I cannot move items properly when editing a Form in Base

[mbrasseau]

I have already searched the site for “base edit form move objects” and “base edit form move labels and fields” and also “base edit form move controls” and received NOTHING relating to moving objects while editing a form in Base.

The trouble I am having is that when I try to edit my form by moving an object around it just turns blue and goes randomly “wherever” on the screen, not in the spot where I am placing it.

Only occasionally does it move correctly by showing the helplines. When it works correctly, the object does not turn blue, and does not jump around randomly on the screen.

Please advise what I should to to make it behave consistently and correctly.

[JohnSUN]

Does this happen when you move the object with the mouse and when you move it with the arrows? If only in the first case, then perhaps the problem is with the manipulator?

[mbrasseau]

With the “mouse.” I am using a trackpad on a laptop. Would this make a difference?

I had attempted using the arrows before, but it did not seem to work. I am working through the Base tutorial in the LibreOffice 7.0 User Manual, creating a file titled Automobile.odb. I clicked on an object, used the arrows, and they did not move.

I took a break from this and just returned to it. And the arrows seem to work fine now. It is a bit cumbersome… but not as cumbersome as retrieving rogue objects lol.

[RobertG]

Some hints for moving object in a Base form.

• Open the form for editing an set View → Formatting Marks. For default there should be only one formatting mark at the left upper corner. All form controls will be anchored to this paragraph.

• Mark a control, right mouse click → Control Properties → General → Anchor → 'To Paragraph'

• If you won’t use the help of grid uncheck View → Grid and Helplines → Snap to Grid.

Now you could move the controls without any problem here. Many people try this with setting new paragraphs and the control will switch from paragraph to paragraph while moving.

I prefer to set the position in general properties of a control directly (PositionX and PositionY, also Width and Height).

[mbrasseau]

• I have set the Formatting Marks as you suggested.
• The objects are all already anchored ‘to paragraph’ by default. Those are the ‘objects’ I am trying to move
• I DO want to use the help of the grid. But as I stated before, it is hit or miss… most of the time the gridlines do not appear and the object just highlights blue and does not move where I attempt to move it, but goes in some other random location. Occasionally, the gridlines will actually show up and only then can I move the object to the correct location. But the 3 icons, Display Grid, Snap to Grid, and Helplines while Moving are all turned ON.

So while replying to this, I kept attempting to move things around to better describe what is happening, and now it is moving normally, and consistently! Yay!

So, how did turning on Formatting Marks fix the problem? I think you tried to explain, but I’m not sure I understand.

And thank you!

[RobertG]

Not only showing the formatting marks will be the solution. Many people will try to set the controls by adding many paragraphs in the page of the form. So setting the control will switch from one mark to the other. There has to be only one mark.

If you don’t see the grid: Set the background of the page to Area → none. Also View → Grid and Helplines → Helplines while moving.

There are many different systems to start LO. So it could be you get a special behavior of your system. So go to Help → About LibreOffice and press the button for Version Information. You could copy the content here like this:

Version: 7.2.3.2 / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: d166454616c1632304285822f9c83ce2e660fd92
CPU threads: 6; OS: Linux 5.3; UI render: default; VCL: kf5 (cairo+xcb)
Locale: de-DE (de_DE.UTF-8); UI: en-US
Calc: threaded

[mbrasseau]

Version: 7.1.6.2 (x64) / LibreOffice Community
Build ID: 0e133318fcee89abacd6a7d077e292f1145735c3
CPU threads: 4; OS: Windows 10.0 Build 19043; UI render: Skia/Raster; VCL: win
Locale: en-US (en_US); UI: en-US
Calc: CL

[GNK]

… some additional info that might help:

-Try switching between ‘normal’ and ‘web’ view in Form Edit mode; this has helped me catch incorrectly anchored items and misplaced objects in the past, especially when using show/hide-section controls(macros) for a web-view designed form.

• Also, when in normal view changing anchor from ‘paragraph’ to another, then back again to ‘paragraph’ may have helped some items stay where put! (possibly a placebo …)
  -Finally, when using section box with mouse around items very close/at edge of form page IN WEB VIEW be careful not to select 'hard against the edge’ - this causes a blue selection graphic across the whole section in what feels a slightly buggy manner … in NORMAL VIEW a selection box can be extended around items beyond page edge as one would expect.