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Configuring VA Custom Form Tabs

VA Custom Form Tabs links a query or a user-defined (UD) table to a tab on a form. The form page has no numbered steps; use the two Trimble procedures below. Access from the Programs folder in the VA module, or the Edit button on Form Properties (procedures usually start from Tools on the parent form).

Trimble form: VA Custom Form Tabs Form. Related: Link Related Tabs to UD Tables; Adding a Query to a Tab.

Before you start​

UD (Control Type 0-Default)

  • Create the UD table first (UD User Table and Form Setup). At least one Key Seq on the UD table must match a field on the parent form.
  • Create the custom related tab first. If Tab# is blank, no custom related tab exists and you cannot link here.

Query (Control Type 3-Query)

  • Parent form must have a form query. Not every form has one. List them on VA Inquiries, Grid tab, sort by Query Type.
  • Query must be related to the form query (VA Inquiries, Links tab) before it appears in Query Name (F4).
  • Adding a tab requires Form Administrator (VA User Profile, Info tab). Stated on the query procedure only.

Key fields​

  • Control Type: 0-Default = UD table (enables Grid Form); 3-Query = query (enables Query Name). Only these two values documented.
  • Form: parent form (F4; all forms or only forms with custom tabs).
  • Grid Form: UD table name (F4). Enabled only for 0-Default.
  • Grid Key Seq / Parent Field Seq (Grid Links tab): UD key sequence and parent key sequence (F4).
  • Query Name: enabled only for 3-Query. F4 lists only queries linked to the parent form’s form query.
  • Tab#: custom related tab number (F4). Must exist first.
  • Title: rename the tab (up to 30 characters; field def says “form name”).

Associates a UD form/table with a parent form via a custom related grid tab. Grid shows related data; it does not change the parent record. Open a UD record by double-clicking a grid row, or highlight the row and Records → Open Related Record in Form.

  1. Create the UD table (shared key field).
  2. Open the parent form.
  3. Tools → Field Properties (UD procedure) or Tools → Form Properties (query procedure) → Form Properties.
  4. Tab Pages → Add; enter the tab name.
  5. Highlight the new tab → Edit → VA Custom Form Tabs.
  6. Control Type = 0-Default.
  7. Grid Form = F4, pick the UD table.
  8. Open Grid Links; set Grid Key Seq and Parent Field Seq (repeat for more UD keys).
  9. Save. UD data appears on the parent’s custom tab.

To delete a UD-linked tab: look up the parent form, find the tab via Tab#, clear Grid Form, save, then delete the tab in Form Properties.

Add a query (3-Query)​

Example in Trimble: PMRI view of RFIs filtered to the project on PM Projects.

  1. Create the query in VA Inquiries (Type = View, etc.). Parameters can use Default Type 4-Form Input Value to filter by a form field. Do not use the Links tab on this query for that filter. Save.
  2. Link it to the form query: open the form query → Links → Related Query = the new query → Matching Column. Save.
  3. As Form Administrator, open the parent form (Grid or Info) → Tools → Form Properties → Tab Pages → Add → Tab Title → OK.
  4. Select the tab → Edit → VA Custom Form Tabs → Control Type = 3-Query → Query Name (F4). If missing, return to step 2. Save and verify the tab.

Hard rules​

  • UD tables only on blank custom related tabs (no existing custom fields).
  • Cannot add or move custom fields onto a tab that has a linked UD table.
  • Clear Grid Form before deleting a UD-linked tab.
  • Query Name lookup is limited to queries already linked to the parent form query.
  • Drill-through (VA Inquiries Links) does not work for queries placed on form tabs.
  • Not every form has a form query.

Notes​

  • Related: Form Properties; VA Inquiries; VA Inquiry Links; VA User Profile (Form Administrator); UD User Table and Form Setup. See also Configuring VA Form Properties.