INPUT AYOUT (file; layout)
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file             File         File for which to set the input layout 
layout        String      Layout name

INPUT LAYOUT sets the current input layout for file to layout for the current process. Each file has its own input layout in each process. The layout must belong to file. (For information on creating layouts, see the 4th DIMENSION Design Reference.) INPUT LAYOUT does not display the layout; it just designates which layout is displayed or used by another command.

The default input layout is defined in the Design environment and is identified by the letter I next to the layout name in the list of layouts. The default layout is used if the INPUT LAYOUT command is not used to specify an input layout.

Input layouts are displayed by a number of commands. These commands are generally used to allow the user to enter new data or modify old data.

The following commands display an input layout:

ADD ECORD,              DISPLAY ECORD,   
SEARCH Y AYOUT,   MODIFY ECORD

Each of the following commands displays a list of records using the output layout. Each command then allows the user to double-click on a record, which displays the input layout.

DISPLAY ELECTION,  MODIFY ELECTION

An input layout is also displayed if the user double-clicks in an included layout. In this case, you must set the input layout in the Design environment by assigning the included input layout (full-page layout) when creating the included area.

The input layout is also used by the following import commands:

IMPORT IF,   IMPORT YLK,   IMPORT EXT

The following example shows a typical use of INPUT LAYOUT. Note that although the INPUT LAYOUT command appears immediately before the input layout is used, this is not required. In fact the command may be executed in a completely different procedure, as long as it is executed prior to this procedure:

INPUT LAYOUT ([Comp]; "New Comp")  ` Layout for new companies
ADD RECORD ([Comp])                           ` Add a new company

See also: ADD ECORD, DISPLAY ECORD, 
              DISPLAY ELECTION, IMPORT IF, 
              IMPORT YLK, IMPORT EXT, MODIFY ECORD, 
              MODIFY ELECTION, SEARCH Y AYOUT