B4J Question [ABMaterial] Grid within Grid?

[Robert Maguire]

Hi there,

I'm mucking around with ABMaterial for the first time and starting to get a handle on it an enjoy it. I think I've got a reasonable handle on the grid concept but I've come across a requirement that I'm struggling with...

I would like to build a page that has a left side and a right side.

The left side contains the user input fields:

• an ABMlabel
• an ABMInput
• an ABMCombo
• an ABMCombo

All arranged vertically beneath other. Currently I have added them all to the same left side cell.

The right side contains:

• an ABMTable

The top of the table is at the same level as the ABMLabel on the left side. However...the height (number of rows in the table) is variable depending on the results returned when the input fields on the left a filled out, i.e. the table could have zero rows or as many as 30 rows.

Because the left side components are in the same cell, the right side table just expands as required without causing the Input and Combos to slide down the page. However, I would like to have the left hand side components in their own (vertical) cells. So my questions are:

• If placed in their own cells...will the expanding table cause the Input and Combos to slide down the page as the table expands?
• If so, is there a way to prevent this from happening, e.g. having a grid within a grid so that the left side components stay fixed in their own cells within a parent cell?

Another way to explain this is that I'n looking for the Grid version of how merge cells vertically...(which Is why I asked if it is possible to do a grid within grid).

to try and illustrate what I want:

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Label | Table Header | |
| Input | Row 1 | |
| Combo1 V | Row 2 | |
| Combo2 V | Row 3 | |
| | Row 4 | |
| | Row 5 | |
...
| | Table Footer | |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+

What I don't want is:

+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Label | Table Header | |
| | Row 1 | |
| | Row 2 | |
| | Row 3 | |
| | Row 4 | |
| | Row 5 | |
...
| | Table Footer | |
| |
| Input |
| Combo1 V |
| Combo2 V |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+

Really appreciate any advice on how to lay this out.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Robert Maguire]

Arrrggghhhh. all the spaces in the illustration got stripped out.... I think it still conveys the idea though....

 

[alwaysbusy]

You can make a new grid in an existing cell by adding an ABMContainer (which has rows and cells on its own). So it is:

row
-- cell
----- container
-------- row
-----------cell
------------- container
...

Alwaysbusy

 

[Robert Maguire]

I was hoping that that would be the case.

Thank you for the fast answer...you've saved me a lot 'fiddling around time' by giving me the confidence to dive in without second guessing myself.

Thank you also for ABMaterial. I'm learning massive amounts as I play with it...

 

[Harris]

I think you shall come to find that containers are your best component. Another place to put your stuff...