Viewpoint
Datahandling for students

Focus on Frame Styles

All data in a Viewpoint layout must be contained in a frame.  However, not all frames are fields containing data; some may be used just to enhance the appearance of the layout with decorative borders or labels to make the database easier to understand.  The frames are very similar to those used in most desktop publishing packages.

In Layout view you are able to choose from a large selection of frame styles for your survey form.

To alter the appearance of a frame:

1. Either, right-click within the frame and select the Frame style option from the menu that appears, or Click within the frame to identify it and select the Frame style option from the Effect menu. The Frame style dialog will appear.
   
   
2. To alter the border style of a frame, select the Border tab and select a border from the drop-down arrow button beside the Type field.
   
   
3. To alter the clear space left around the inside edge of a frame, click on the Margins tab and set the values you want. You can set a margin for all edges, with the All button turned on, or set margins for each edge individually. 
   
   
4. To alter either a border colour or a fill colour, click on the Colours tab and select a colour.  The fill colour can be set to transparent. Transparent frames will still display their contents but will allow frames underneath to be seen.  This can be very useful for frames containing text or graphic files. The frame fill colour has an effect on the appearance of the text.  Transparent fields containing text should have their background colour set to match the predominant colour behind them.
   
   
5. For fields, if you want the setting to be applied to just the field body (i.e. not the field title itself) leave the Affect only fields option selected.  (This option is automatically set if the selected frames contain any field bodies.) If you want the setting to be applied to both the field bodies and field titles clear the Affect only fields option.
   
   
6. Click OK to change the selected frames to use the chosen setting and to select this setting as the one to be used for future frames.

(The Apply button has the same effect as clicking on OK except that it doesn't remove the dialog from the screen.)

Note: For speed, Viewpoint will display just the frame if the Show frame outlines option in the Choices dialog is selected.  This dialog can be accessed by selecting the Choices option from the File menu.

Here is a list of all the Frame Styles available:

Background frames

Background frames do not display the data held in a database, but instead enhance the appearance of the layout.  You can use them to enhance or enclose areas of the layout, such as a subsection of a form.  You can use decorative borders to make particularly effective layouts using well-positioned background frames.

To add a background frame:

1. Either, select the Insert option from the Edit menu and then select Background frames from the submenu that appears, or:
   
   Click on the Frame tool
   
   
2. Click and hold down the mouse button to fix a corner of the frame.
   
   
3. Drag with the mouse to make the frame smaller or larger.

The appearance of frames can be altered). 

You have a choice of border types, widths, and colours. 

Background frames may also hold text, or graphic files.

Drag a file onto the frame to add text or graphics (such as a logo) to it.

If you drag a graphic file to the frame, it will be scaled to fit the frame, while retaining the original aspect ratio of the picture; in other words it will not be squashed or stretched.  If you double-click on a frame that contains a graphic, the picture will be selected rather than the frame itself.  This allows you to copy or delete the picture. 

Double-clicking on an empty frame with the Frame tool will select its contents.  Typing anything will switch the frame into a background text frame.