Working with custom forms

Complexity: Beginner Data Requirement: ArcGIS Tutorial Data Setup

Opening an existing form in the Form Editor

Steps:

1. Create or Open a customization file containing at least one form.
2. Click the Forms button on the toolbar.
3. Click the form you want to open on the Forms dialog box.
4. Click Edit.

Adding a page to a form

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the Page menu and click Add Page.

Deleting a page from a form

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the tab for the page you want to delete.
3. Click the Page menu and click Delete Page.

Adding a smart control to a layer form

Steps:

1. Open an existing layer form (that is, Edit Form, Identity Form, or Query Form) in the Form Editor.
2. Click the tab for the page to which you want to add the control.
3. Drag the applicable "smart control" from the Fields palette and drop it onto the form.
4. Set the applicable properties for the control on the Control Properties dialog box.
5. Click OK.

Tip:

The Fields palette shows a set of "smart controls" that are based on the layer's attribute fields. These controls are the most appropriate for each field, based on the schema. For example, a date field in a shapefile or datetime field in an ArcPad Exchange File (AXF) feature layer results in a DATETIME control on the palette. A field with a coded value domain in an AXF feature layer results in a DOMAINFIELD control on the palette. Smart controls are bound to their associated fields when they are dropped onto the layer form (that is, the Field attribute of the control is set to the layer's attribute field).

All bound controls automatically perform validation based on the bound field's schema.

Adding a control to a form

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the tab for the page to which you want to add the control.
3. Drag the applicable control from the Control Palette and drop it onto the form.
4. Set the applicable properties for the control on the Control Properties dialog box.
5. Click OK.

Tip:

In a layer form (that is, Edit Form, Identify Form, or Query Form), controls can be bound to attribute fields. To bind a control, set the Field attribute to the applicable layer field on the Control Properties dialog box.

Bound controls automatically perform validation based on the bound field's schema.

Deleting a control from a form

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the tab for the page from which you want to delete the control.
3. Click the control you want to delete.
4. Click the Control menu and click Delete Control.
5. Click OK.

Using the form grid to align controls

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the Layout menu and click Grid Settings.
3. Type the x,y-grid intervals in the X-Increment and Y-Increment text boxes, respectively.
4. Click OK.
5. Click the Layout menu and click Grid to display the grid.
6. Click the Layout menu and click Snap to snap controls to the grid.

Testing the form's display

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the Layout menu and click Test.
3. Click OK to return to design mode.

Setting a form's font and color

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the Form menu and click Form Properties.
3. Click the Text Color, Font, or Background Color button to set the form's text color, font properties, or background color, respectively.
4. Make necessary changes on the Font or Color dialog box and click OK.

Tip:

The text color, font, and background color set for the form are applied to all pages and controls on the form by default. Text color, font, and background color settings can also be set at the page and control level. If not explicitly set, forms use the system's color, font, and background color settings.

Click any of the Clear buttons to set the respective setting back to its default.

Setting a page's font and colors

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the tab for the page whose font and colors you want to set.
3. Click the Page menu and click Page Properties.
4. Click the Text Color, Font, or Background Color button to set the page's text color, font properties, or background color, respectively.
5. Make necessary changes on the Font or Color dialog box and click OK.

Tip:

The text color, font, and background color set for the page are applied to all controls on the page by default. Text color, font, and background color settings can also be set at the control level. If not explicitly set, pages use the form's color, font, and background color settings.

Click any of the Clear buttons to set the respective setting back to its default.

Setting a control's font and colors

Steps:

1. Open an existing form in the Form Editor.
2. Click the tab for the page containing the control whose font and colors you want to set.
3. Double-click the control whose font and colors you want to set.
4. Click the Text Color, Font, or Background Color button to set the control's text color, font properties, or background color, respectively.
5. Make necessary changes on the Font or Color dialog box and click OK.
6. Click OK on the Control Properties dialog box.

Tip:

If the color, font, and background color settings are not explicitly set, controls use the page's color, font, and background color settings.

Click any of the Clear buttons to set the respective setting back to its default.