Chapter 3-16: Using GUI Features of the Image Editor

Painting Labels

A label is used to define image text with GUI attributes that enhance the appearance of your image. Labels can be defined for descriptive text beside data objects. Label can also be used for a variety of other situations such as column headings above a scrolling region or other text which is to appear on the image.

The >Label Properties overlay shown below appears after you have selected the region on the image in which you want the label to appear, as described in Painting Buttons, Labels, Pictures, and Boxes.

Label Properties Overlay

The Label Properties overlay contains several fields which are used to define the characteristics of a label:

Control Options

Label to define the label's text.

Text Position indicates where the label should appear inside the selected region. Click the list button for a drop-down list of selections that include CENTER, TOP, RIGHT, BOTTOM, LEFT, UPPER RIGHT, UPPER LEFT, LOWER RIGHT and LOWER LEFT.

Icon Position indicates where the defined icon (if any) should be placed in relation to the label inside the selected region. Click the list button for a drop-down list of selections that include BEHIND TEXT, ABOVE TEXT, TRAILING TEXT, BELOW TEXT, LEADING TEXT, ABOVE & TRAILING, ABOVE & LEADING, BELOW & TRAILING, BELOW & LEADING and EXPAND TO FILL.

Margin (Top, Bottom, Left, Right) sets extra margin space between the label text and the border of the region. This value is in pixels and must be less than or equal to 255.

Resource specifies the application and name of a resource defined in Named Resources which links to one or more graphics files. Different graphics can apply depending upon resource state (disabled, enabled, rollover, pressed, etc).

Scale defines the size of the graphic as a percentage of the runtime font size. Click the list button to make your choice.

Tooltip defines one line of help text that is displayed after the mouse pointer has been positioned over the label for a few seconds. Tooltip does not apply to labels on output and inquiry images.

Font Options

Font selects the font (Arial, Courier, etc.) the label is to be displayed with. Click the list button to make your choice. If left blank, the default font determined by your system administrator will be used.

Style selects the label's font style (bold, italic, etc.). Click the list button to make your choice. If left blank, the regular font style is used.

Scale defines the size of the label's font as a percentage of the runtime font size. Click the list button to make your choice.

Text Color defines the label's font color. Click the color icon to begin and see the >Making Color Selections section for further instructions.

Fill Color defines the region's fill color. Click the color icon to begin and see the >Making Color Selections section for further instructions.

Transparent? indicates whether or not the background of the region should be opaque or transparent.

Border Options

Type defines the type of border that will surround the region. Click the list button to make your choice.

Color defines the color of the border. Click the color icon to begin and see the >Making Color Selections section for further instructions.

Tab Order Options

Tab Level is not a valid option when defining a label and is disabled.

Tab Group is not a valid option when defining a label and is disabled.

Other Options

Enabled indicates whether or not the label is initially enabled for use when this image is first presented to the user. If 'no', then the label must be enabled via ILF code in order for the enabled state to apply. Click the checkbox to toggle between 'yes' and 'no' values.

Invisible indicates whether or not the label is initially invisible when this image is first presented to the user. If 'yes' then the label must be made visible via ILF code in order for the user to see it. Click the checkbox to toggle between 'yes' and 'no' values.

Sep. Before? determines whether or not a vertical line precedes the label.

Sep. After? determines whether or not a vertical line follows the label.

Micro Adjustments

Row, Col, Height, and Width make slight adjustments to the size and position of the label. They are entered as a percentage of an image cell (1 row x 1 column) and must be less than or equal to 100.

Name allows you to 'name' the label so it can be controlled (enabled, disabled, etc.) via ILF statements.

Access to the GUI attributes at runtime with ILF code is done via the --- WIDGET file. The WIDGET records from the process are copied into this file and are available in the Pre-Display event point. WIDGET NAME is a key to this file. You can read and rewrite records in this file to affect the GUI attributes at runtime.

When you have finished defining the label you have two options available to you:

Select the Save option on the bottom right corner of the screen to save the definition and return to the Image Editor.

Or, you can select the Cancel option to discard the new definition or changes to an existing definition, and then return to the Image Editor.

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