Selectors allow a user to flip through the panels in a panel stack, display different elements or metrics in a Grid/Graph, change dynamic text fields (a text field that is a reference to an object on a report) in a panel stack, or update the items displayed in another selector. For more information on selectors in general, including examples and procedures to create them, see Providing interactivity to users: Selectors.
As with any other control, when you insert a selector into a document, its formatting is determined by the control default. However, you can change any of the formatting options. You can use different interfaces to define the formatting; which interface you use depends on your personal preference and what options you want to change. For more information, see Methods to format a selector below.
The following list provides some useful formatting suggestions:
Make the selector appear three-dimensional, like a button, with the 3D effect. For an example, see Applying 3D effects to controls.
Let the content behind the selector show through by setting the background to transparent. You can also allow a fill color to cover what is behind the selector by setting the background to opaque. For an example, see Applying a transparent background to controls.
Float the selector above the background by using a drop shadow. For an example, see Applying drop shadows to controls.
Create a gradual color change by blending two colors using gradient colors on the selector. For an example, see Applying gradient colors to controls.
Display pop-up text (a tooltip) when a user positions the mouse over the selector. The tooltip can provide extra information, such as an expanded description of the control. For an example, see Creating pop-up tooltips in controls.
Display a selector to other document designers in Design Mode while hiding it from users viewing the document in the exported PDF or in Interactive Mode, Editable Mode, Express Mode, or Flash Mode. To do this, you hide the control that contains the information by using the Visible property. For instance, you could prevent a user from changing panels in a panel stack by hiding the panel stack’s selector. For an example, see Hiding a control.
Control the sizing behavior of the selector items with the Make all items the same width property, which can be set to proportional (the default) or fixed (same width for all items). The items are the buttons or check boxes, for example, of the selector. For an example, see Specifying proportional or fixed width for items in a selector.
Format the font of the text for the items in the selector, including style, size, and color. For steps, see Formatting the text of selector items.
Format the background color of a selector, including the background color used to highlight selected items. For an example, see Formatting the background of a selector.
Add a title bar with a custom title to the selector. The title bar also allows the user to quickly switch between displaying data for attribute elements selected in a selector, or displaying data only for elements that are unselected. For steps and an example image, see Adding and formatting a selector title bar.
You can change the formatting and other properties for selectors by using any of the following methods:
For layout properties (such as name, position, and size) and properties specific to selectors such as action type and targets, use the Properties dialog box.
For all formatting options, including alignment, effects, and colors, use the Format options in the Properties dialog box.
For easy access to basic formatting options, use the Formatting toolbar.
For easy access to alignment, sizing, and ordering options, use the right-click menu.
The Formatting toolbar is the easiest to use, but does not contain other formatting options available in the Properties dialog box.
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