Clarify page field caption and tooltip inheritance (#160)
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* Clarify page field caption and tooltip inheritance

Prevent redundant page-level properties by documenting inherited captions and BC24/runtime 13.0 table-field tooltips. Correct companion examples and version-scoped tooltip guidance.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

* Address tooltip quality and knowledge scope review feedback

Require useful, behavior-grounded tooltip text rather than caption repetition, improve the samples, and explain why compiler feedback does not prevent redundant page captions.

Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

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Co-authored-by: Jesper Schulz-Wedde <jesper.schulzwedde@microsoft.com>
Co-authored-by: Copilot App <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>
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Jesper Schulz-Wedde 2026-09-07 15:13:35 +02:00 • committed by GitHub
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@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
---
bc-version: [all]
bc-version: [24..]
domain: ui
keywords: [tooltip, page-field, source-field, inheritance, aa0218, false-positive]
technologies: [al]
@ -11,14 +11,20 @@ application-area: [all]
## Description
A page field bound to a table field inherits the source field's `ToolTip` at runtime: the control shows the table field's `ToolTip` even when the page control declares none of its own. A page field without an inline `ToolTip` is therefore not, by itself, a missing-tooltip defect — the text may be supplied by the bound source field.
Starting with BC24 (2024 release wave 1), runtime 13.0 supports `ToolTip` on table fields. A page field bound to a table field inherits the source field's `ToolTip` when the page control declares none of its own. A page field without an inline `ToolTip` is therefore not, by itself, a missing-tooltip defect. This inheritance is not available when targeting earlier runtimes.
The genuinely-missing case is different: a bound field whose source table field *also* carries no `ToolTip`, or an unbound control, has no text to inherit and is a real accessibility gap. The compiler analyzer AA0218 detects this mechanically, but its severity is set by each app's ruleset and is routinely downgraded or disabled — so it cannot be relied on as the only net. PR review is the last line of defence and should raise this case independently.
The genuinely-missing case is different: a control with no inline `ToolTip` also has no text to inherit when it is unbound or its source table field carries no non-empty `ToolTip`. This leaves a real user-assistance gap. The compiler analyzer AA0218 detects this mechanically, but its severity is set by each app's ruleset and may be downgraded or disabled, so review should raise the genuine gap independently.
## Best Practice
Do not raise a missing-`ToolTip` finding for a bound page field whose source table field supplies a `ToolTip`; assume the control inherits it. Do raise a `medium`-severity finding when the field has no inline `ToolTip` **and** no inherited one — that is, a bound field whose source field is also tooltip-less, or an unbound control — rather than assuming AA0218 will catch it downstream.
Check the target runtime and inspect the source field, including dependency symbols when needed. On runtime 13.0 or later, do not raise a missing-`ToolTip` finding for a bound page field whose source table field supplies a non-empty `ToolTip`, and do not add a duplicate page-level property. A page-level override is appropriate only when the page needs different help text or no tooltip can be inherited.
Do raise a `medium`-severity finding when the field has no inline `ToolTip` **and** no inherited one, rather than assuming AA0218 will catch it downstream. If the source definition is unavailable, do not infer that its tooltip is missing. See [tooltip requirements across target versions](../style/tooltip-required-on-page-fields.md).
## Anti Pattern
Two opposite failures: (1) flagging every page field that has no inline `ToolTip` as a violation, ignoring that a bound field inherits its source field's tooltip; and (2) staying silent on a field that has neither an inline nor an inherited tooltip on the assumption that the compiler's AA0218 will report it — a ruleset that downgrades or disables AA0218 then lets a genuine gap ship unflagged.
## References
[ToolTip property](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/business-central/dev-itpro/developer/properties/devenv-tooltip-property).