Janus GridEX

Janus GridEX 2000 is a data-aware, fully editable Outlook style grid component that hooks directly to databases, by using either Data Access Objects (DAO 3.6) or the new ActiveX Data Objects (ADO 2.x). The grid implements its own data binding mechanism in order to perform sophisticated data manipulations.

The Grid also has a powerful unbound mode for managing data in any format without sacrificing any group or sort capabilities.

The programmer can set special format settings (such as font colors and styles) for rows that meet certain criteria, and also individual conditions for groups; in all cases, the grid control is aware of and adjusts records that meet these custom conditions automatically.

The grid control also offers an innovative "card view," which provides an easy means of browsing through data.

Included with Janus' grid you will receive a free copy of Janus ButtonBar 1.6, an ActiveX Control which mimics another important part of the Outlook interface by organizing icons into logical subsets using a sliding-group metaphor.

Advanced properties and enhanced functionality in Janus' grid give you the ability to create effective user interfaces and Outlook style grids, while easing development and maintenance time with new custom events and notifications and the ability to dynamically load and save entire grid layouts to disk or from a server on the Internet

• Cell, Column and Row Level formatting - Version 1.6 had many advanced formatting features. Version 2.0 of Janus' grid retains those features and adds a new set of formatting services that will give the programmer total control over how data is displayed. You can now format individual cells, columns or rows, using notifications and criteria. In order to facilitate formatting tasks, a new tool has been added: FormatStyles. FormatStyles are discrete objects that hold formatting information, such as fonts, colors, images and so on
• Support for Word-Wrapped Cells and Previous Rows - Your data doesn't always come in one neat size. That's why there is added word-wrapping to individual cells, so you won't have to resort to other controls to show all your data. The Preview Rows are also an exciting interface addition. Using them, you can "preview" one of your data columns below each row, much like Microsoft Outlook does
• GridEX Layouts - Also new is the capability to save and load complete layout definitions for Janus' grid to a file or to a formatted string, and even load layouts from URLs, for web-based applications! You can now easily circumvent the problem of persistence within the browser context and create fully capable and user-interface rich web applications
• WYSIWYG Print and Print Preview - Showing the data to the user and editing it is not enough. That's why Janus has added WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) previewing and printing to the grid. Using a completely encapsulated control, you can design preview forms that include localizable toolbars for report navigation and printing. In effect, they have added a reporting engine to the grid. Sharing your data has never been easier!
• Aggregate functions for groups and Group footers - Janus' grid component, GridEX has been recognized since its initial release for its advanced grouping and sorting capability. Version 2.0 adds the ability to display footers for individual groups, and to calculate column values using predefined aggregate functions, much like a report designer
• Multicolumn Combo Boxes with AutoFill functionality - A much-requested user interface enhancement is the ability to have multicolumn drop-down combo boxes as "pick-lists" for the grid's columns. In version 2.0 you get that, plus an "AutoFill" function that helps the user find list entries quickly. Taking the combo box concept a bit further, you can now use a separate GridEX control to display column lists. Place an additional grid on your form, set a few properties, and you have an advanced value picker for any or all of your bound or unbound columns, complete with headers, formatting and almost anything else a standard GridEX can do. And no need to use an additional OCX library
• Frozen columns and Automatic column sizing - You can now optimize the display of your data and the user's interaction with it using these new features. You can freeze individual columns as needed, and you can also have columns resize automatically to their contents
• Ability to hide empty fields in card view - The much-praised card view mode of the GridEX control now has the ability to hide or show individual fields that are empty, thus leaving you with more space to show additional cards
• Tool Tips - Another feature of new user interfaces are the ubiquitous tool tips, which allow the user to get immediate feedback and information on the task at hand. Version 2.0 of the grid adds a tool tip feature that displays cell text hidden by column or row boundaries in a familiar floating window that automatically disappears when the mouse leaves the cell area