Introducing Layouts

A layout is a developer-designed graphical template that defines how records, fields, and objects will be rendered into an interactive experience for users to interact with database content. A database file’s window(s) can display any layout defined that is visible to the current user by layout settings (Chapter 18 ) and accessible by their account settings (Chapter 29 ). Each window can only display one layout at a time which is referred to as the current layout. When a database first opens, the current layout will be a default layout selected based on how the database is configured. This can be a layout selected in File Options (Chapter 6 ), one opened by a Script Trigger (Chapter 27 ), or the last layout that was open when the file was closed while running on a local computer. While Claris starter solutions begin with predefined layouts, a custom database begins with a single empty layout. This provides a clean palette for a developer to begin designing a custom interface. The table occurrence assigned to it through a layout’s settings establishes the relational context for what database fields can be displayed. This chapter begins exploring interface design by introducing layout basics, including the following: