📝 Understanding Uniface $bold Function: Simple Text Styling in Forms

ℹ️ This blog post was created with AI assistance to help explain Uniface development concepts clearly.

🎯 What is the $bold Function?

The $bold function in Uniface 10.4 is a simple but powerful tool that applies bold character styling to text strings. Think of it like making text bold in a word processor, but specifically for Uniface form components.

🔧 How Does It Work?

The function has a straightforward syntax:

$bold ( String )

Where:

• String: The text you want to make bold
• Return Value: The same text with bold formatting applied

⚠️ Important Things to Know

• 🏠 Form Components Only: This function only works in Form components, not other types of Uniface components
• 👁️ Visual Display: The bold effect is only visible in displayed unifields (user interface fields)
• 🎨 Character Attribute: It applies a character attribute, which means it affects how the text looks, not the text content itself

📖 Key Terms Explained

• Unifield: A field in a Uniface form that displays data to users
• Character Attribute: Formatting that changes how text appears (like bold, italic, underline)
• ProcScript: The programming language used in Uniface for application logic
• Trigger: Code that runs when specific events happen (like clicking a field)

💡 Practical Example

Here's a real-world example that makes field labels bold when users click on them:

trigger loseFocus 
    putItem/id $labelProperties($fieldname), "text", 
    $stripAttributes($valuePart($labelProperties($fieldname)))
end

trigger getFocus
    putItem/id $labelProperties($fieldname), "text", 
    $bold($valuePart($labelProperties($fieldname)))
end

🔍 What This Example Does:

1. getFocus trigger: When a user clicks on a field, the label becomes bold
2. loseFocus trigger: When the user clicks away, the label returns to normal text
3. $stripAttributes: Removes formatting (like bold) from text
4. $labelProperties: Gets or sets properties of field labels

🎯 When to Use $bold

• 🖱️ Interactive Forms: Highlight active fields or important information
• ⚠️ Error Messages: Make warning text stand out
• 📋 Dynamic Labels: Change label appearance based on user actions
• 🎨 Visual Feedback: Provide immediate visual response to user interactions

🔗 Related Functions

The $bold function works well with other text formatting functions:

• $stripAttributes: Removes all formatting from text
• $italic: Applies italic formatting
• $underline: Applies underline formatting

✅ Best Practices

• 🎯 Use bold sparingly to maintain visual hierarchy
• 🔄 Always provide a way to remove bold formatting when it's no longer needed
• 📱 Test bold text appearance across different screen sizes and resolutions
• ♿ Consider accessibility - ensure bold text maintains good contrast

🎉 Conclusion

The $bold function is a simple yet effective tool for enhancing user interfaces in Uniface applications. By understanding when and how to use it, you can create more engaging and user-friendly forms that provide clear visual feedback. Remember to use it thoughtfully and always test your formatting in the actual application environment! 🚀

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💡 _Have you used the $bold function in your Uniface projects? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!_face $bold Function: Simple Text Styling in Forms