The LAYOUT command enables you to specify how many columns property controls are laid out into in a dialog, and how the titles (or labels) of the control is positioned (to the left of the control or over it), etc.
Using the LAYOUT command is optional. If you do not use it, System Architect deploys the default layout scheme. The default layout scheme is to have all controls laid out in one column, with the name (or label) of each control placed to the left of the control (the ALIGN LABEL command).
You may specify a LAYOUT command within CHAPTERS (which corresponds to a tab in the ensuing dialog) and GROUPS of a Diagram, Symbol, or Definition specification. The LAYOUT command has the following effects in a CHAPTER and GROUP:
▪Within a Chapter: You may specify a unique LAYOUT command for each Chapter of a Diagram, Symbol, or Definition specification. All property controls, including entire groups, are laid out according to the LAYOUT command of the Chapter. If you specify more than one LAYOUT command within a Chapter, all LAYOUT commands within that Chapter are ignored and the default layout is used instead.
▪Within a GROUP: You may specify a LAYOUT command within a Group, so that properties in the Group are laid out according to the group's LAYOUT specification.If you specify more than one LAYOUT command within a Group, all LAYOUT commands within that Group are ignored and the default layout is used instead.
An example ordering of LAYOUT commands and their effects is as follows:
DIAGRAM (or SYMBOL or DEFINITION)
CHAPTER 1
LAYOUT 1
PROPERTY - laid out (in chapter) according to LAYOUT 1 PROPERTY - laid out (in chapter) according to LAYOUT 1 GROUP - laid out (in chapter) according to LAYOUT 1
LAYOUT 2
PROPERTY - laid out (in group) according to LAYOUT 2
PROPERTY - laid out (in group) according to LAYOUT 2
GROUP - laid out (in chapter) according to LAYOUT 1
LAYOUT 3
PROPERTY - laid out (in group) according to LAYOUT 3
PROPERTY - laid out (in group) according to LAYOUT 3
CHAPTER 2
LAYOUT 4
PROPERTY - laid out (in chapter) according to LAYOUT 4
CHAPTER 3
LAYOUT 5
PROPERTY - laid out by default scheme because of 2 LAYOUT commands (5 and 6) in this Chapter
LAYOUT 6
Layout of the “Introduction” tab
Note that the first Chapter of a Diagram, Symbol, or Definition dialog, which includes the Description property, is always laid out by the default layout scheme - which is a one-column layout and the `Description' label is to the left of the text box.
Default layout behavior
If a property control is too wide to fit within the specified column structure of a LAYOUT command, then that control is laid out by one column so that it fits in the dialog or Group; the other controls that are of sufficient width to be laid out according to the LAYOUT command are laid out accordingly.
For example, if you have specified a 4-column layout for a Group that itself is itself located in a Chapter (tab) that has a two-column layout specified, and one of the properties in the group is too wide to fit in the space available but the others are small enough to fit within a 4-column layout, the property that is too wide is laid out by itself, and the other properties are laid out to conform to the 4-column layout within the Group.