This section contains a reference for the various prompt control types, and prompt tab column names in the spreadsheet.

Prompt Control Type & Color Reference

Prompt Column Properties

If you are curious about the meanings of the various columns in the Prompts page, see the following information.

Defined Name: contains a name that represents an associated value. You do not need to use the absolute or relative cell reference of the prompt value when you use defined names. Defined names give you a description of the purpose of the related cell. This related cell is located immediately to the right of the defined name in the Value column. You make the connection between the two cells after he inserts a row and adds the prompt name in this column. After you define the name, it is available in most areas of the software that contain formulas referencing local prompts (L!).

Value: contains the value assigned to each defined name of a product. The values of any specific prompts may be a number, alpha-numeric text, or a formula evaluating to one of these types of values. Regardless of the type of value, it is populated to the database as text for use in reports.

Control Type: contains the instructions for how to display the prompt in the software. The control types of 70, 80, and 90 tell the program to dim the prompt. For example, you can use them in a formula to dim a control based on a global variable. They work in conjunction with only the values 7, 8, and 9. Those three controls all display one of the material libraries for selection from the corresponding list. See the chart above. 

Help Text: contains a description of the purpose of the prompt, or additional information about the proper use of the prompt. If you hover over the prompt name in the prompt screen, the program displays the contents of this cell.

Validation Code: contains a range defining the acceptable range of values for that prompt. It is a safety net that ensures you enter acceptable values. If you enter a value outside of the range, the program will not allow you to exit the prompts screen until you enter a value within that range. Specify the smallest and largest number values permissible, separated by the pipe symbol. For example, all values between 1 and 10 inclusive are allowed, enter 1|10 in this cell. You may also specify only a value within the range that is divisible by another number. For example, to allow all values between 1 and 10, that are divisible by 2, enter 1|10|2.

Control Type Data: for combo box control types, this field contains the list of items to display as you drop down the combo box. The contents of this cell apply only if the prompt control type is set to 5. You must enter this list of items as a pipe-delimited list. It may be a hard text list such as “Generic Slab|Generic Five Piece.” It may also contain a formula that references a VLOOKUP table, or it may contain a formula that references a global variable. For prompt control types 7, 8, and 9, Control Type Data is used to add a filter to material categories in the material selection UI. Learn more about the Material Prompt Category Filter.

Number/Dimension: contains instructions to the program for the format of the prompt in the database. Enter “N” in this cell if the value is a number as in the quantity of something. Leave the cell blank if the value is a dimension. If you use imperial data but need metric reports, the program leaves the number type values alone, while converting the imperial values to their metric equivalents.

Color: contains a value that sets the color of the prompt name text in the prompt screen. See the chart above.

Mirrored Value: contains prompt values that work only with the program command “Mirror Products.” For example, the cell in this column for a Left Finished End would contain a formula such as “=Right_Fin_End,” and the cell in this column for a Right Finished End would contain a formula such as “=Left_Fin_End.”

Picture: contains a thumbnail graphic showing the purpose of the prompt.

Hide Prompt: contains a value that serves as an alternative to specifying a control type of 6. Both hide the prompt on the prompt screen. If you enter a “0” or leave it blank, the prompt will be displayed. If you enter a “1”, the prompt will be hidden. Prompts may also be ‘hidden’ by inserting them below a blank row in the spreadsheet. These prompts will not display on the prompt screen.

Hide on Reports: contains a value that specifies to the program that the value should not be populated to the database, and thus hides the prompt on reports. If the cell is blank, the prompt will appear on reports. If you enter a “1”, the prompt will be hidden on reports.

Tab Index: contains a value that assigns prompts to certain tabs in the prompt screen. The program supports the ability to add tabs to the prompt screen for better organization. This cell defines which tab any particular prompts will be placed on. For example, if you have two tabs, the tab index for any particular prompt can be either 0 or 1, with 0 placing the prompt on the first tab, and 1 placing it on the second tab.  

The tab index and tab list columns work in conjunction with each other.

Tab List: contains a list of tab names. The name on any row does not need to match up with any particular defined name. Just make sure the name of the first tab (tab index “0”), and enter the data downward.  

The tab list and tab index columns work in conjunction with each other.

Use Last Value: contains an integer or text you use to specify whether the program uses the last value of the same prompt within the group specified by the code. The code indicates which prompts should retain the same last value. All prompts with the same code are in the same group and use the same last value. Download the document named “Use Last Value Code Assignments” for a list of the prompts and their group codes at the bottom of this article. 

These group codes are used in the default Microvellum Library Data in conjunction with the global variable named “Use_Last_Value.” If the global is turned ON, all product prompts containing the same group code will retain the value of the last prompt used within that group.

For example, 2 Door Base products in the default library data contain the group code of 2. To demonstrate this concept, turn ON the global “Use_Last_Value” and draw a “2 Door Base no Bottom” with a width prompt value to 34.5 instead of its default value of 36.  Next, draw a “2 Door Base w Dividers”. You will see that the width prompt of the second product comes in containing a value of 34.5 instead of the normal default value for that prompt, which is also 36. According to the document in the link above, that is because all 2 Door Base products are in the same group, and should display the same width prompt based on the last value of product prompt from within the group specified by that integer.

The program will use the default product prompt value if this cell evaluates to the text “OFF” or is blank.

We have added the ability to skip a prompt when using the  Replace Product command, so it doesn’t use the original product's prompt value.  The Use Last Value column accepts two values separated by a pipe symbol “|”.  The first value is still used for the Use Last Value feature and if it contains a value of 1 it will use the value of the last product when it is added to a project.  If the cell contains a pipe symbol followed by a “1”, the  Replace Product  command will skip this prompt and use the default library prompt value.  Below are all the valid inputs for this cell.  Any other values used besides a 1 will result in the defaults value of 0|0 being used. 

 

Blank Cell or  “0|0”  = Will   NOT  use Last Value when adding a new product from the library.  The  Replace Product command will use the original product's prompt value. 

  “1|0”  = Will use the Last Value when adding a new product from the library.  The  Replace Product command will use the original product's prompt value. 

“0|1”  = Will   NOT  use the Last Value when adding a new product from the library.  The  Replace Product command will NOT use the original product's prompt value 

“1|1”  = Will use the Last Value when adding a new product from the library.  The  Replace Product command will   NOT  use the original product's prompt value 

Learn more about the Replace Products Prompt Override.

Warning Message: contains a simple text value, or formula that evaluates to text that is used as a warning message for prompt values. For example, consider a formula in the cell in the Warning Message column of the Width prompt (row 1) containing the following formula:  =IF(Width < 8, “Width is too small, please make it larger than 12”, “”). As a result of this formula, the user would not be allowed to enter a width value of less than 8. If the user enters a value less than 8, an error message would be displayed, and the user would be forced to change the value.

Calculator Index: contains a value that assigns prompts to a custom calculator in the prompt screen. The program supports the ability to add custom calculators to the prompt screen for quickly calculating part sizes. These calculators would be similar to the default calculator that determines drawer front heights. This column should contain integer values starting with 0 and incrementing +1 from there. For example, if you have two custom calculators, the calculator index for any particular prompt can be either 0 or 1, with 0 placing the prompt in the first calculator, and 1 placing it in the second calculator.  

The calculator index and calculator list columns work in conjunction with each other.

Calculator List: contains the list of available custom calculators within the product. This cell must include three parameters, each separated by the pipe symbol. The first parameter is the calculator name, which can be formula or simple text. The second parameter is the total opening space that is being calculated. The third parameter is the gap that is subtracted from the opening space. The cells in this column do not need to line up with the prompts list on the left. The first calculator is listed in row 1 with its pipe-delimited parameters and each successive calculator is listed below that with its pipe-delimited parameters.