Default First Gadget Position in Containers

The default auto-placement position of the first gadget in a container (Frame or Form) defines the notional origin of the container's grid.

It is dependent on the current values of HDIST and VDIST, the height of any title text and the horizontal and vertical cosmetic edge-padding which surrounds the container.

The code snippet taken from the example form shown in Fig 17:3, illustrates this.

layout form !!usingVarChars dialog

  ...

  paragraph .para1 text 'Simple form layout using VarChars'

  frame .frame1 |frame1: See my gadgets|

    paragraph .para2 text 'text positioned implicitly in frame1'

    . . .

  exit

  . . .

exit

The first gadget on the Form, paragraph .para1, is auto-placed (it has no specified position). Its position is equivalent to all of the following:

paragraph .para1 at xmin ymin

paragraph .para1 at xmin form ymin form

paragraph .para1 at 0 0

Similarly for .para2, the first gadget in .frame1 is auto-placed. Its position is equivalent to all of the following:

paragraph .para2 at xmin ymin

paragraph .para2 at xmin.frame1 ymin.frame1

paragraph .para2 at 0 0

Note:
It is better to use auto-placement, rather than the AT syntax wherever possible.
You can change the size of the space surrounding the form or a frame by changing the values of HDIST and VDIST.