ActionSet.Navigators Namespace AccessNavigator Component

AccessNavigator is implementation of main navigation component found in Access 2007. Therefore it is ideal for applications where database object manipulation is implemented and users deal with objects like view, data entry forms, lists of data. This is in fact most of the modern applications like CRM, Financial software, catalogue software and many more.

Group Filtering

Group filtering is accessible through the title menu. Click title menu and select a name of a group, it will be then selected exclusively in the navigator and only its items will be shown. To return to the full list select all Groups function.

Context Menu

Items can be associated with the Context Menu. Every Item has MenuItems collection where context menu items can be inserted. Also a Group has MenuItems collection. If menu items are specified for a group, then all items in the group has these items in its Context Menu. If menu items on item level are specified, then these items are used in Context menu instead.

To get the information which context menu item on which item has been selected handle the MenuItemClick event on AccessNavigator component.

Group / Item Visible

Groups and items can be set to visible or invisible modes. This allows you to have one navigation system and just hide groups or items depending on application user rights for example, or on the state of the application or mode the user is currently switched to.

Group / Item Enabled

Groups and items can be disabled or enabled. It is the similar to visible property but items and groups are not completely hidden but only made inactive in the case of Enable = True. Usage is similar to the Visible property, its usage is for application rights or mode distinguish and similar.

Item Filter

Item filter is the area just below the Title of AccessNavigator. This allows users to enter the start of the name of the item they want to filter out. Hitting the Enter key will process the filter and all non matched items will be filtered out. Default text "Search..." in the item filter can be changed using the AccessNavigator.FilterSearchText property. Clearing the filter is easy as well, clear out the text and hit Enter or click the cross sign on the right side of the filter currently entered.

ScreenTips

ScreenTip is advanced tool tip functionality. Each item can have its screen tip specified. This is done on Item.ScreenTip property. Simple set ScreenTip.Active to True, provide Text and Description and Image and then when user drags mouse over this item and holds it there for some time, then the screen tip will be shown.

Group Coloring

As advanced functionality PureComponents AccessNavigator provides the possibility to set the back color of the Group. This allows you to distinguish between normal groups and some special and maybe functionally different groups, like access rights, state of the items in it and so on.

Item Coloring

Further to the group coloring it is possible to set the fore color of the Items. This allows you to set up items to different states and let the user to find out about this. Like green for "go" items and "red" for items needing some attention and so on.

Item Tag

Item has property Tag of type Object. This allows you to enter any object as associated data with the item and the item then has it always there for your needs. This is typically used to store some item specific data for the window to be shown when the item is selected, for example an ID of the object from Database, or the SQL Command showing the data or even the data set associated with the item.

Selected Item

Currently selected item can be accessed by SelectedItem property. It is get/set property so it is possible to change the currently selected item by code as well.

Item Text Edit

Upon hitting the F2 item enters its edit mode. User can change the name of the item then. When Enter is hit in the edit mode, the entered text is then applied as new name for the Item. Whether the name is applied or not can be driven by an event. Check the section below about events to find out more.

Expand / Collapse

In the title of the navigator there is a "<<" or ">>" icon. These stands as buttons to collapse or expand the control. To show this capability AccessNavigator.NavigatorMinimalizable must be set to True (default setting). Turning it False will not render the collapse/expand button.