Application Studio Basics

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide on using Application Studio for Kinetic menus, as demonstrated by Andy Spak from Encompass Solutions. You will learn how to move or hide fields, add User Defined (UD) fields, incorporate panels, and add BAQ (Business Activity Query) data. This knowledge is essential for customizing and optimizing your application interface efficiently.

Step 1: Moving or Hiding Fields

To customize your application layout, you can easily move or hide fields.

• Moving Fields

  • Locate the field you want to move within the Application Studio.
  • Click and drag the field to the desired location on the form.
  • Release the mouse button to drop the field in the new position.

• Hiding Fields

  • Select the field you want to hide.
  • In the properties panel, look for the 'Visible' option.
  • Set 'Visible' to false to hide the field from the user interface.

Tip: Always preview your changes to ensure the layout meets your expectations before finalizing.

Step 2: Adding User Defined Fields

User Defined fields allow you to capture additional data specific to your application needs.

• Navigate to the section where you want to add the UD field.

• Click on the option to add a new field.

• Choose 'User Defined' from the field types.

• Configure the field properties, including:

  • Field Name
  • Data Type (e.g., text, number, date)
  • Required status

• Save your changes.

Common Pitfall: Ensure that the field name is unique to avoid conflicts with existing fields.

Step 3: Adding Panels

Panels help organize information on your application screen for better usability.

• Open the Application Studio and navigate to the desired form.

• Look for the option to add a new panel.

• Drag the panel to your workspace.

• Configure the panel properties, such as:

  • Panel Title
  • Size and layout options

• Add fields or other elements to the panel as needed.

Practical Tip: Use panels to group related fields together for a cleaner interface.

Step 4: Adding BAQ Data

Integrating BAQ data allows you to display dynamic information from your database.

• Access the BAQ section in the Application Studio.

• Select the BAQ you want to use from the available list.

• Drag the BAQ data source onto your form.

• Map the required fields from your BAQ to the form fields.

• Test the BAQ to ensure it pulls the correct data.

Tip: Regularly review and update your BAQs to reflect changes in your database structure or business needs.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to effectively use Application Studio to customize Kinetic menus by moving or hiding fields, adding User Defined fields, creating panels, and incorporating BAQ data. By applying these techniques, you can enhance the user experience and functionality of your application. For next steps, consider exploring more advanced features of Application Studio or seeking feedback on your changes from users to further improve the interface.