Single "Lookup" form for whole application.

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I saw a vb application where text boxes were used for data entry forms. In every text box (on particular key press) a lookup form was opening for selection(in fact for search + selection).
Is it a good idea( lookup form)??.
Should i try to implement it in my C# data entry project?
is there any example or reference material about the right method to do it.

Posted 14-May-14 10:47am

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CHill60 14-May-14 17:38pm

without any context it's difficult to answer a question like this. If it is something like an address, you will frequently see either a Button or an ellipsis next to a box with "find address" ... so you can put in a postcode/zipcode and have the rest of the address auto-completed. It really does depend on what sort of data you are having to enter.
I don't know of any generic reference material, but if you give a context (e.g. the *sort* of data you want to enter) then we may be able to help you more

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_Maxxx_ · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-14T18:20:00

Is it a good idea? Only your customers can tell you that!

I have implemented similar things in the past - generally for reasonably large collections where users usually knew a code or number, and so would just type it in, but occasionally needed to look up the value.

For small collections, we used combos as they are far less distracting.

It's relatively easy - but needs a little thought up front; Are all of your look ups able to use a generic form? Will the returned value from the look up be an (ADO?) object or just a key - or a string to put in the text box.

The way I implemented the last one in WinForms was to create our own LookUpTextBox based on a plain vanilla text box, which had additional properties used to describe to the lookUp window what information was being looked up.

This LookUpTextBox detected a function key press, and then instantiated a LookUpForm with the appropriate parameters, showed the form modally, retrieved the result (our result was an integer ID and a String), place the string in the Text and store the ID which could them be used internally to identify the record selected.

One thing we did find was that the users constantly wanted additional functionality in the pop up windows - extra filtering for this entity, more information for that entity - and we ended up creating specific forms for many of the look ups.