TmplItem Reference

[This is preliminary documentation and is subject to change.]

The TmplItem class, class it the base class for ALL elements used in form templates and the structure file.

Class hierarchy

The class TmplItem is the root in a class hierachy, that describes all the elements that may be used to configure form templates) and define relation between forms and hence the configurable data model in the structure file.

TmplItem is an abstract class (it cannot be instantiated). A configurator cannot use this class directly in neither form templates nor the structure file.

All properties on TmplItem exist in all elements used in form templates and the structure file. Not all properties are meaningful on al elements, though. For example: properties for styling/CSS-classes and JavaScript events are meaningful in form templates, but NOT in the structure file.

Many, but not all, of the fields defined in classes in this class hierachy, are settable in the XML files. All fields settable in XML files may be edited using the editor.

Unfortunately it is not apparent from the API documentation for the TmplItem, which properties are editable and which are not. (the API reference is generated automatically from the source code).

All propeties listed in this "Reference" part of the doumentation are setable in the XML files and the editor.

TmplItem properties

Property	Type	Description
Hidden	Boolean	Hidden fields generate fields in DataDictionary (and hence database), but are not visible in input form.
Deleted	Boolean	The template item (and anything below it) is skipped when generating DataDictionary, so fields will not be generated in database.
ExcludeFromPrint	Boolean	The template item is excluded from the printed version of the form
Comment	String	Internal comment for use by form designer
ClearOnCopy	Boolean	The template item will be cleared before copying (see: EnableCopying attribute on Form Reference)
VisibleComputation	String	TOPICA basic computation (formula) that must evaluate to a boolean value controlling visibility of item - true => item is visible
ClassNameLabel	String	Stylesheet classname for the label generated for this template item
ClassNameLabelCell	String	Stylesheet classname for table cell containing label
ClassNameControl	String	Stylesheet classname for the control genereated for this template item
ClassNameControlCell	String	Stylesheet classname for table cell containing control
StyleLabel	String	Inline style for the label generated for this template item
StyleLabelCell	String	Inline style for table cell containng label
StyleControl	String	Inline style for the control generated for this template item
StyleControlCell	String	Inline style for table cell containing control
OnKeyDown	String	Custom JavaScript for onkeydown event
OnKeyUp	String	Custom JavaScript for onkeyup event
OnKeyPress	String	Custom JavaScript for onkeypress event
OnClick	String	Custom JavaScript for onclick event
OnChange	String	Custom JavaScript for onchange event
OnFocus	String	Custom JavaScript for onfocus event
OnBlur	String	Custom JavaScript for onblur event
PreProcess	String	URL pointing to a pre process that will be executed before the form is loaded. The pre process should return xml that can then be parsed by template items on the form to set a default value.
PostProcess	String	URL poiting to a post process that will be executed each time the form is saved.

Other Resources

Form Reference