H. Generic search component

For each database table a selection component can be defined. This is a GUI component that applies filters defined in search fields and when a MIS end user (e.g., doctor, nurse) types some text in these search fields, the selection component automatically displays a drop-down list of filtered results from which the end user can choose one. Figure 5 illustrates how entering the first 3 digits of a medicine code (label “Šifra” in Serbian; this is the search field) produces a drop-down list of corresponding medicine names (label “Naziv” in Serbian). For a selection component for one database table, up to three search fields can be defined. This is shown in the middle of Figure 4, in the section “Selection component”. Selection components are particularly useful for large catalog tables (such are catalogs of medicines, diagnoses, physicians, and similar), but can be defined for any database table. When a selection component is generated as a Windows (end) user component, it can be included into any Windows form. Each generated selection component inherits the GeneralSelectionComponent class containing base features (which can be overridden in the code of derived classes, if needed). One of these base features is minimal length of the text typed in a search field. By default, filtering is started after the third character entered in a search field (because catalogs have many items). Another base feature is the maximum number of items displayed in the drop-down list.

Figure 14. Search component for medicine (“lek” on Serbian)