How to Work with Screens > Setting Screen Properties

Overview

Once a screen is added (see Creating and Editing a Screen), the "properties" window automatically appears. This is where the screen settings are defined. This "properties" window can be called at any time during project development to call and edit screen settings.

Setting of Screen Properties

To open the “Screen Properties” window, either right-click the screen's tree view representation and select "Properties" OR open the screen by double-clicking it, in the tree view, and, then, double-click the open screen to access the "Screen Properties" window OR right-click the screen and select 'Screen' Properties.

General tab

The "Properties" window opens with the "General" tab. Below are all the options displayed in this tab. You must adjust or maintain the options/values that are provided.

Screen Name
Name	Name that represents this screen in the MCL-Designer project (it is displayed in the tree view). Enter the screen name.
Title	Name displayed on the device's screen toolbar. Either enter it or click to select a variable with that value.
Screen Options
Clear Screen	When checked, clears the previous screen before the current one is drawn.
Beep	When checked, enables a sound every time screens change.
Back Light	When checked, enables the back light on the device's screen.
Show Toolbar	When checked, enables the Toolbar to be visible on the device's screen. See Details of "Screen Toolbar"below.
Orientation	Select the appropriate option from the following: Natural Orientation - The application's screens are adapted to the target device's default configuration. It is the default option. Portrait - The application's screens are portrait oriented. Landscape - The application's screens are landscape oriented. Auto - This option is the most dynamic and recommended. It allows for both portrait or landscape orientations. The application's screens react to the target device's G-sensor feature and adapt the screen orientation according to the device's current position. This option enables the use of the "Portrait/landscape mode" buttons ( see Zoom/Orientation section ) and the icon located on the upper left corner of every screen which is used to alternate the current orientation of the screen ( portrait or landscape) it is associated to. Flip (180°) - This option enables the application's screens to react to the target device's G-sensor feature and to invert the screen by 180° according to the device's current position. This is a useful feature when dealing with signature collection. The screen (with the"Signature capture" object) flips upside down to get the signature. Allow Auto Flip (180°) - This option is only active if the chosen orientation is either "Natural Orientation", "Portrait" or "Landscape". Check this option to enable the application's screen to react to the target device's G-sensor and invert screen orientation by 180°.
Validation Option
Execute screen Validation when all input are valid	Check this option to enable an "On Validate" event.
Wallpaper
Backgr. Color	Select a color from the drop-down list or click to customize it. See Details in Color.
Portrait	Select a wallpaper for the screen's portrait position from the drop-down list or click and browse for it. This field's availability depends on what is selected in the "Orientation" option.
Landscape	Select a wallpaper for the screen landscape position from the drop-down list or click and browse for it. This field's availability depends on what is selected in the "Orientation" option.

Details of Screen Toolbar

The following icons display the information defined by the system. They cannot be modified.

	4G/LTE Communication available.
	3G Communication available.
	GPRS Communication available.
	Edge Communication available.
	Wireless Communication available.
	Wireless Communication not available.
	Connection to active sync / mobile device center (USB).
	Charging.
	On Battery.
	Screen Help (enabled by the app.).
	Screen name. When clicked, the date (defined by regional settings) is displayed.
	Clock (defined by regional settings).

The only element that can be edited is the screen name, in the screen's properties.

The selection of the wallpaper may influence all screens (click the “Apply to All” option) or just the active screen.

Details on Color

You can customize the "Basic Colors" by changing the values of the available color elements (Hue, Sat, Lum, Red, Green and Blue).

Help tab

Another tab in the “Screen Properties” window is the “Help” tab. It is used to add text in a "help" format.

Entering data in the upper box adds information to the project's user report which is created by the "Report Settings" tool (located in the "File" menu > "Report").

Entering data in the lower box, is a text addition to the device itself, a "help" text that is viewed by the device operator.

Use the right click in MCL-Designer's input boxes to access certain features regarding the input box's option as well as general actions such as "Copy"; "Paste"; "Search".

Ex: If you right-click the "Text Data" input box (included in a "Display Text" properties window), you are provided with the "Paste", "Search..." and "Variable Select" options.

If you right-click any other input box, it will provide other possibilities.

Actions tab

The final tab in the “Screen Properties” window is the “Actions” tab. It is used to add processes to events that handle data within the screen (ex: it can be a "routine in", a process, etc.).

Events associated with Screens

Events are specific actions performed by the device operator that trigger actions within the application. These actions, which are defined by the programmer, are designated, in the MCL-Designer environment, as processes.

There is always a default event associated to a screen but more can be added to the screen.

There are 6 types of events associated to screens:

1. On Validate

Is only executed after all screen objects are validated. This background validation uses all established settings from the "Screen Properties" window.

Always check the “Auto-Validation” option, in the "Screen Properties" window, to ensure that this event becomes active.

2. On Ready

Is executed after the "Routine In" and/or the display of screen objects and, immediately, before the operator begins to interact with the application.

3. On Hotkey

Is used to define an action that is executed following a specified keystroke (in a virtual (SIP) or hardware keyboard).

4. On Timer

This event is an exception. It is executed due to a lack of activity by the device operator during a specific time cycle. It is associated to a specific action - a background Go To Branch Process on a countdown timer. A specific countdown time and a target location can be set. This countdown can be redundant if the “Repeatable” option is checked.

5. On RFID Tag Read

Is triggered after every tag read. It is used to obtain the data on each tag and to store it in a pre-established variable. The positioning of this event in application execution is very specific. It is usually added to the screen after having established the read's start and/or stop and what the reading profile should be.

This event includes predefined local variables to store data. See On RFID Tag Read's predefined local variables below.

6. On Power

This event is used to trigger an action the moment the device is connected to an external power source (ex: a cradle). The action (process) will continue to run even if the device is immediately back on battery.

To add an event, click . See How to work with Processes.

To add a process, either use the editing bar, located on the top of the "Actions" tab and click OR right-click any row and select the "Add/Insert ..." option in the resulting menu. See How to Work with Processes.

On RFID Tag Read's Predefined Local Variables

This event includes predefined local variables regarding the RFID Tag Reading process.

Variable Name	L_Object_Name	L_Session_Tag_Nbr	L_Tag_ID	L_RSSI
Variable ID	&0a	&1a	&2a	&3a
Description	Stores RFID profile name (*)	Stores Tag nbr read	Stores Tag ID read	Stores RSSI read

Variable Name	L_Read_RSV	L_Read_EPC	L_Read_TID	L_Read_User
Variable ID	&4a	&5a	&6a	&7a
Description	Stores RSV read	Stores EPC read	Stores TID read	Stores User read

* Defined when an RFID profile is created. See Creating an RFID profile.

Tab Order

As mentioned earlier (see Setting of Screen Properties), the “Screen Properties” window can be accessed by right-clicking a screen's empty space and selecting 'Screen' Properties.

This right-click menu includes the following options:

Change Tab Order	When there are multiple Input Objects (ex: an Input keyboard and an Input Barcode), this option establishes the order of the data input. See Detail of Change Tab Order window below.
Action On Ready	This section displays the event (On Ready) associated to the screen. Other events can be added (ex: On Hotkey, On Validate, On Timer, On Power, On RFID Tag Read). If an event contains processes, the event is displayed with a . Each event provides a shortcut that leads to the screen's "Actions" tab where it can be edited.
View Actions	Opens a window that displays the screen's events, objects and processes which are also editable. See Detail of "View Actions" window.
Screen Properties	Provides access to the "Screen Properties" window.

Detail of Change Tab Order window

Ex: The operator must, first, read the Input Barcode objects (1 and 2) and, afterward, fill in the Input Keyboard objects (1 and 2) despite the screen placement order.

Tab order defines the order that objects will follow when pressing the "Tab" key or when the object is validated. To have an object following a defined tab order, it must have the option "Tab Stop" enabled (in the object's "Layout" tab).

If you click , the tab order will be set according to the object's position within the screen - from top to bottom and from left to right.

The icons to the right of the window allow you to:

	Move the selected object to the first table position.
	Move the selected object one row up.
	Move the selected object one row down.
	Move the selected object to the last table position.

Detail of a View Actions window

The View Actions window displays the information regarding the active screen and the objects, events and processes included in it.

It is used to view all the elements included in the active screen (events,objects, processes). It is also editable, meaning, you can add events/processes to either screen or objects as well as edit screen, object and process properties.

To edit events, double-click the intended event to open an "Event" window. In the "Do" box, either maintain the default option <Action> (if you want to add other processes from the "Process Tab") or select one of the Go to shortcuts provided by the drop-down or list.

To add events, right click an event and select "Add Action". See Right-click menu below.

The Right-click menu provides options regarding events:

	Add Action	Opens an "Event" window. Select the new event from the available options. Maintain the default option <Action> if you want to add other processes or use the Go to shortcuts provided by the drop-down or list.
	Edit	Opens an "Edit Event" window. Maintain the default option <Action> if you want to add other processes or use the Go to shortcuts provided by the drop-down or list.
	Delete...	Deletes the selected event as well as the processes included in it.

To edit screen, object or process properties:

Double-click the element to open the corresponding properties window and make the required changes.

To add processes, use one of three possibilities:

1. Double-click an empty line to open a "Process List" (see Detail of Process List) and select the appropriate process.

2. Drag the intended process from the "Process Display Section" (located to the right of the "Work Area") and drop it on the intended event.

3. Use the editing bar (see Detail of the Editing Bar). Click to open a "Process List" and select a process.

To modify process execution order, either drag the selected process to the intended target or use the (cut), (copy) and (paste) icons from the "Editing" bar (see Detail of Process List).