Multiple-Item Popup Lists

Problem

User has large number of items (usually Assemblies or Cost Items). When they click on the popup button in a clairvoyant field, it only shows 4 columns of items so they can't move to the next set of items (there should be 5 columns in Goldenseal accounting software).

This applies only to Goldenseal estimating software for Windows (the Mac version has a scrolling list in popups).

Diagnosis

This seems to happen with people who have a large System font-- usually done by the manufacturer to cope with LCD monitors that have tiny pixels.

Solution

In version 3.0 of Goldenseal estimating software, we added some prefs items so users can control the number of menus that show for popups that have a ton of items. These are currently optional fields, but we'll add them for everyone if this problem becomes more common (so far only one user has reported it).

To add the optional fields:

1. Choose Custom Layouts from the Options menu, and choose Lists from the submenu.
2. Enter Prefs--Interface into the List Type popup field at upper left.
3. Click on the field tool (4th row left).
4. Click in the layout and drag a rectangle.
5. Goldenseal will show a list of fields. Choose Popup Menu Columns.
6. Repeat 4 and 5, but choose Popup Menu Rows.
7. Tidy the layout, then choose Save from the File menu.

To change the popup setup:

1. Choose Preferences from the Options menu, and choose Interface from the submenu.
2. Type a smaller number into the Popup Columns field. They can fiddle with the numbers so it will fit the size of their display.

Alternate solution

This problem may also be solved by changing the System font (the only option available for pre-3.0 Goldenseal).

To change the font for popup menus:

1. Click the Start button, and choose Settings then Control Panel.
2. Double-click the Display control panel.
3. Click the Appearance tab.
4. Enter Menu in the Item field.
5. Enter a different font or font size in the Font fields.

Comments

This is not a problem on the Macintosh since that uses a single scrolling list. We used to do the same thing in Windows but the scrolling was way too slow to be practical for >100 items.

NOTE-- We haven't heard of this problem recently, probably because screen sizes have increased and it's less likely there won't be room for all the popup menus.

Entered 11/15 by Casey. Updated 11/13/2010.