Using Browse Windows
Throughout Contract Collector, BROWSE WINDOWS, such as the CONTACT LOG window shown above, are used for displaying and editing data. Some or all of
the fields in these windows can be edited, the same way you would edit a field
in a main window such as the CLIENT WINDOW. Other fields in a browse window may be protected, making it impossible to
edit the data they contain. In some cases, all fields in the window are for
display only and none of the data can be changed. These windows are designated as (READ ONLY) in their title.
In general, fields in a BROWSE WINDOW are edited in the same way any other field is edited. Use TAB or SHIFT-TAB to
move the highlight from one field to the next. Some fields in BROWSE WINDOWS are F2 fields, providing PICK LISTS and/or FIND WINDOWS to help you enter data. BROWSE WINDOWS also include vertical and horizontal scroll bars, which function the same as
scroll bars elsewhere in the system.
BROWSE WINDOWS also use other specialized controls for viewing the data and manipulating the
size and shape of the window. The controls that are unique to BROWSE WINDOWS, are as follows:
Title Bar – You can use the TITLE BAR to reposition the BROWSE WINDOW on the screen without affecting the size of the window. Changing the position
of the window allows you to see different parts of the main window behind the BROWSE WINDOW, which is sometimes helpful when you are entering or editing data. To move
the window, position the mouse pointer anywhere over the TITLE BAR. Press and hold the mouse button and then move the window anywhere within the main window's
borders.
Maximize Button – The design of this button varies from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95, but the
function remains the same. Pressing this button with the mouse changes the size
of the BROWSE WINDOW to its maximum size, so that it totally covers the main window behind it. This
displays as much of the BROWSE WINDOW data as possible at one time. When the BROWSE WINDOW is at its maximum size, the MAXIMIZE BUTTON changes to a RESTORE BUTTON (a double-headed arrow), which you can use to change the window back to its
original size.
Size Control – By clicking and holding the mouse pointer over the shaded block in the lower
right hand corner of the BROWSE WINDOW, you can re-size the window by moving the mouse up, down and from side to
side.
Window Border – The BROWSE WINDOW can also be re-sized by moving the mouse pointer directly over the border of
the window. When the pointer is over the border, it changes to a double-headed
arrow to indicate the directions you can move the pointer to re-size the
window. Click and hold the mouse button and then move the mouse in the direction of the arrows to
make the change.
If the border you are changing is on the left or right side of the window, the
mouse pointer changes to a double-headed arrow pointing to the right and left.
If the border you are changing is at the top or bottom of the window, the
mouse pointer changes to a double-headed arrow pointing up and down.
If you move the mouse pointer over one of the corners of the window, it
changes to a double-headed arrow that points diagonally in the two directions that
you can re-size the window.
Splitter Control – When you move the mouse pointer over this area of the window, the pointer
changes to look like two parallel vertical lines with arrows attached, pointing
to the left and right. Click and hold the mouse button and then move the mouse to the right and release the mouse
button. This splits the window into two sections, each with its own set of vertical and horizontal scroll bars.
The two vertical scroll bars are locked together so that when one is scrolled
the other automatically scrolls with it. The two horizontal scroll bars move
independently of each other, allowing you to adjust which columns in the window
are visible at one time. This is useful when a BROWSE WINDOW, even one that has been maximized, contains more columns than can be viewed
at once. For example, you might want to view the first and last column in a BROWSE WINDOW that is normally not wide enough to display the first and last columns at the
same time.
Column Borders – If a column in a BROWSE WINDOW is not wide enough to completely display the contents of the fields in the
column, you can adjust the column width. Move the mouse pointer over the vertical
line between two of the column headings, near the top of the window.
When the pointer is directly over the COLUMN BORDER between the column headings, it changes to a double-headed arrow shape. Press
and hold the mouse button and then move the mouse to the right or left until the
column is at the required width.
Control-menu Box – The design of this box varies from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95, but the
function remains the same. To close a BROWSE WINDOW, position the mouse pointer over this box and double click. To close a BROWSE WINDOW without a mouse, press ESCAPE. Closing the BROWSE WINDOW automatically saves your data and any changes you have made to any existing
data in the window.