| System Template |
|---|
The Tornado display system uses templates throughout and is extremely flexible. Templates are sent to the browser after all the [[macros]] objects are generated by and stuffed. This method becomes a special case display tool as all of the standard modes display templates are covered by the standard template. Therefore, use the macros defined for the standard templates.
- Form template also use the same set of Macros.
- If template has "File=" as prefix then a disk template file is used. (e.g. File=/mydir/mytemplate.txt)
- If file has no path then /tornado/templates is assumed. (e.g. File=Mytemplate.htm)
- Filename can be either virtual or physical. (e.g. File=c:\inetpub\wwwroot\tornado\templates\Mytemplate.dat)
A System Template has the format of - <center>[Action]]</center> where Action = Update, Add, Filter
- The core macro [[....]] is furnished and is not made available for customization and is filled with the Action grid. No customization of Skin is allowed as dbSkin is in control. A User Template allows total customization including the Css of the display page. And is used only in very demanding situations. The following is an advanced user template example. The goal is to show how far you can go with user templates in customizing the display screens. Cut and paste these codes into the designated directories, download the supporting image files and execute the .aspx module.
- In ASPdb.Net, all the mode displays are via either Memory or File templates. During system modes display, SendTemplate will first replace the internal macros [[Chart]], [[Grid]], [[Form]], [[SelectBox]], [[NormalFilter]], [[NormalUpdate]], [[NormalAdd]], [[GridNav]] and [[GridStat]]. These macros cover all the internal display modes. You can position these macros in your own fashion during custom layout. After this, the regular template macros are processed.
- Note that the Date and many other formats of ASP.NET is different then ASP. See ASP.NET formats page for more detail.
- When you supply a user template like dbGridTemplate = "<Center>[[Grid]]</Center>" for example. The update, add and filter functions does not seem to work anymore - why? It is because when you take charge of the template customization, you must supply the template for the other functions also. So, dbGridTemplate="[[Grid]] <P>[[NormalUpdate]] [[NormalAdd]] [[NormalFilter]]" will position the edit and filter templates.
The following system templates can be override by issuing a new one to the properties.
| System Templates | Default |
|---|---|
| dbAddTemplate | <center>[[NormalAdd]]</center> |
| dbAggregateExportTemplate | See dbAggregateExportTemplate |
| dbDualTemplate | <center><table border=0><tr
valign=top><td>[[Grid]]</td><td>[[Form]]</td> </tr></table><p>[[GridNav]]<P>[[GridStat]]</center> |
| dbDualTemplate | <center>[[Grid]]<p>[[Form]]<p>[[GridNav]]<P>[[GridStat]]</center> |
| dbFilterTemplate | <center>[[NormalFilter]]</center> |
| dbFormTemplate | <center>[[Form]]<p>[[GridNav]]<P>[[GridStat]]</center> |
| dbGridTemplate | <center>[[Grid]]<p>[[GridNav]]<P>[[GridStat]]</center>
Example - Modify for a Grid Chart to display in vertical manner. Obj.dbGridTemplate = "<center><table border=0><tr valign=top><td align=center>[[Grid]]</td></tr><tr><td align=center><br>[[Chart]]</td></tr></table></Center> |
| dbLoginTemplate | file=ASPdbLogin.htm |
| dbSelectedBoxFormTemplate | <center>[[SelectBox]]<p>[[Form]]<p>[[GridStat]]</center> |
| dbUpdateTemplate | <center>[[NormalUpdate]]</center> |
Note: For user Template that includes Filter and Edit, you must wrap that in an <Action>...</Action> block. This block will be displayed or hidden according to the conditions (Cancel). For example -
T.dbGridTemplate = "[[Grid]]<action>[[NormalFilter]]</action><BR>[[GridNav]]<BR>[[GridStat]]"
| Modifying System Templates |
|---|
Many times you would like to have your own arrangement of the display templates like navigation on the top. The following is the system Grid template.
GridTemp = "<center><table class=nb><tr valign=top> <td align='center'>[[Grid]]<p><center>[[GridNav]]<P>[[GridStat]]</center></td><action><td> <center>[[Action]]</center></td></action></tr></table><P>[[Memo]]</center>";
[[Action]] will be replaced by Filter and Edit templates.
[[Memo]] will be stuffed by the single memo field if present.
So, to add a navigation bar at the top and you do not have a single memo field ->
T.dbGridTemplate = "<center><table class=nb><tr valign=top><td align='center'>[[GridNav]]<p>[[Grid]]<p><center>[[GridNav]]<P>[[GridStat]]</center></td><action><td> <center>[[Action]]</center></td></action></tr></table></center>"
Single Memo field is a feature to emulate the classic asp-db to place the memo field below the grid. Only (1) field is allowed. See dbMemoFlds proeprty.
| User Template and Macros |
|---|
User Template macros are used in Editing as well as stand alone ASPdbSendTemplate method.
| System Templates | Default |
|---|---|
| dbUserAddTemplate | No default - Use HTML and User Template Macros |
| dbUserFilterTemplate | No default - Use HTML and User Template Macros |
| dbUserUpdateTemplate | No default - Use HTML and User Template Macros |
| [[Template Macros]] | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Now | Today's day. | [[Now(MM-dd-yy)]]
or [[now()]] Now can be applied to Report in User data or Magic. |
| TX | Lay a text anchor. This could be anything including your own controls | [[TX::<INPUT....>]] |
| V | Value with format | [[V::Value::Format]] EQ can be applied to Report |
| SV, F, RF | Session Variable, Field, RawField | [[SV::VarName::BlankText::Contain
Text:: If not Contain Text::If containText]] RF and SV can be applied to Report. |
| XF | Export Field (Row) | [[XF::EXPORT_Index::Unit]] EXPORT Field = Session(ASPDB_EXPORTFLDS_Index) |
| XC | Export Column (Col) | [[XC::Unit::Col::Table BRC]] |
| EQ | Equation | [[EQ::Equation::OPR::CMP_VALUE::True-HTML::False-HTML]] OPR (=, <>,>, >=, <, <=) False-HTML can be a space for no show EQ can be applied to Report |
| CHART | Chart output | [[Chart]] |
| GRID | Grid output | [[Grid]] |
| FORM | Form output | [[Form]] |
| SELECTBOX | Select Box output | [[SelectBox]] |
| NORMALFILTER | Filter output | [[NormalFilter]] |
| NORMALADD | Edit Add output | [[NormalAdd]] |
| GRIDNAV | Navigation output | [[GridNav]] |
| GRIDSTAT | Stat output | [[GridStat]] |
| MEMO, RAWMEMO | Memo field | [[0=memo::1=fieldname::2=Macro
with ##field##]] Example - [[memo::notes::<table width='54%' class=ts cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='gh'>Title</td></tr><tr><td class=nr>##field##</td></tr></table>]] Example for multiple Memo fields - T.dbGridTemplate = "<center>[[Grid]]<p>[[GridNav]]<p>[[GridStat]]<p><p><table width='54%' class=ts cellspacing='1'><tr><td class='gh'>Activity Desc</td><td class='gh'>Status</td><td class='gh'>Notes</td><td class='gh'>Lesson</td></tr><tr><td class=nr>[[memo::Activity_Descrip::##field##]]</td><td class=nr>[[memo::Status::##field##]]</td><td class=nr>[[memo::Notes::##field##]]</td><td class=nr>[[memo::Lesson::##field##]]</td></tr></table></center>" The key is to position the [[Memo:Fname:##field##]] in the appropriate place. Remember to set the memotextsize to -1. |
XC tag - Table BRC (Array Formatter)
In the XC tag (Export Column), the last option is called Table BRC. BRC stands for "Block-Rows-Cols" and is a very flexible blanket layout for items on a matrix. You can just indicate how many rows or columns and the direction of the layout and the rest will be figured out for you. The layout can be a standard table with patch cells or user specified. Look at the Code Gallery Export Formatted Table RC example. This example takes the column output of the database which are image filenames and lay them out in a matrix via a macro. All is specified is '4CV' meaning 4 Columns in the Vertical direction.
Option for this the XC tag are -
- case 1 = [[XC::92::Col::<UL Type=square>]]
- case 2 = [[XC::92::Col::<OL Type=i>]]
- case 3 = [[XC::92::Col::Table BRC::<Table border=0>]]
- case 3 = [[XC::92::Col::Table BRC]]
- case 4 = [[XC::92::Col::Table BRC::<Table>::</Table>::<TR>::</TR>::<TD>::</TD>::PatchStr]]
* PatchStr is the string that fills the empty matrix cell like -> N/A or an image. Default is
| Advanced Showcase Example - dbUserAddTemplate |
|---|
Download, Unzip the following. Execute the UserAddTemplate.aspx file and you'll see a custom Edit Add screen as follows. Inspect the template file and see how it is being done.
Download User Add Template Example files
|
| Send Template |
|---|
After ASPdbSendTemplate is called, the [[macros]] will be filled with appropriate values.
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