Edit In Place - Set the Font Size when Entering Data

1

Hi All,
I can set the display size of a browse/list with no issues.
The standard EIP fields pick up the Window’s font size.
However, the problem I have is trying to set the font size of the EIP Text fields/box when I’m entering data.
Any tips on how to do this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Rohan

2

Hi Rohan,

I think this is how you would do it

The EIP text box for a browse column is a genuine ENTRY control, created at runtime by an EditEntryClass object (the class Clarion uses for text columns). Its control number is exposed as the FEQ property, so once that’s set you can apply font properties to it just like any other control.

You don’t need to hand-declare the class — the template does it for you:

  1. On the browse procedure, go to Actions → Configure Edit In Place, then switch to the Column Specific tab.
  2. Insert, pick your field, check Allow Edit-In-Place.
  3. Under Class Definition, check Use Application Builder Class, set Base Class to EditEntryClass. Leave Derive unchecked — you’ll still get embed points against the object either way (Object Name auto-fills as EditInPlace::YourField).
  4. Click OK, then open the procedure in the Embeditor. You’ll find an Init embed point under that EditInPlace:: object.
  5. In that embed, after the generated PARENT.Init(…) call, add:
  SELF.Feq{PROP:FontName}  = 'Segoe UI'
  SELF.Feq{PROP:FontSize}  = 12
  SELF.Feq{PROP:FontStyle} = FONT:regular

That’s the same pattern the ABC reference uses for other EIP tweaks — their conceptual example does PARENT.Init(…) then SELF.Feq{PROP:CAP}=True to force mixed-case input on an EIP entry; font properties work exactly the same way.

One thing to watch: if you bump the font size up noticeably, the taller EIP box can end up clipped by the row height — you may also need to set ?YourList{PROP:LineHeight} explicitly on the list itself to accommodate it.

Hope that helps!

3

It also helps to brush up on your swear words while you find your way around. Looking at the embeditor is quite useful, as is taking note of the names of the objects (and their object types).

4

Hi Mark
Thanks for the suggestion. I’m not having any trouble with the font in the browse itself and the EditEntryClass objects are working as expected.

I’m having no success with the EditTextClass when the text editing window opens. As a very bad practice work around for now I’ve edited the TxtWindow code in the AEIP.CLW file in libsrc - deadlines to meet
cheers
Rohan

5

EditTextClassEx.CLW (3.4 KB)
EditTextClassEx.INC (1.5 KB)

Hi Rohan,

Following up on your reply — the popup text-edit window (EditTextClass) is a separate beast from the inline EIP entry (EditEntryClass), and it’s the reason SELF.Feq{PROP:FontName} doesn’t touch it. In ABEIP.CLW the popup’s TEXT control has its font hardcoded on the control itself:

TEXT,AT(5,5,290,176),USE(?Text),VSCROLL,FONT('Courier New',8,,FONT:regular,CHARSET:ANSI)

That’s a private control in a private window structure — EditTextClass never exposes a FEQ for it, so there’s genuinely no supported hook into it. Your LibSrc edit isn’t bad practice so much as fragile — it’ll get overwritten on your next Clarion update/reinstall.

Instead of patching the library, you can derive your own class and swap it in via the template (Base Class = your class name, no need to check Derive) so it isn’t tied to generated source. I put together EditTextClassEx — it overrides TakeEvent and runs its own popup instead of calling into the library’s, with a SetTextFont(fontname, size) method you’d call from the Init embed. Attached. Place it in your accessory\libsrc\win directory

Full disclosure: I haven’t compiled or run this myself — I had Claude draft it against ABEIP.CLW/.INC source, so the logic mirrors the library’s own EVENT:DroppingDown handling, but test it before it goes anywhere near production.

Cheers,
Mark

UPDATED 5 Sep 2026: Two issues found in the EditTextClassEx code that caused strange ABBrowse compile errors

  1. CLW required a MAP END block
  2. INC required INCLUDE('abwindow.inc'),ONCE

Original files replaced with FIXED version

6

Hi Mark
Thanks for taking the time look at this issue.
Unfortunately, the compiler throws errors - relating to ABBROWSE.INC - debugging it will be something I may look at after October.

You’re correct about the temporary fix being fragile. The good thing is that the worst that happens is if it’s overwritten is that it reverts to the default font. Not ideal but good enough for now.

Thanks again.
Rohan

7

Hi Rohan

I have fixed the issue you were seeing. See the updated code and details above.

Mark

8

Hi Mark
Thank you very much. It works like a charm.
I appreciate the time you’ve put into this.
Have a great day
Cheers Rohan