Setting

Definition

Caption

The caption that displays above the column.  This setting accepts tags.

Display width

The number of characters (roughly) wide to make the column.  This must be a number greater than zero, or the column will not be displayed.

Alignment

How the column data is to be aligned in the column.  The caption is always centered.  This setting applies to the data itself.

Font

The font that will be used to display the data in the column.

Minimum access

The minimum access required to be able to see the column.

Special format

Applies to the data displayed in the column.  The data will be displayed based on the format chosen.  This setting accepts tags.

Special type

Typically a column will display data directly from the database.  There are some special types that may be chosen, in which case, depending on the type, the data displayed in the column is derived in some way.  For instance, a QUERY type will issue a SQL query based on the SQL placed in the Script setting and display the numeric results of the query in the column (useful for displaying the number of records in a child table associated with this parent record, for example.)

Hyperlink specifics

When choosing the Hyperlink type, this setting defines how the hyperlink will display in the data area of the column.  It is defined in the form <display column>,<lookup column>.  <display column> is the column to be displayed.  <lookup column> is the column that will be used to look up the display column.  The current value for the record-field that applies to the current column will be taken and used to perform a lookup  based on the <lookup column> defined.  If found, the <display  column> value will be displayed, as a hyperlink, in the column.  This setting is also used, in a similar way, to define the display and lookup columns for related tables.  The order is the same:  <display column>,<lookup column>. This setting accepts tags.

SQL Query

When either a QUERY or QUERY-HTML type has been chosen, this setting defines the SQL that will be used in conjunction with that type.  This setting accepts tags.  V1 will always contain the current primary key value for the record being displayed.  The QUERY types, the SQL must be a COUNT(), or MAX(), or any other type of query that will yield a single column with a single number as the result.  The number resulting from the query will be displayed.  The name of the column returned by the query MUST agree with the name of the display field defined for the column (a setting which cannot be changed and is therefore not displayed).  (HINT - changing a column to a Query or Query-HTML type requires ESI assistance).  A query-HTML type also specifies a SQL query that will be issued directly to the database.  The difference is the SQL query will yield actual HTML that will be displayed based on the query (the HTML is produced directly by the query).  Such capability is often used to display (or not) a picture icon based on specific contents of the record.

Allow data to be searched on this element – Column Filters

Defines if and how data is to be searched. 

Search by Checkbox should be reserved for data that is either YES/NO (i.e. Active field in contracts).

Search by value can be used for any text value column. 

If a column has a SQL Query in this form (anything under “SQL Query (for query types)”, column will not be available as a filter.

NOTE: Since there are predefined filters that are not associated with column filters, it is possible to see duplicate filter options. Be sure to choose the column filters you want to be listed carefully.