Fields – an introduction

Fields are common throughout Ability. The most obvious example of a field is a cell in a spreadsheet – it can contain plain text, numbers or dates, or it can display the result of a formula. The same is true of formula fields in Write documents and Database forms and reports.

Fields share common properties – fonts, borders, colors, numeric formatting, alignment – throughout the Ability applications.

There are other properties that depend on the particular type of field. For example, a mail-merge field in Write (also called a database field elsewhere in Ability) allows database information to be browsed and merge printed in Write, Spreadsheet and Database. To do this it accesses a source database, table and field. See Inserting fields.

Another powerful property of fields is their ability to refer to, or link to, fields in other documents and applications – see Linking through fields.

Here are some examples of fields:

Application

Description

Created through

Write

Date and time field

Insert/Date and Time

 

Mail merge field

Insert/Mail Merge Field

 

Formula field

Insert/Field – this is the standard field, which can be used for formulas and links

 

Database field

Insert/Field – this field allows you to browse or change data held in a database table

Spreadsheet

Cells

Standard spreadsheet cells – always present

 

Floating field i.e. a database or formula field that can be dragged and dropped anywhere in spreadsheet. You can mail merge or browse database information, or separately store information in addition to the standard spreadsheet cell, as well as show the results of formulas

Insert/Field – select either the Formula or Database field type in the field wizard.

Database

Formula field in forms and reports – equivalent to a standard field in Write.

Insert/Formula Field when in design mode in forms or reports.

 

Lookup Summary field – joins the current table to another table to provide summary information.

Insert/Lookup Summary Field – available in both forms and report design mode.

 

Database field – browse information from another database table

Insert/Database Field – available in design mode in forms and reports

 

Date and Time

Page Number

Insert/Date and Time

Insert/Page Number

– available in design mode in forms and reports