no scripts are needed.

Live Validation Example:

A numeric field, NumDays, is to be validated as the user types, to be no more than 30. A calc field contains the validation test: If( Numdays ≤ 30 ; "OK" ; "TOO BIG!" ). A WebViewer is set up for the entry of NumDays: LiveField( "Home::Numdays" ). The following screenshots show the result of the user having typed 21 and 213.

Picture 16.png


Live Filter Example (play the video clip):


Comments

/groups/docs/search/index.rss?sort=modifiedDate&sortDirection=reverse&tag=blackboxlist/groups/docs/search/?sort=modifiedDate&sortDirection=reverse&tag=blackboxBlackBox ControlsCustomTagSidebarCustomTagSidebar?sort=modifiedDate&sortDirection=reverse&tag=blackbox0/groups/docs/sidebar/CustomTagSidebarmodifiedDate5CustomTagSidebarreverseblackboxBlackBox Controlscustom/groups/docs/search/index.rss?tag=hotlist/groups/docs/search/?tag=hotWhat’s HotHotListHot!?tag=hot9/groups/docs/sidebar/HotListadded a to version number for consistency.samSam Sehnert2012-01-16 00:15:15+00:002012-01-16 00:15:15updated11wendyWendy Wethey2012-01-12 22:05:22+00:002012-01-12 22:05:22updated10wendyWendy Wethey2012-01-12 20:40:54+00:002012-01-12 20:40:54updated9wendyWendy Wethey2012-01-12 20:00:23+00:002012-01-12 20:00:23updated8wendyWendy Wethey2012-01-12 20:00:04+00:002012-01-12 20:00:04updated7craigCraig Saunders2012-01-11 09:24:57+00:002012-01-11 09:24:57updated6Added tag - release notescraigCraig Saunders2012-01-11 09:24:50+00:002012-01-11 09:24:50addTag5Removed tag - delcraigCraig Saunders2012-01-11 09:24:47+00:002012-01-11 09:24:47removeTag4Added tag - delcraigCraig Saunders2012-01-11 09:24:40+00:002012-01-11 09:24:40addTag3Added tag - hotcraigCraig Saunders2012-01-11 09:24:33+00:002012-01-11 09:24:33addTag2First createdcraigCraig Saunders2012-01-11 09:16:25+00:002012-01-11 09:16:25created1wiki2012-01-16T00:15:15+00:00groups/docs/wiki/d40e1FalseRelease Notes for v3.5.8a/groups/docs/wiki/d40e1/Release_Notes_for_v358a.htmlSam Sehnert11 updatesRelease Notes for v3.5.8a Reactor v3.5.8a incorporates a bunch of tweaks and fixes along with a couple of new features. The installer for Mac OS X Lion now works under non...Falsesam2012-01-16T00:15:15+00:00added applying anchorsamSam Sehnert2012-01-16 00:08:46+00:002012-01-16 00:08:46updated21samSam Sehnert2012-01-16 00:08:16+00:002012-01-16 00:08:16updated20punctuationsamSam Sehnert2012-01-16 00:05:18+00:002012-01-16 00:05:18updated19Updated imagesamSam Sehnert2012-01-16 00:04:31+00:002012-01-16 00:04:31updated18samSam Sehnert2012-01-16 00:03:01+00:002012-01-16 00:03:01updated17samSam Sehnert2012-01-16 00:02:18+00:002012-01-16 00:02:18updated16Refined instructionssamSam Sehnert2012-01-15 23:14:10+00:002012-01-15 23:14:10updated15Added tag - troubleshootingsamSam Sehnert2011-06-27 02:23:28+00:002011-06-27 02:23:28addTag14Removed tag - blackbox managementsamSam Sehnert2011-06-27 02:23:25+00:002011-06-27 02:23:25removeTag13Added tag - blackbox managementsamSam Sehnert2011-06-27 02:23:24+00:002011-06-27 02:23:24addTag12Removed tag - debugsamSam Sehnert2011-06-27 02:23:23+00:002011-06-27 02:23:23removeTag11Added tag - customizationsamSam Sehnert2011-06-27 01:40:54+00:002011-06-27 01:40:54addTag10samSam Sehnert2010-09-30 23:27:31+00:002010-09-30 23:27:31updated9Added tag - hotsamSam Sehnert2010-08-16 05:12:06+00:002010-08-16 05:12:06addTag8Removed tag - advancedsamSam Sehnert2010-08-16 05:12:03+00:002010-08-16 05:12:03removeTag7Added tag - advancedsamSam Sehnert2010-08-16 05:12:01+00:002010-08-16 05:12:01addTag6samSam Sehnert2010-08-16 03:54:43+00:002010-08-16 03:54:43updated5Added tag - debugsamSam Sehnert2010-08-08 22:32:01+00:002010-08-08 22:32:01addTag4Added tag - overridesamSam Sehnert2010-08-08 22:31:54+00:002010-08-08 22:31:54addTag3Added override manager description.samSam Sehnert2010-08-08 22:30:38+00:002010-08-08 22:30:38updated2First additionsamSam Sehnert2010-08-08 22:15:13+00:002010-08-08 22:15:13created1wiki2012-01-16T00:08:46+00:00groups/docs/wiki/f072fFalseOverride Manager/groups/docs/wiki/f072f/Override_Manager.htmlSam Sehnert21 updatesOverride Manager The Override Manager is a useful tool available in all BlackBoxes which support overrides. It will list all available overrides, and help you und...Falsesam2012-01-16T00:08:46+00:00Added anchors for lite and advanced.samSam Sehnert2012-01-15 23:18:07+00:002012-01-15 23:18:07updated12wendyWendy Wethey2011-10-03 21:53:23+00:002011-10-03 21:53:23updated11wendyWendy Wethey2011-09-01 22:58:47+00:002011-09-01 22:58:47updated10wendyWendy Wethey2011-09-01 22:53:29+00:002011-09-01 22:53:29updated9samSam Sehnert2011-06-30 07:02:03+00:002011-06-30 07:02:03updated8samSam Sehnert2011-06-30 06:52:51+00:002011-06-30 06:52:51updated7samSam Sehnert2011-06-30 05:25:13+00:002011-06-30 05:25:13updated6Added links through to lite blackbox pages.samSam Sehnert2011-06-30 04:49:43+00:002011-06-30 04:49:43updated5Added quick descriptions, but still need to link through to pages.samSam Sehnert2011-06-30 02:23:37+00:002011-06-30 02:23:37updated4Added tag - blackbox managementsamSam Sehnert2011-06-30 01:33:31+00:002011-06-30 01:33:31addTag3Added tag - hotsamSam Sehnert2011-06-30 01:33:26+00:002011-06-30 01:33:26addTag2First createdsamSam Sehnert2011-06-30 00:37:46+00:002011-06-30 00:37:46created1wiki2012-01-15T23:18:07+00:00groups/docs/wiki/5f2d4FalseBuilt in BlackBoxes/groups/docs/wiki/5f2d4/Built_in_BlackBoxes.htmlSam Sehnert12 updatesBuilt in BlackBoxes Reactor comes bundled with two types of BlackBoxes. Ones that are available with the free version of Reactor, and ones that are only available w...Falsesam2012-01-15T23:18:07+00:00Added Norwegian creditssamSam Sehnert2011-12-20 21:14:49+00:002011-12-20 21:14:49updated14Added tag - overridesamSam Sehnert2011-06-27 02:12:40+00:002011-06-27 02:12:40addTag13Added german to creditssamSam Sehnert2011-04-19 22:00:52+00:002011-04-19 22:00:52updated12Added italian localization creditssamSam Sehnert2011-04-17 22:59:47+00:002011-04-17 22:59:47updated11samSam Sehnert2011-04-15 08:30:13+00:002011-04-15 08:30:13updated10samSam Sehnert2011-04-15 08:29:54+00:002011-04-15 08:29:54updated9fix typo in sp of SwedishcraigCraig Saunders2011-04-15 02:19:30+00:002011-04-15 02:19:30updated8samSam Sehnert2011-04-15 00:44:15+00:002011-04-15 00:44:15updated7Added first documentationsamSam Sehnert2011-04-15 00:43:32+00:002011-04-15 00:43:32updated6Added tag - customizationsamSam Sehnert2011-04-15 00:09:51+00:002011-04-15 00:09:51addTag5Added tag - languagesamSam Sehnert2011-04-15 00:09:41+00:002011-04-15 00:09:41addTag4Added tag - localizationsamSam Sehnert2011-04-15 00:09:39+00:002011-04-15 00:09:39addTag3Added tag - hotsamSam Sehnert2011-04-15 00:09:31+00:002011-04-15 00:09:31addTag2First createdsamSam Sehnert2011-04-15 00:05:20+00:002011-04-15 00:05:20created1wiki2011-12-20T21:14:49+00:00groups/docs/wiki/088b5FalseBlackBox Localization/groups/docs/wiki/088b5/BlackBox_Localization.htmlSam Sehnert14 updatesBlackBox Localization We've developed a standard localization file for use with our BlackBoxes, which covers the most commonly used error messages, labels and date for...Falsesam2011-12-20T21:14:49+00:00removed beta message.samSam Sehnert2010-02-02 10:06:44+00:002010-02-02 10:06:44updated46Added tag - gantt chartwendyWendy Wethey2009-12-01 01:31:38+00:002009-12-01 01:31:38addTag45Removed tag - unfinishedwendyWendy Wethey2009-12-01 01:31:29+00:002009-12-01 01:31:29removeTag44wendyWendy Wethey2009-12-01 01:02:43+00:002009-12-01 01:02:43updated43wendyWendy Wethey2009-12-01 01:01:07+00:002009-12-01 01:01:07updated42wendyWendy Wethey2009-12-01 00:58:30+00:002009-12-01 00:58:30updated41wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:26:36+00:002009-11-30 23:26:36updated40wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:25:37+00:002009-11-30 23:25:37updated39wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:06:25+00:002009-11-30 23:06:25updated38wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:06:05+00:002009-11-30 23:06:05updated37wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:04:55+00:002009-11-30 23:04:55updated36wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:03:12+00:002009-11-30 23:03:12updated35wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:02:09+00:002009-11-30 23:02:09updated34wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:01:36+00:002009-11-30 23:01:36updated33wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-30 23:00:25+00:002009-11-30 23:00:25updated32added filter field name note.samSam Sehnert2009-11-30 02:34:32+00:002009-11-30 02:34:32updated31wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-24 01:49:03+00:002009-11-24 01:49:03updated30wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-24 01:30:28+00:002009-11-24 01:30:28updated29wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-24 01:29:47+00:002009-11-24 01:29:47updated28wendyWendy Wethey2009-11-24 01:15:57+00:002009-11-24 01:15:57updated27wendyWendy Wethey2009-10-27 04:03:11+00:002009-10-27 04:03:11updated26wendyWendy Wethey2009-10-27 03:40:10+00:002009-10-27 03:40:10updated25wendyWendy Wethey2009-10-27 03:18:03+00:002009-10-27 03:18:03updated24Final Beta notessamSam Sehnert2009-10-15 21:34:58+00:002009-10-15 21:34:58updated23craigCraig Saunders2009-10-14 09:13:14+00:002009-10-14 09:13:14updated22samSam Sehnert2009-09-15 01:57:58+00:002009-09-15 01:57:58updated21samSam Sehnert2009-09-15 01:56:58+00:002009-09-15 01:56:58updated20samSam Sehnert2009-09-15 01:56:21+00:002009-09-15 01:56:21updated19Added tag - unfinishedsamSam Sehnert2009-09-15 01:56:15+00:002009-09-15 01:56:15addTag18samSam Sehnert2009-09-15 01:44:00+00:002009-09-15 01:44:00updated17Added tag - betasamSam Sehnert2009-09-09 00:44:10+00:002009-09-09 00:44:10addTag16samSam Sehnert2009-09-09 00:44:01+00:002009-09-09 00:44:01updated15craigCraig Saunders2009-09-04 09:52:55+00:002009-09-04 09:52:55updated14added beta notessamSam Sehnert2009-09-04 04:21:58+00:002009-09-04 04:21:58updated13Added tag - extendedwendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 04:19:53+00:002009-09-04 04:19:53addTag12Added tag - blackboxwendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 04:19:27+00:002009-09-04 04:19:27addTag11wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 04:15:08+00:002009-09-04 04:15:08updated10wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 04:10:54+00:002009-09-04 04:10:54updated9wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 04:07:22+00:002009-09-04 04:07:22updated8wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 04:02:54+00:002009-09-04 04:02:54updated7wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 03:59:54+00:002009-09-04 03:59:54updated6wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 03:56:55+00:002009-09-04 03:56:55updated5wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 03:53:54+00:002009-09-04 03:53:54updated4wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 03:50:54+00:002009-09-04 03:50:54updated3wendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 03:48:53+00:002009-09-04 03:48:53updated2First additionwendyWendy Wethey2009-09-04 03:45:53+00:002009-09-04 03:45:53created1wiki2011-10-10T23:25:34+00:00groups/docs/wiki/9c8ccFalseGanttChartPro/groups/docs/wiki/9c8cc/GanttChartPro.htmlWendy Wethey46 updatesGanttChartPro GanttChartPro is a complete overhaul of the GanttChartLite. It enables tasks to be viewed from a resource (e.g. person, room) pers...Falsewendy2011-10-10T23:25:34+00:00hot/groups/docs/search/index.rss?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcomelist/groups/docs/search/?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcomeRecent ChangesRecentChangesListUpdates?sort=modifiedDate&kind=all&sortDirection=reverse&excludePages=wiki/welcome0/groups/docs/sidebar/RecentChangesListmodifiedDateallRecent ChangesRecentChangesListUpdateswiki/welcomeNo recent changes.reverse5search