How to recover white-space on hidden variables in the catalog..

[Stephen W_]

UI policy actions and "setDisplay()" are only effective at filling empty space vertically, not horizontally

Example, if I have two variables in a 2 column container:

[   a   ] [   b   ]

If I use setDisplay to hide "a", "b" will remain in it's place.  

                [   b   ]

If I have four variables:

[   a   ] [   b   ]

[   c   ] [   d   ]

it will fill from the bottom, completely ruining any organization.

[   c   ] [   b   ]

                  [   d   ]

Short of DOM manipulation.. is there a way to alter the collapse behavior?

Thanks,

-Stephen

[Chuck Tomasi]

Use g_form.setVisible() in your client script (or a UI policy)

Docs: GlideAjax

Client Script Best Practices - ServiceNow Wiki      

[Stephen W_]

Er, perhaps I was unclear..

I would like:

[   a   ] [   b   ]

to become

[   b   ]

setVisible() doesn't reclaim whitespace at all.

[Chuck Tomasi]

Do you have a screenshot. I'm not understanding what this is looking like. Are you looking to collapse/hide an entire container from the left side of the screen and have the elements on the right shift to the left? Again, a screenshot is worth 1,000 words.

[Stephen W_]

Here's the initial state:

Now I hide a:

or hide "a" and "c":

I can protect the order of things by putting them in separate containers.. but then I end up with a really ugly looking screen, esp when four columns are used: