............ MDI in Forms 6i

Question

Hi all
May i know how to create MDI in Forms 6i....
I have read on basic documentation that MDI Forms Windows is probably not displayed on Object navigator etc.
Kindly let me know the procedure on how to create the MDI Form Window
Please tell me some links for Advanced Documentation concepts as well
i shal be highly thankful to you ..
I have posted a thread regarding the Size and display of Window..
is is that Nobody has worked on that ...
Thanx alot to all of you ..
BR

Answer 1

Hi,
Source: Metalink
Note:73444.1
Subject: How to Control Windows Programatically in Forms?
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Doc ID: Note:73444.1
Subject: How to Control Windows Programatically in Forms?
Type: BULLETIN
Status: PUBLISHED
Content Type: TEXT/X-HTML
Creation Date: 29-JUL-1999
Last Revision Date: 29-OCT-2002
How to Control Windows Programmatically in Forms?
=================================================
This technical bulletin will cover the triggers and built-ins that you can
use to manage the properties and behavior of windows and canvases at run time.
We will learn how to:
-- create trigger code to interact with windows
-- control windows programmatically
This technical bulletin will discuss the following items in more details:
1) What are the window interaction triggers?
2) What are the common uses for these triggers?
3) How to keep track of the triggered window?
4) What are the Built-ins for manipulating windows?
5) What is the relationship between windows and blocks?
6) How to manipulate windows properties programmatically?
7) How to manipulate the MDI Application Window at form startup?
8) How to locate the cursor window?
9) How to show multiple windows?
10) How to cascade windows with context?
11) How to close windows?
12) Known bugs with windows tiggers
What are the Window Interaction Triggers?
=========================================
There are four window interaction triggers to provide extra functionality
whenever a user interacts with a window. These triggers should be defined
as the form level.
Trigger                    Characteristic
When-window-activated     Fires when a window is made the active window.
Note that window activation can occur
independently of navigation.
When-window-deactivated     Fires when a user deactivates a window by
setting the input focus to another window.
When-window-closed     Fires when a user closes a window using a
window-manager-specific Close command.
When-window-resized     Fires when a window is resized, either by
the user or through a trigger. It also fires
at form startup, but not when a window is made
into an icon.
What are the Common Uses for These Triggers?
============================================
Trigger                    Use
When-window-activated     Enforces navigation to a window; captures
initial window properties; keep track of most
recently fired window triggers.
When-window-deactivated     Deactivates a window.
When-window-closed     Closes a window.
When-window-resized     Maintains visual standards; captures window
properties; audit actions of an operator; set
input focus in an item in target window.
Additional documentation and examples can be found in the Forms Online Help.
How to Keep Track of the Triggered Window?
==========================================
The :SYSTEM.EVENT_WINDOW system variable contains the name of the
last window for which a window interaction trigger fired. You can use this
system variable to perform different actions for different windows in your
window interaction triggers.
What are the Built-ins Used for Manipulating Windows?
================================================
Built-in                    Description
Find_window     Returns the internal window ID(of datatype
WINDOW) of a window with the given name.
Get_window_property      Returns the current value of the specified
window property for the given window.
Hide_window     Hides the window
Move_window     Moves the window to the location specified by
the given coordinates.
Resize_window     Changes the window to the specified width and
height.
Set_window_property     Sets the specified window property for the given
window to a specified value.
Show_window     Makes the window visible at the current or
specified display position.
ID_Null Returns a BOOLEAN value that indicates whether the
object ID is available.
Additional documentation and examples can be found in the Forms Online Help.
What is the Relationship Between Windows and Blocks?
=====================================================
Form builder processes many events based on blocks (and items), which can be
completely independent of windows (and canvases). Keep in mind the following
characteristics of windows and blocks:
Connection between windows and blocks:
-- A window can contain multiple canvases and multiple items can be located
on a canvas.
-- A block can contain multiple items and an item is located on one and only
one canvas (except for null canvas items).
-- A window can contain multiple blocks and the items in the block can be
located on several windows.
NOTE: In general, put blocks in separate windows. If blocks are closely
related (through a foreign key relationship), put them in the same window.
Window Activation and Block Navigation:
You can use the when-window-activated trigger to activate another window
automatically (we will see how we can do that later in this bulletin).
Transaction Management:
During commit processing, forms processes all base table blocks in sequential
order. Therefore, transaction management is block based rather than
window based. However, the user expects to interact with a form in a
window based way.
How to Manipulate Windows Properties Programmatically?
======================================================
You can use the window-interaction triggers and the built-ins for windows
to manipulate your windows (and the MDI application window on Microsoft
windows) at runtime.
How to manipulate the MDI Application Window at Form Startup?
=============================================================
The when-new-form-instance trigger below implements the following
functionality:
-- Maximizing the MDI application window.
-- Setting the window title of the MDI application window.
NOTE: The Forms MDI Window is only available for forms installed on MS Windows
and for web forms starting with Developer 6.0.
When-New-Form-Instance trigger at the Form Level
BEGIN
SET_WINDOW_PROPERTY(FORMS_MDI_WINDOW, WINDOW_STATE, MAXIMIZE);
SET_WINDOW_PROPERTY(FORMS_MDI_WINDOW,TITLE, 'ANY_TITLE');
END;
You can also maximize the MDI window application with the WINDOW_STATE
command line parameter:
f45run32 module=emp userid=scott/tiger@DB window_state=maximize
f50run32 module=emp userid=scott/tiger@DB window_state=maximize
ifrun60 module=emp userid=scott/tiger@DB window_state=maximize
NOTE: For web forms, place the as a parameter withing the serverArgs line in
the forms html. This is the line where the form module is specified.
How to locate the cursor window?
================================
The cursor may be located in an inactive window. In this case, you can use
the following GET_CURSOR_WINDOW function to find this window:
FUNCTION GET_CURSOR_WINDOW RETURN VARCHAR2 IS
BEGIN
RETURN (GET_VIEW_PROPERTY(GET_ITEM_PROPERTY(NAME_IN('SYSTEM.CURSOR_ITEM'),
ITEM_CANVAS),WINDOW1));
END;
How to Show Multiple Windows?
==============================
When using several windows, you should consider how to position them with
respect to each other and how to indicate the context in which a certain
window is displayed.
The following examples show a form based on dept for department table and
emp for employee table. The department block and employee block are located
in separate windows.
When-New-Form-Instance Trigger at the Form Level:
DECLARE
          v_first_windowx number;
          v_first_windowy number;
BEGIN
          default_value('0', 'global.first_windowx');
          default_value('0', 'global.first_windowy');
          v_first_windowx := :global.first_windowx;
          v_first_windowy := :global.first_windowy;
          set_window_property('window1', position, v_first_windowx,
          v_first_windowy);
--this is to locate window 2 in the right side of window1
          set_window_property('window2', position, v_first_windowx + 300,
     v_first_windowy );
          show_window('window1');
END;
How to cascade windows with context?
=====================================
Create when-new-block-instance trigger on e.g. emp block
BEGIN
SET_WINDOW_PROPERTY('WINDOW2', TITLE, 'EMPLOYEE INFORMATION');
END;
How to Close Windows?
======================
Use the Close Menu Item on the system-menu box to provide the user with
a means for closing windows. Because there is no default behavior in forms
when a user chooses the Close Menu item, you must define a When-window-closed
trigger.
The following example shows a form based on dept and emp. The dept block
and emp block are located in separate windows.
When-Window-Closed Trigger at the Form Level:
     BEGIN
IF :SYSTEM.EVENT_WINDOW= 'WINDOW1'
THEN
          DO_KEY('exit_form');
     ELSIF :SYSTEM.EVENT_WINDOW='WINDOW2'
THEN
     HIDE_WINDOW('WINDOW2');
END IF;
END;
12) Known bugs with windows triggers
========================================
bug # abstract
944798 When-Window-Activated trigger does not fire returning from
called form; Fixed in Forms 6i
926729 When-Window-Activated trigger does not fire in Character mode
(Synchronize!!!); Fixed in Forms 6i
1089583 When-Window-Activated trigger not firing. Fixed in Forms 6i
750724 Trigger When-Window-Activated fires only once; fixed in 4.5.7.2.0
615132 Runtime: GPF raised by when-Window-Activated, When-Window-Closed,
etc.; Workaround: Set the maximum length of CONTROL.MSG to <= 32767
Fixed in Forms 6i
Cheers,
Monica