ADD-LIKE-COLUMN( ) method

Creates a browse column from the specified field and returns its handle. This method can be used only after the browse's query attribute has been set.

Return type: HANDLE

Applies to: BROWSE widget

Syntax

ADD-LIKE-COLUMN ( field-name-exp | buffer-field-handle 
  [ , pos  [ , widget-type ] ] )

field-name-exp

The name of a field in one of the buffers associated with the browse's query. If the query is a join, the name must be qualified with the database name.

buffer-field-handle

The handle of a buffer-field from a buffer associated with the browse's query.

pos

The optional integer value position of the browse column. If pos = 2, the column is the second column. If the position is not specified or the position is invalid, the new column is added at the end of the columns.

widget-type

An optional character expression specifying the widget type of the column. Valid values are "COMBO-BOX", "DROP-DOWN", "DROP-DOWN-LIST", "FILL-IN", and "TOGGLE-BOX". The default value is "FILL-IN".

The widget-type parameter is ignored in character mode.

A widget type of "COMBO-BOX" or "DROP-DOWN-LIST" is valid only when the buffer-field's data type is CHARACTER, DATE, DECIMAL, INTEGER, INT64 or LOGICAL. A widget type of "DROP-DOWN" is valid only when the buffer-field's data type is CHARACTER. A widget type of "TOGGLE-BOX" is valid only when the buffer-field's data type is LOGICAL. If the widget type is not valid for the buffer-field's data type, the AVM generates a run-time error.

If not specified, the AVM creates the browse column based on the widget type specified in the buffer-field's VIEW-AS attribute. (The VIEW-AS attribute has no effect in character mode.)

The ADD-LIKE-COLUMN( ) method can be used on a static browse as well as a dynamic browse. When used on a static browse, the browse will become a NO-ASSIGN browse (you must make the database updates).

A dynamic browse column's validation expression is restricted. It may not contain a CAN-FIND function. To reference the field, the FRAME-VALUE function must be used.

The following is an example of adding the Customer number field to the browse:

ColHdl = BrwsHndl:ADD-LIKE-COLUMN("Customer.CustNum").