AX1307

Using Axiom forms as custom dialogs and task panes in the Desktop Client

Axiom forms can be used as custom dialogs and task panes within the Axiom Software Desktop Client (Excel Client and Windows Client). This extends the ability to customize the Axiom Software user interface by leveraging the design flexibility of Axiom forms. Example use cases include using Axiom forms as refresh forms, associated task panes, or as generic dialogs for any customized purpose.

When using an Axiom form as a dialog or a task pane, certain specialized functionality is available to provide interaction between the Axiom form and the active client spreadsheet:

• The form dialog / task pane has the ability to pass selected values from the form to the active client spreadsheet. This is accomplished by use of the "form state" feature, which stores selected values in memory. The values stored in the form state memory can then be passed from the Axiom form to the active client spreadsheet. Form state is only for use in this particular context, and only when the form needs to interact with the active client spreadsheet.

• The form dialog / task pane has the ability to execute certain commands on the active client spreadsheet. For example, the form can be used to perform goal seek calculations in the active client spreadsheet, or to process action codes in the active client spreadsheet.

You can also use Axiom forms as dialogs that do not interact with the active client spreadsheet ("stand-alone" dialogs). For example, you could launch a form dialog from a custom ribbon tab or task pane in order to gather some inputs from a user and then save those inputs directly to the database. In this case the form has no association or interaction with the active client spreadsheet.

NOTE: This section discusses how to create an entire form to be used as a custom dialog or task pane within the Desktop Client. If instead you are looking for information on how to create a dialog to be displayed within an Axiom form, see Dialog Panel component for Axiom forms.