Controls have a varying number of triggers depending on the type of control. Static controls and container controls have no triggers, while text boxes have a full range of triggers. Other data controls and data container controls have a subset of the possible triggers. Controls that can be clicked such as command buttons, menu items, and check boxes have a special trigger.

C/SIDE Control Triggers

The following table outlines the full range of triggers. The rightmost column indicates the controls that the trigger applies to.

Control trigger Executed Controls

OnActivate Trigger

The control is activated.

Command button

Menu button

Check box

Option button

Text box

Picture box

Indicator

Subform

OnDeactivate Trigger

The control is deactivated

Command button

Menu button

Check box

Option button

Text box

Picture box

Indicator

Subform

OnFormat Trigger

The control is about to be updated.

Text box

OnBeforeInput Trigger

The control is selected for input and before any input is entered.

Text box

OnInputChange Trigger

The user is entering data. This trigger is repeatedly executed, after each keystroke.

Text box

OnAfterInput Trigger

The user finishes input.

Text box

OnPush Trigger

The control is pushed.

Command button

Check box

Option button

Picture box

Indicator

Menu item

OnValidate (Controls) Trigger

The control loses focus.

Check box

Option button

Text box

Picture box

Indicator

OnAfterValidate Trigger

The value entered has been validated.

Check box

Option button

Text box

Picture box

Indicator

OnLookup (Controls) Trigger

The user requests a lookup (by clicking a lookup button or by pressing F6).

Text box

OnDrillDown Trigger

The user requests a drill-down (by clicking a drill-down button or by pressing SHIFT+F6).

Text box

OnAssistEdit Trigger

The user requests assist-edit (by clicking an assistedit button or by pressing_SHIFT+F2).

Text box

OnActivate Trigger

The control is activated.

Command button

Menu button

Check box

Option button

Text box

Picture box

Indicator

Subform

OnDeactivate Trigger

The control is deactivated

Command button

Menu button

Check box

Option button

Text box

Picture box

Indicator

Subform

OnFormat Trigger

The control is about to be updated.

Text box

OnBeforeInput Trigger

The control is selected for input and before any input is entered.

Text box

OnInputChange Trigger

The user is entering data. This trigger is repeatedly executed, after each keystroke.

Text box

OnValidate is also a field trigger at the table level. If both the field and control triggers are defined, the OnValidate (Fields) Trigger is executed before the OnValidate (Controls) Trigger (including the system default validation).

OnLookup is also a field trigger at the table level. The flow is different for this trigger. When a lookup is requested, OnLookup (Controls) Trigger is executed if it is defined in the field lookup or system default. If no control lookup trigger is defined, OnLookup (Fields) Trigger (if defined) replaces the system default lookup function.

See Also