property Rollist.TemplateDef as Variant
Defines inside variables for the next Template/ExecuteTemplate call.

TypeDescription
Variant A string expression that indicates the Dim declaration, or any Object expression to be assigned to previously declared variables.
The TemplateDef property has been added to allow programming languages such as dBASE Plus to set control's properties with multiple parameters. It is known that programming languages such as dBASE Plus or XBasic from AlphaFive, does not support setting a property with multiple parameters. In other words, these programming languages does not support something like Property(Parameters) = Value, so our controls provide an alternative using the TemplateDef method. The first call of the TemplateDef should be a declaration such as "Dim a,b" which means the next 2 calls of the TemplateDef defines the variables a and b. The next call should be Template or ExecuteTemplate property which can use the variable a and b being defined previously. 

So, calling the TemplateDef property should be as follows:

with (Control)
	TemplateDef = [Dim var_Column]
	TemplateDef = var_Column
	Template = [var_Column.Def(4) = 255]
endwith

This sample allocates a variable var_Column, assigns the value to the variable ( the second call of the TemplateDef ), and the Template call uses the var_Column variable ( as an object ), to call its Def property with the parameter 4. 

Let's say we need to define the background color for a specified column, so we need to call the Def(exCellBackColor) property of the column, to define the color for all cells in the column. 

The following VB6 sample shows setting the Def property such as:

With Control
	.Columns.Add("Column 1").Def(exCellBackColor) = 255
	.Columns.Add "Column 2"
	.Items.AddItem 0
	.Items.AddItem 1
	.Items.AddItem 2
End With

In dBASE Plus, calling the Def(4) has no effect, instead using the TemplateDef helps you to use properly the Def property as follows:

local Control,var_Column

Control = form.Activex1.nativeObject
// Control.Columns.Add("Column 1").Def(4) = 255
var_Column = Control.Columns.Add("Column 1")
with (Control)
	TemplateDef = [Dim var_Column]
	TemplateDef = var_Column
	Template = [var_Column.Def(4) = 255]
endwith
Control.Columns.Add("Column 2")
Control.Items.AddItem(0)
Control.Items.AddItem(1)
Control.Items.AddItem(2)

The equivalent sample for XBasic in A5, is as follows:

Dim Control as P
Dim var_Column as P

Control = topparent:CONTROL_ACTIVEX1.activex
' Control.Columns.Add("Column 1").Def(4) = 255
var_Column = Control.Columns.Add("Column 1")
Control.TemplateDef = "Dim var_Column"
Control.TemplateDef = var_Column
Control.Template = "var_Column.Def(4) = 255"

Control.Columns.Add("Column 2")
Control.Items.AddItem(0)
Control.Items.AddItem(1)
Control.Items.AddItem(2)

The samples just call the Column.Def(4) = Value, using the TemplateDef. The first call of TemplateDef property is "Dim var_Column", which indicates that the next call of the TemplateDef will defines the value of the variable var_Column, in other words, it defines the object var_Column. The last call of the Template property uses the var_Column member to use the x-script and so to set the Def property so a new color is being assigned to the column.

The TemplateDef, Template and ExecuteTemplate support x-script language ( Template script of the Exontrols ), like explained bellow:

The Template or x-script is composed by lines of instructions. Instructions are separated by "\n\r" ( newline characters ) or ";" character. The ; character may be available only for newer versions of the components.

An x-script instruction/line can be one of the following:

The x-script may uses constant expressions as follow:

Also , the template or x-script code may support general functions as follows: