Hi, using IB_Text I've discovered that I would need something better,
since I often use it to show lookup related fields in the main form
(i.e. I've lookup component working on the article code, and IB_Text
showing article description, so the user better understands the choice
when browsing/modifying rows. No, I'm not interested in having the
description as DisplayField in the LookupCombo, I need a direct search
by code).
I would like to enhance IB_Text in a new component, and fix some
design time issue of IB_Text too.
IB_Text design time issue is that, if you link it to a open dataset,
it shows, of course, the field value, but if the field is null, the
IB_Text is completely empty and you can't find it in the form when is
not focused! If you close the Dataset you will have the IB_Text name
shown, so you can find it again, but what about a IB_Text that, at
design time, shows '<NULL>' instead of a blank caption?

I want to realize a IB_TextBox that will have:
- borders for a better looking form design (like TPanel has)
- a caption to be used when the field is null, so you can set it to
"not found", "empty", "--- missing ---" or whatever
- a ColourIfNull (or NullColour?) to set a special colour for
background when the field is null
- the possibility to specify more than one field to display, with
fixed text between them, i.e. CUST_ZIP; ' -- ';CUST_CITY for a "1022 -
BOSTON" display (btw, is there in IBO a parse function that can divide
for me the field names from the constant text?)

I would like to know your opinion and suggestion (functionality,
property names, etc.), just to direct my efforts in the right
direction
Thanks
Marco Menardi