| TDBTime Control > Features of the TDBTime Control |
This section describes the following TDBTime control features:
Flexible formatting
Data binding feature
Automatic character filtering
Action keys
The TDBTime control has the most commonly used time format styles pre-defined in the property page for quick design. Also, the display format is separated from the input format, making it possible to display time values in complex formats, yet with easier input.
For example, to display "10:10 am", set the DisplayFormat property to hh:mm am/pm and the Format property to hhmm a/p. Combining the use of DisplayFormat with the Format property reduces effort at run time, by allowing the user to enter 1010a.
The data bound functionality, which is supported by Visual Basic, is now also supported by the TDBTime control. With data binding, a time value can be retrieved from any field in the database and displayed in the control, or entered time values can be stored into the database.
TDBTime controls reduce coding time with time validation, and automatic character filtering for allowable characters. Time input errors, such as non-existing times (10:65 or 25:15), will be handled correctly by the control, thereby also reducing coding time.
TDBTime provides action keys to contribute to a more efficient run time. You can customize navigation by using the properties in the Key object. The Now property of the Key object can define a key for the user to enter the current system time.