Common Function Key Commands and What They Do

Beginning with TeleMagic for Windows V1.5, all of these function key commands are available in the online help. We provide them here as an additional reference.

{tab}' Moves you from field to field as the tab key would. To move through multiple fields use the replicate function.

replicate('{tab}',3) Moves the cursor from field "A" to field "D".

'{alt+f}' Key stroke to drop down the File menu. alt+ any of the underlined letters on the menu bar will drop down that menu. To select an item in the menu simply use the underlined letter. For example, '{alt+f}'+'S' will bring down the File menu and choose Select Database.

'{pgdn}' Performs a Page Down.

'{pgup}' Performs a Page Up.

'{rightarrow}' Will move the cursor one position to the right.

'{leftarrow}' - Will move the cursor one position to the left.

'{alt+dnarrow}' Will bring down a drop-down list-like the Filter or Index list.

'{ctrl+home}' Moves the cursor to the Home position in the field.

You can call the system date or time from a function key, or copy information from one field to another. In general a function key can contain just about anything you can put in the FoxPro expression builder.

Here are a few examples of function key expressions. All of these will work with version 3, but some may not work with older versions due to changes in the interface:

To set a recall for the current contact.
'{alt+c}'+'r'+'{enter}'

To set a recall for the current contact one week from today. '{alt+c}'+'r'+replicate('{tab}',5)+dtoc(date()+7)

To stamp the notepad with the date, time and user ID (same as using Alt-N)
'{ctrl+home}'+dtoc(date())+' '+substr(time(),1 ,5 )+' - '+cUserID+' - '

To add a record to the current level (Same as Ctrl-Q in version 3).
'{alt+a}'+'{enter}'

To add a child (level 2) record to the current level 1 record. '{alt+a}'+replicate('{dnarrow}',3)+replicate('{enter}',2)

To add a child (level 3) record to the current level 2 record. '{alt+a}'+'{uparrow}'+replicate('{enter}',2)

To go to a different database, where '1' is the first character in the database name.
'{alt+f}'+'S'+'1'+'{alt+o}'

To select Goto and choose an index, where '1' is the first character in the index name.
'{alt+g}'+replicate('{tab}',2)+'1'

Function key expressions can only output 127 characters (called the "evaluated expression"). This is the maximum that FoxPro will allow to be stuffed into the keyboard buffer. Because of this your function key expression may be much longer than 127 characters, but when the key is actually used, the output can only be 127 characters or less. One way to save on keystrokes (that which is output) is to replace some of the '{commands}' listed above with their equivalent CHR( ) values. The function '{ENTER}' uses 7 keystrokes, while a CHR(13) would use only one and do the same thing. '{TAB}' uses 5 characters, CHR(9) only one. '{SPACEBAR}' uses 10 characters, CHR(32) only one. This is not true of all the special keys, but the ones listed here should provide some help. Another method of saving keystrokes is using TRIM( ) to eliminate any extra space in fields which are included in a function key. The characters contained in the field that are used in the Function Key count to that 127 character total. So, as an example of how you can save some keystrokes, here is the Function Key to add a child (level 2) record to the current level 1 record: '{alt+a}'+replicate('{dnarrow}',3)+replicate(chr(13),2)

Another way to get around the 127 character limit is to call a second function key from the first. If you have two function keys, Shift+F1 and Shift+F2, simply add '{Shift+F2}' to the end of the Shift+F1 function key. The Shift+F2 function key will run after the Shift+F1 key is finished.

 

-- End of FAQ #538

FAQ ID #538

Product Related: TeleMagic 3.5x

Last Updated:
March 20, 2000