Associating help text with database fields

By default, a data representation object associated with a database field displays the help text defined for that database field. You can define and store a default help string as part of the schema definition of a database field using the Data Dictionary. Creating help strings in the database schema provides a centralized location for help strings and makes them easy to maintain.

To define help text in a database field's schema definition:

1. Connect to your application database, for example, sports2000.
2. In the Data Dictionary, select a database table (for example, Customer) then click Fields.
3. Double-click a database field, for example, Name. The Field Properties dialog box appears:
   
   
   
   
4. In the Help Text field, type the text string you want to associate with the database field, then click OK.

You can then run a test program to view the message in the status area. For example, you can open the Procedure Editor and run the following program:

FOR EACH Customer:
  UPDATE Customer.Name WITH 1 DOWN.
END.

You can then run this program to see your help text shown in the status area of the running window, as shown in the following figure.