Relationship to Control variables .ATTR and .ATTRCHAR

The appropriate and inappropriate override conditions for CUA and basic panel-element attributes are described here. See .ATTR and .ATTRCHAR for information on .ATTR and .ATTRCHAR.

TYPE
CUA panel-element attribute TYPE keywords can be overridden by .ATTR or by .ATTRCHAR. You can change the TYPE:
- From INPUT/CUA input types to OUTPUT/CUA output and input types
- From OUTPUT/CUA output types to INPUT/CUA input and output types
- From TEXT/CUA text types to TEXT/CUA text types
Some exceptions are:
- Only TYPE keyword values that have a field type of input can be overridden with TYPE(EE)—error emphasis.
- CUA attribute types AB, RP, ABSL, and PS cannot be overridden, nor can they be used to override text fields.
- TYPE keyword GRPBOX can only be overridden with .ATTR(field), where field is the dialog variable name for the group box as specified in the )BODY section.
COLOR, INTENS, HILITE
If you change a basic attribute type to a CUA attribute type, the attribute takes on the characteristics of that particular CUA type, including the default COLOR, HILITE, and INTENS keyword values. For example, if you change a TYPE(INPUT) INTENS(HIGH) attribute to TYPE(NEF), the default color for the attribute changes from red to turquoise, the default color of the NEF attribute type. Also, after you change a basic attribute type into a CUA attribute type, the color, highlight, and intensity can only be overridden by using the CUA Attribute Color Change utility.
For example, hoping to change the TYPE(INPUT) to CUA TYPE(NEF) with the color pink, you enter:
```
.ATTR(FIELD1) = 'TYPE(NEF) COLOR(PINK)'
```
The result is that the field is changed to CUA TYPE(NEF), but when the COLOR(PINK) keyword is processed a dialog error message is given stating that the color of the CUA attribute cannot be overridden.
If you try to enter:
```
.ATTR(FIELD1) = 'COLOR(PINK) TYPE(NEF)'
```
The COLOR(PINK) keyword is processed before the TYPE(NEF) keyword. Thus, no error message is given concerning the changing of the color of a CUA attribute. However, when the TYPE(NEF) keyword is processed, the attribute type is changed to the CUA default color, and subsequent attempts to change the attribute's color, intensity, or highlighting result in a dialog error message.
If you change a CUA attribute type to a basic attribute type, only the type changes. The other characteristics associated with the type do not change. For example, the color associated with the CUA type does not change unless you specifically override the color using the COLOR keyword. If you change the CUA type ET to basic type TEXT, the color remains turquoise unless you purposely override it.
CAPS, JUST, PAD, PADC, SKIP, ATTN, NUMERIC, FORMAT, REP, OUTLINE
If the keyword is applicable on the )ATTR statement, it can be overridden using the attribute override statements. Those panel attribute keywords whose value is denoted as N/A (not applicable) are not valid in attribute override statements.
CUADYN(value) keyword
The CUADYN(value) attribute keyword can be used in .ATTRCHAR statements for DATAIN or DATAOUT attribute characters. The keyword values listed in CUA attribute characteristics in dynamic areas for DATAOUT attributes can only override DATAOUT attribute characters. Those listed for DATAIN attributes can only override DATAIN attribute characters.
Input fields with LISTBOX(ON|name) or DDLIST(ON|name)
You can override input fields with LISTBOX(ON|name) or DDLIST(ON|name) that are coded in the )ATTR section. You do this by using the .ATTR or .ATTRCHAR statements to set LISTBOX, DDLIST, CSRGRP, WIDTH, and DEPTH values for the input field.
Input fields with COMBO(ON|name)
You can override input fields with COMBO(ON|name) that are coded in the )ATTR section. You do this by using the .ATTR or .ATTRCHAR statements to set COMBO, CSRGRP, and DEPTH values for the input field.