HomeUsing LincDoc 3.0Field AttributesOverview

6.2. Overview

Field attributes define the data entry widget type and how that widget performs in a LincDoc form. For example, you may have a phone number or date field in your form and you want the user to enter the correct number of digits in the number and pick a date from a pick list. Setting the field attributes will control how this field performs. In addition, there are other attributes that control how and when the field is displayed in the form.

The following are a list of the most common field attributes:

 

Item Description Advanced
Field name: The name of the field as configured from the source document.  
Appears in: Lists the first source document encountered that contains the field.  X
Label: Enter the Label that appears to the user in the data entry process.  
Short label: Defines the label that appears for this field when performing searches or modifying the set of index fields. X
Field type: This is a drop down list of the data types of each field in the data entry process.  See Field Types for further information.  
Maximum number of rows This option is available only on multiline fields and controls the maximum number of repeating sets that may be entered by the end user.  
Condition to display: Defines whether a field is displayed or not.   The default selection of Always will display the field to the end user.   Never will not display the field.   Conditions may be configured to dynamically display the field based upon previous input.  See Condition to Display for more information.   
Required: A value of Always/Never defines whether or not the field must be completed before proceeding in the data entry process.  Conditions may be configured to dynamically require the field based upon previous input.  Required conditions are discussed further here.  
Read Only: A value of Always/Never defines whether or not the field value may be entered by the user.  Conditions may be configured to dynamically prevent the field from being edited.  See Read Only Conditions for more information. X
Input constraint: Defines the format criteria on how the user must enter a value in a field. For example, entering the value of "###-###-####" the user must enter a numeric value of 555-555-5555.  '#' signs denote numeric characters, 'X' denotes alpha characters.  Typical Input constraints descriptions can be found in the Custom Strings documentation.   Other options include all caps and proper name.  All caps forces entered text to capital letters. Proper name forces the capitalization of the first letter of each word.  
Constraint warning message: Defines the text that is displayed to the user if the Input constraint is not entered correctly.  
Alert condition: Defines a message box alert and its triggered condition.   Alert messages are warnings for the end user.   They do not prevent the user from continuing.    To create an alert condition, select new condition from the option menu and configure the condition with the condition wizard.  Once the condition or the standard Always option is selected, select edit alert message to enter the alert text.   The alert text can contain previously entered user data.    X
Width: Numeric value that defines how wide the field text area. X
Max length: Numeric value that defines the maximum number of characters that can be entered in a text area. X
Calculated field?  Calculated fields are values generated by the system in response to some user input.   See Calculated Fields for more information.  X
Button calculation?  Calculations that are executed in response to a button press. X
Default calculation? Defaults a fixed or dynamic value in the field.   See Default Calculations for more information.  X
Clear value when hidden: When selected, this option will clear the field's value from being saved if its condition to display becomes false during user entry. X
 Actions and Buttons: Configures the actions executed in relation to a user's interaction with the field.  For example, an action may be triggered by the on change event of a field.  X
Exempt from flattening: A value of Always/Never defines whether or not the field is flattened.  Conditions may be configured to dynamically prevent the field from being flattened.   X
Field help: Context senstitive help that appears to the end user. When this is defined for a field a help icon will automatically appear to the right of the field. HTML syntax can be used to configure the text that is displayed.  

Watch this video to learn more about field attributes.

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