Best Practices for Form Design Properties

  • Article

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

The primary rule for form design is that all properties should keep their Auto or Default setting. Many form design properties also exist on the individual controls, for example the Width and Height properties.

Also refer to the description of design properties in:

Property

Rules

Left, Top, Width, Height

Leave these properties set to Auto. Warning icon

Caption

Mandatory property Error icon, unless the Visible property is set to No, or the form is a lookup form.

Set this property to the same value as the label for the table underlying the primary data source on the form (the one set in TitleDatasource property). Warning icon

The label on the menu item that is used for activating the form, the caption of the form, and the table label must be in balance.

 TitleDatasource

Set this property to the primary data source in the form. Warning icon It is not necessary to set this property for the following controls: SimpleList, SimpleList and Details, or a Table of Contents.

The form title consists of the value of the Caption property, and, if a TitleDatasource is specified: a dash and the result of the caption method on the table underlying the specified data source

Examples:

  • Customers - Customer Account: 4010, The Lamp Shop

  • Customers - Customer Account: 5000, New Record

When a user creates a new record, the title will be appended with the text 'New Record'.

 Frame

Typically, the Frame type is Standard. Warning icon

The other Frame types do not have a caption and are typically used when a new form is opened from within a form (for example, when a form is opened when the user clicks a lookup button Lookup button). Set to Border for lookup forms.

WindowResize

Keep the default setting. Warning icon

WindowType

Set to Standard, Warning icon except for lookup forms, where it should be set to Popup.

HideToolbar

Set this property to No for all data entry forms. Warning icon

Set this property to Yes for lookup forms. Warning icon

Columns

Keep the default setting (1) for all data entry forms. Warning icon

SetCompany

If the SaveDataPerCompany property on a table is set to Yes, then the SetCompany property on a form design that uses the table as a data source must also be set to Yes.

See also

Forms Best Practices

Best Practices for Form Control Properties

Form Control Properties

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