eCriteria web control provides users an input UI, collect user inputs and return inputs as criteria values for eGridForm web control in DataForm.NET suite. However, it's independent of eGridForm web control, which means the returned values can also be used for other components or purposes as well. The criteria values will be stored in CriteriaValues property as a NameValueCollection object. To use eCriteira control, first of all, you need to create a DataForm.NET. On the DataForm.NET Designer page, there are three tabs which represent Database, DataForm Designer , GridForm Designer and Criteira Designer.
There is a property under "Criteria" tab:
- Layout
- Criterias Per Row indicates the number of criterias per row.
After a Criteria is created, check on/off the checkboxes next to the column name and save Criteria. The properties of fields in DataForm.NET Designer are some frequently used properties.
- The first checkbox column is used to enable/disable fields. The difference between "In use" and "Delete" is whether or not the field is removed from Criteria. If a field is deleted, the field will be removed from Criteria and lose all its properties, all properties needs to be set again if it's going to be used it again. However unchecking a field's "In use" property just disables that field. That field's properties are still in Criteria, it can be enabled and re-used later on.
- Column Name is the name of column retrieved from table in database. This column is not editable. Click the link to open a window for editing more attributes.
- Field Title gives field a friendly name. Default field title is field id. If Field Title is empty, the related control will occupy its cell and then it won't be displayed. If you want to display a empty Field Title, enter a space in the Field Title.
- Operator indicates how the input value is used in the criteria for GridForm or other controls which need criterias. If the type is "Between", an additional criteria ending with "_EndValue" will be created automatically.
- Visible indicates whether the field will show up on the eCriteria component.
- Order are used to set the display sequence of column in Criteria.