Introduction

A “grid” is a graphic design object used frequently throughout the AMS Client interface to efficiently display data. Grids may appear and behave differently from one another, depending on where and how they’re being used, but their features and capabilities are mostly identical. Each grid’s appearance, features, and default settings are determined programmatically. Settings such as font size, column width, and column order can usually be adjusted by the end-user, but most all other attributes are fixed and cannot be changed.

Examples

Features Overview

Auto-Adjust Column Widths and Font Sizes

Grids are often called upon to present many columns of data such that it’s difficult to see everything all at once, if not impossible. Your capabilities are limited by the size and resolution settings of your computer monitor. Scaling a window’s horizontal and vertical size complicates the matter further still. To improve the appearance of grids when viewed across the broad scope of display hardware using the AMS software, grids are designed to automatically adjust its column widths and font size. The system calculates an optimal setting according to your monitor size and display settings, the size of the window in which the AMS program is running and finally, the size of the grid itself in relation to the form on which it is to be displayed. Auto-Adjust mode is turned ON by default.

To confirm a grid’s Auto-Adjust setting, Right-click on the grid to display its pop-up context menu. A checkmark indicates the feature is ON.

Grids that DO NOT take up most of the width of the form on which they are displayed are also locked in Auto-Adjust mode, such as in this example showing the three grids on the POS Cash Register Touchscreen. This behavior would be in contrast to grids that DO take up most of a form’s width as shown in previous examples which may start out in Auto-Adjust mode but can be taken out using the option in the right-click context menu.

Sizes - AMS Client Configuration

Modify and control Auto-Adjust settings on the Sizes tab of AMS Client Configuration. To access, use the icon on the AMS Toolbar or select from the AMS Options menu.

Access using Toolbar icon ...

Access using Options Menu ...

Sizes tab ...

There are five control modifiable settings; on-screen instructions explain each. Note that values in the spinner do not represent an actual point or pixel size, but a size relative to the space in which grid objects are displayed.

The first spinner controls the size of the text used in Menus. It also controls the size of the text used in the delivery grid on the "Files" tab. It also controls the size of the icons on the Toolbar and text in the system status bar. Increment the spinner’s value up or down and its effect will be visible immediately. Note that when used, the system automatically hides the left-side panel from view.
The second spinner controls the size of the text used in the Menu Tree exclusively. Alternatively, right-click on the Menu Tree to adjust its font-size using its Context Menu instead.
The third spinner controls the size of text used in the Favorites List exclusively. Alternatively, right-click on the Favorites List to adjust its font-size using Context Menu instead.
The fourth spinner controls grid font size and applies globally to each and every grid that is in Auto-Adjust mode. To demonstrate the broad effect of this setting, display several grids in Auto-Adjust mode simultaneously and increment the spinner’s value up or down. The change you make is immediate and concurrently affects ALL grids in Auto-Adjust mode.
The fifth setting is for advanced AMS users. Use the checkbox to UNLOCK and DISABLE the Auto-Adjust feature completely. This enables you to control the appearance of each grid individually and save your preferences as grid layouts. We recommend leaving this option UNCHECKED and Auto-Adjust ON.

Context Menu Options using Right-Click

Right-click on any grid to display its pop-up Context Menu. Most options are self-explanatory; noteworthy exceptions documented below. Options are disabled when not applicable. Text varies slightly, depending on the grid’s Auto-Adjust setting. The images below illustrate the key differences.

With Auto-Adjust ON ...

Logically, Font Size and Reset Grid Layout options are disabled when in Auto-Adjust mode.
The text “For All Auto-Adjust Grids” qualifies the Font Larger and Font Smaller menu options because their use applies to and affects each and every grid in Auto-Adjust mode, not just the grid that was most recently Right-clicked upon. Consequently, a larger font on one grid may negatively impact the display of another in Auto-Adjust mode. We encourage you to experiment with settings to obtain a view that is optimal for your particular situation.

With Auto-Adjust OFF ...

Font Larger and Font Smaller increments the display font size defined for the specific grid.
Font Size… displays a sample of defined increments and value.

Saving and Loading Grid Layouts

Grids that allow you to make changes to its default appearance also lets you save your preferences as a layout. This is especially useful with grids that contain more columns of data than can fit on a screen or in a window. Grids let you adjust not only its default font size and column widths, but also its column’s order or sequence: even the columns and rows you choose to freeze and prevent from scrolling out of view. You can define and save an almost unlimited number of layouts to match your particular task or data need.

Auto-Adjust Mode Considerations - Turn it OFF when saving Layouts

A grid’s Auto-Adjust setting is saved in its layouts. After adjusting column widths and font sizes, be sure to turn Auto-Adjust mode OFF before saving your layouts. Saving layouts with Auto-Adjust ON will result in your column widths and font sizes being ignored and the grid's appearance returning to how Auto-Adjust would otherwise display it.

Exporting Grids

Every grid object can be copied to the Windows Clipboard, exported generically, or into an MS Office-standard format. Right-click the grid object to display its context menu, then choose the Copy Grid to Clipboard or Export option.

When using the Copy Grid, copy cell or copy row option, paste as usual from the Windows Clipboard.

When using the Export option, select from four available formats. Excel XLSX is recommended.

Comma Separated Value (Plain text, unlimited rows and columns)
Tab Delimited (Plain text, unlimited rows and columns)
Excel XLS (Preserves display formatting in an Excel 97-2003 Workbook, limited to 65,536 rows tall by 256 columns wide. Data in cells outside of this row and column limit is lost in Excel 97-2003.)
Excel XLSX (Preserves display formatting in an Excel 2007+ Workbook, limited to 1,048,576 rows tall by 16,384 columns wide.

Excel exports

By default, exports to Excel results in numbers stored as text. Columns require reformatting to use data in math calculations or Excel formulas like =SUM() and =AVERAGE(), etc.

Documentation

Grid Objects