Guide Section: GUI of EASAPs | EASAP Tree: USER INTERFACE Branch

REALBOX creates a data entry box for users to input a real number. A real number is essentially any value that a measurement can take and is characterized by the inclusion of a decimal point. As with CHOICE LIST, the real number entered is associated with the REALBOX object name. Below is an example of a REALBOX with Units: set as it would appear on the user interface.

Note: Either standard decimal notation (eg. 102.4) or exponential notation (eg. 1.024E+2) are each acceptable inputs for a REALBOX.

REALBOX
Essential Parameters:
Default:	Default value to be displayed (Expression allowed)
Optional Parameters:
Label:	Text displayed to the left of box
Range Reference:	Select NAMED RANGE or existing RANGE REFERENCE to link value to cell in an Excel spreadsheet
Upper Bound:	Upper bound on REALBOX value, see Upper and Lower Bounds (Expression allowed)
Lower Bound:	Lower bound on REALBOX value, see Upper and Lower Bounds (Expression allowed)
Show if:	Logical expression, if TRUE then box shown, if FALSE then box NOT shown
Enable if:	Logical expression, if TRUE then box enabled, if FALSE then box NOT enabled
Type:	Used for web browser client to disable input but allow value to be updated during application usage.
Units:	Select from list of all available dimensional groups
Number Format:	Number format displayed in box. default→6.4g
Label Width:	Width in pixels of Label:
Characters:	Width of INPUTBOX in characters
Style:	A reference to a USER INTERFACE STYLE that controls the visual appearance of this object's background
Input Style:	A reference to a USER INTERFACE STYLE that controls the visual appearance of this object's input area
Delimiter:	Character to act as delimiter in Delimited Object References on Label: and Default: above, when Type: is non-numeric. default→%.
Tab Index:	Establish an order of preference for <TAB> key navigation. Highest priority is the lowest number (default→1) and continues in ascending numerical order. Use -1 to disable.
Tool Tip:	Text to be displayed as a tool tip

A REALBOX allows an upper and lower bound on user input defined by Upper Bound: and Lower Bound:. This capability is useful for keeping inputs from users sensible and thus keeping your EASAPs running reliably.

If a user enters a value outside of the bounds, an error message is displayed. Only once all inputs are within acceptable bounds can the EASAP be submitted by the user to run. The Tool Tip: for a REALBOX automatically shows the bounds that have been set. The figure below shows an example of this special tool tip.

Since real numbers are often associated with a measurement of some kind, the ability to show users the unit of measure and even provide them with a choices of units is available when defining a REALBOX via the Units: parameters. More detailed information on using units of measure can be found at Use of Units.

The number format displayed within a REALBOX can be specified within the Number Format: parameter. There are three different formats available within a real box:

• 'Real' takes the form: a.bf where a = total number of characters including digits, decimal point and + or - signs, and b = the number of digits after decimal point.

• 'Exponential' takes the form: a.be where a = total number of characters including digits, decimal point, E character and + or - signs, and b = the number of digits after decimal point.

• 'Mixed' takes the form: a.bg where a = total number of characters including digits, decimal point, E character and + or - signs, and b = the number of digits after decimal point. This format defaults to 'Real' but will switch to 'Exponential' when the number is too small or too large for the 'Real' format to be valid.

Note: The default for a REALBOX is the 'Mixed' format of 6.4g