ProvideX V8.20 > Language Reference > 7. Control Object Properties
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This chapter describes the various properties and discusses how they are used to
define controls in ProvideX.
Note: In this reference, some properties are denoted with dollar signs to indicate that
they represent string values; e.g., 'Msg$ or 'Tip$.
For a complete list of graphical control objects and their properties, see Graphical
Control Objects, p.699. The Properties List, p.705, provides a complete
alphabetically- arranged list of valid property names and their definitions. Special
property groupings (e.g., state indicators or multi-property access) are described in
the section Compound Properties, p.724.
Using Property Names
As mentioned earlier, access to control object properties is provided via the
apostrophe operator. (For syntax, refer to the Apostrophe Operator, p.828).
For example, a button's location, size, text, and colour would be represented by the
properties Height, Font$, Text$, TextColour$, etc. If the variable MyButton contained
the CTL value associated with a button, you could change its text as follows:
MyButton'Text$ = "Hit me now"
Other common properties include:
Column
'Col
Line
'Line
Width of the control
'Cols
Height of the control
'Lines
Tip for the control
'Tip$
Message line for the control
'Msg$
Format mask for control
'Fmt$
'TextColour$Text Colour
Current value/state of control.
'Value$
Note: While programs can access or update property values, properties cannot be
specified as the target for any file I/O or CALL parameter lists.
Generally, numeric properties are type insensitive; i.e., a property such as 'Line
returns (or receives) a number. If desired, you can access the same value using the
property 'Line$. This is also true for string properties, assuming that they only
return numeric values.
Some properties return different values based on the type of reference you make. For
example, most colour properties return a text description of the RGB colour when
accessed as a string, or a 24-bit colour number when accessed as a numeric.
ProvideX also supports objects that are external to ProvideX this chapter does not deal
with the properties (and methods) that apply to them. COM and OOP objects/controls
are described under the Apostrophe Operator, p.828.