Problem with setting item instances on a tabuler form

Question

I have a tabular form (6i) with a control block that displays 10 (non-database) records at a time. In cases where less than 10 records are displayed, I want to (programmatically) prevent the user from entering any values in the unpopulated text item instances but still be able to enter values in the populated instances. Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks,
Jeff

Answer 1

Friends--
Below is some updated code. I initially have set the insert_allowed property at the block and item level to "NO" in the property palette for the text items in this block. The number of records displayed is set to 10. The below code runs fine and populates the tabular items in the block and changes the visual attribute in the populated items to blue as designed. However, the insert_allowed is not changed for the populated item instances-- or even the unpopulated item instances for that matter. I set the insert_allowed property to "NO" at the block and item levels initially so that if the cursor populates fewer than 10 rows in the instances, the remaining unpopulated instances will not be insertable-- only the populated ones will be insertable. I am nearly at my wits end with this...ha ha. Let me know what you all think.
DECLARE
v_col varchar2(255);
v_owner varchar2(255);
v_schema varchar2(255)      := :ctl2.v_owner;
v_table varchar2(255)      := :ctl2.v_table_name;
v_val varchar2(1) default 0;
x int;
cur_itm VARCHAR2(80);
cur_block VARCHAR2(80) := :System.Cursor_Block;
Cursor matrix_cursor IS
Select column_name
From all_tab_columns
Where     owner = upper(v_schema) and     
table_name = upper(v_table);
BEGIN
     FIRST_RECORD;
     go_block('ctl');
     clear_block;
     OPEN matrix_cursor;
     LOOP
     FETCH matrix_cursor into v_col;
     EXIT when matrix_cursor%notfound;
     BEGIN /* loops thorugh the items in the block instance changing the visual attribute and insert_allowed properties... */
cur_itm := Get_Block_Property( cur_block, FIRST_ITEM );
WHILE ( cur_itm IS NOT NULL ) LOOP
     cur_itm := cur_block||'.'||cur_itm;
Set_Item_Instance_Property( cur_itm, CURRENT_RECORD,
     VISUAL_ATTRIBUTE,'visual_blue');
set_block_property('ctl', insert_allowed, property_true);
set_item_instance_property(cur_itm, current_record,
     insert_allowed, property_true);
cur_itm := Get_Item_Property( cur_itm, NEXTITEM );
END LOOP; -- ends inner loop
END;
-- populates the fields for each record...
     :ctl.v_field_name := v_col;
     :ctl.v_pos_01 := v_val;
     :ctl.v_pos_02 := v_val;
NEXT_RECORD;
END LOOP; -- ends outer loop
CLOSE matrix_cursor;
first_record;
End;