Setting the form properties

About this topic

This topic describes the properties that appear in the bottom corner of the Form Designer window and the Editing .VWForm windows.

To create or edit forms, you must have VWorks Technician- or Administrator-level access. You should also have an understanding of how to create protocols in the VWorks software.

This topic describes the form properties that appear at the bottom of the Form Designer windows.

Figure. Form properties in the Form Designer and Editing .VWForm windows

 

For more details on creating forms, see Workflow for creating or editing a form.

Procedure

To set the form’s properties:

1	In the Form Designer window or Editing .VWForm window, specify the context for the JavaScript variables associated with all the controls in the form:

•	Context of the running protocol. Clear the Use global context for variables check box. JavaScript variables with the same name in different protocols will not be affected by the properties you set for the controls in this form.

Individual controls in the form can still specify the global context.

•	Global context for all variables in the form. Select the Use global context for variables check box. For example, if the form is for a runset, you must use the global context.

All controls in the form will use the global context for their JavaScript variables and scripts, regardless of the settings for the individual control properties.

Any protocol that uses the global context and contains JavaScript variables of the same name will be affected by the changes you make to the properties for the controls in this form.

 

CAUTION Ensure that the variable values you want to use globally are applicable to all other protocols, which also specify the global context. Otherwise, variables with the same name in different protocols will interfere with each other.

For more details on JavaScript context, see Understanding JavaScript context in form design.

2	To ensure that the default values associated with the controls in the form appear each time a user opens the form, select Restore default values when loading.

3	If the form includes the Toggle Full Screen button, specify whether to show or hide the Main Log, Pipette Log, Time Constraints Log, and Progress tabs in the full screen view:

•	Select the Show log in Full Screen mode check box to include the logs.

•	Clear the Show log in Full Screen mode check box to hide the logs.

4	To change the background color of the form, click Set background color, and then select the color from the Color dialog box.

5	Click OK. If this is the first time to save the form, the Save As dialog box opens. Select a storage location, type a name for the form, and click Save. The software saves the form as file type .VWForm.

If you are editing a previously saved form, click File > Save after the Form Designer closes.

Related information

 

For information about...	See...
Workflow for creating or editing a form	Workflow for creating or editing a form
Controls under General Controls in the Form Designer window	Adding form controls that allow editing or runtime data display
Controls under Specialized Buttons in the Form Designer window	Configuring a run button and other specialized buttons in a form
Controls under Specialized Display Controls in the Form Designer window	Adding indicators for elapsed time and progress to a form
JavaScript context and form design	Understanding JavaScript context in form design
Creating a basic protocol	Workflow for creating or editing a form
Using JavaScript	Creating a protocol: advanced topics