Browse Tables and More

Simple Browse Tables

A browse table allows you to easily browse through data entries. Each table includes a list of data that is usually organized into columns. Some browse tables are quite simple, such as the browse table for Item Types.

This browse table uses only column and the items are added in-line. You can change the records by double-clicking an item or by highlighting an entry (with a single click) and then clicking change. In the case of this browse table, Delete removes the highlighted record immediately without asking if you are sure that you want to delete the record.

Most delete buttons related to more complex browse tables cause a window to pop up to confirm that you want to delete before the program permanently deletes the record.

Complex Browse Tables

Some browse tables are more complex, such as the table for Orders. There are two browse tables in the Customer Orders section of the program, which makes it a multi-browse window. The lower table is also called a detail table because it lists additional information for whichever record is highlighted in the upper browse table. Not all records have information to display in a detail table.

Sorting by Column

One of the ways in which the upper browse table in Orders is more complex than the table for Packing Types is that the data can be sorted by several of the columns. When sorting by a column, the records will be reordered in the browse table based on the items listed in that column. Each row’s information will remain unchanged. Sorting by column will only change the order of the rows in the table. You can only sort by one column at a time.

By default, the table is sorted by the order number from the highest to the lowest number. When creating a new customer order entry, the program assigns the entry an order number that is one number greater than the previously used entry. Therefore, the most recently added orders would be at the top of the table. If you click on the column header , the order will change to ascending + and descending - to the left of the title. Sorting by column can be done with most of the columns. If you attempt to sort the data by a column by which you cannot sort, the program notifies you via a pop up window.

A column with dates works the same way as a column with regular numbers: if the arrow is pointing up, the smallest date (or oldest) will be at the top, and if the arrow is pointing down, the largest date (or most recent) will be at the top. When the items in a column are words, they are sorted alphabetically from top to bottom when the arrow points up and from bottom to top when the arrow points down.

Rearranging Column Order

The order of the columns on the browse can be rearranged to suit the user. Ctrl-Left Mouse click and Hold on the value in the column to move. Move the column to the desired location and release the Ctrl and Mouse Keys. If you Ctrl-Left Mouse on the header a menu pops up to hide/unhide columns, restore defaults and sort by the header selected.

Navigation Arrows

Directly beneath most browse tables, to the left of the horizontal scroll bar are arrows to navigate through the list of records. The takes you to the beginning of the list; the takes you to the end of the list. The double arrows ( , ) take you 10 entries farther in the list up or down. The single arrows (, ) take you to the next closest record up or down.

Plus and Minus Control Buttons

Under Products>By Product Type or Inventory by Item Type, there is a browse table without columns. In this table, the products are in a list and more information for the record is seen by clicking the plus control button next to an item.

When clicked, the plus control button switches to a minus control button and additional information is displayed. The minus control button can be clicked to hide the additional information. In the pictured example, Cilantro will remain in the list, but if the minus control button next to Cilantro is clicked, then Cilantro Flakes and Cilantro Flakes Seasoning will be hidden from view again. Like the detail table for Customer Orders, there are two tables in this window that give more information about a highlighted item. The upper table on the right lists the principals who sell the highlighted product. If applicable, the lower table lists the lots where the highlighted principal holds the product.

Sizing Columns

There is an embossed, horizontal line right above the Lots table. This allows the user to adjust how much space each table column takes up in the window. This sizing line appears in other parts of the program as well. See video for demonstration.

Sizing Video:

Tabs and Underline Selection Option

In Products>By Principal or Inventory by Supplier, there is another type of setup using browse tables. It is like the set up in Inventory by Item Type. The table to the left is the main table, with the Products and Lots tables being the detail tables. The Products table lists more information for the supplier highlighted in the left table, and the Lots table lists more information for the product highlighted in the table above it. In the main table, the information listed is based on the tab selected at the top of the table. Each tab—Principal Products, Vendor Products, or All—lists a different set of data. The All tab includes all the data listed under Principal Products and Vendor Products, as well as all special vendors.

Instead of clicking on a tab to select it, you can type the Alt key plus the letter(s) underlined in the tab name. For Principal Products, typing Alt+P takes you to it; for Vendor Products, Alt+V; and for All, Alt+L. The letter is not always the first letter of the word. This is often because there will be multiple tabs names starting with the same letter. Not all tabs have an underline selection option. There are also other types of fields that use the underline selection option, such as some checkboxes and buttons.