Edit Form Field

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Edit Form Field

Use this dialog to view or change custom field definitions. To create new fields, choose Add New Field in Custom Element Field Definitions and other dialogs for creating or editing fields. Selecting the edit icon for an existing field in Custom Element Field Definitions displays this dialog in edit mode as shown below.

The dialog has three tabs: Standard Properties, Other Properties, and Security.

Edit Form Fields - Standard Properties

Standard Properties Tab

Use this tab to define basic data for the field.

Field Name - Displays or requests a name for the field. Required input for all types of Custom Element fields. For new fields, click the orange arrow to automatically copy the field name to the Label field, or enter a different name for the field label.

Type - Select a field type from the dropdown.

CommonSpot supports over two dozen different field types out-of-the-box. You can also build your own custom field types. The following table describes the built-in types. Your selection here determines which options display for Other Properties.

Field Types	Description
Calendar	Renders a pop-up calendar. Remember to set the date/time format in the "Other Properties" tab.
Checkbox	Renders a standard checkbox
CommonSpot Extended URL	Invokes the CommonSpot Insert Link dialog, which can be optionally configured to limit or extend link types requested in a Custom Element. See the Insert Link description in the Contributor's Reference and the description for this type in New Form Field.
CommonSpot Page URL	Renders a control for requesting a specific CommonSpot URL with options to prepopulate the field with either a link to an existing page URL or a ColdFusion expression for conditionally rendering a CommonSpot page link.
Date	Renders an edit control for the input of a date
Email	Renders an edit control for the input of an email address
Formatted Text Block	Renders the rich text control allowing the user to enter and format text as is done in the Formatted Text Block Element.
Hidden	A field that does not render but can be uses to provide defaulted data
Image	Renders a field allowing the user to upload or specify an image. You can enable alternate locations for options for uploading images.
Large Text Area	Renders a text area control that is unlimited in size
Line Break	Renders one or more line breaks. Set the number of line breaks in the Other Properties tab.
Multiple Checkboxes	Renders a list of values, each of which can be checked
Number (float)	Renders an input field for numbers (accepts decimal values)
Number (integer)	Renders an input field for numbers (accepts integer values)
Radio Buttons	Renders a list of values, only one of which can be selected
Section Label	Renders a label for a section within your form
Selection List	Renders a drop down list or a list box depending on the size specified. The contents of the list can either be directly specified, can be generated from a custom query, or can be the list of CommonSpot groups.
Small Text Area	Renders a text area control that is limited to 255 characters
Taxonomy Browser	Renders a browser for selecting one or more terms from the imported taxonomy. Different views are provided to find the appropriate term.
Text	Renders a standard edit control
Tree Control	Renders a control allowing the user to pick from a list of items in a tree control
URL	Renders a text block

Label - The label, not the field name, is presented to the user indicating the data required. It may be the same as the field name. Requires input for all types of form fields.
Shared - If the field is marked as shared, it is shared across all of its references. For example, if the field is a drop down list and you add new members, all occurrences of the field will be updated to display all new items.
Required - Fields can be marked as required and/or shared. Fields marked as required are mandatory. If the field is not filled in, the user is presented with a warning message and cannot continue without providing a value.
Description - The description for the field. It can be left blank if no description is needed. The description appears under each field to help users understand what type of data should be placed into the field.

Other Properties Tab

The field parameters that appear on this tab vary depending on the field type selected in the Standard Properties tab.

Edit Form Fields -- Other Properties Tab

The following types may display on the Other Properties tab

Maximum Length - determines the number of characters allowed per field. Requires input for all types of Custom Element fields except for the following types: Check Box, Image, Tree Control, Formatted Text Block, and Date.

Size - The size determines the display size for the field. Required input for the following types only: Text, Selection List, URL, and Email.

Default Value - The default value, if entered, is the value that is populated and presented directly in the Custom Element. The field only displays a default value or will be left blank and the user cannot update or change the value. This option is available for input for all types of Custom Element fields except for Checkbox, Image, Tree Control, Formatted Text Block, and Date.

Cookie Field: This option is available for Custom Element form fields, simple forms, and metadata forms. It enables pre-populating fields from cookie values. Use this feature to auto-complete forms containing fields completed in other forms. For example, once a user enters name, city, state, and the like in one form, fields requesting these values are prepopulated in the next form. You can use this feature for Text, Selection List, Multi-checkbox, Checkbox, and Radio Button fields.

The following fields may also display.

Checkbox List Source - Applies for Multiple Checkboxes. Values to display in the list can be: Value List, Custom Query, CommonSpot User Groups, a ColdFusion expression, or Custom Element/metadata or simple form data. If Value List is selected, you will need to type in the appropriate list of values in the "Option List" field.
Option List Source - Applies for a Selection List. Values to display in the list can be: Value List, Custom Query, CommonSpot User Groups, a ColdFusion expression, or Custom Element/metadata or simple form data. If Value List is selected, you will need to type in the appropriate list of values in the "Option List" field.
Radio Button List Source - Applies for a Radio Button. Values to display in the list can be: Value List, Custom Query, CommonSpot User Groups, a ColdFusion expression, or Custom Element/metadata or simple form data. If Value List is selected, you will need to type in the appropriate list of values in the "Option List" field.
Option List - Enter a comma-delimited list of the options you want to include in the drop-down list. Require input for Multiple Checkboxes, Radio Button, and Selection List.
Select Option - Place a "--Select--" option in the list and forces the field to be required. Cannot be used with a multiple selection drop-down list.
Columns - Determines width of control box, what is displayed. Limited overall by Maximum Length parameter above. Requires input for Small Text Area and Large Text Area types only.
Rows - Determines height of control box, what is displayed. Limited overall by Maximum Length parameter. Requires input for Small Text Area and Large Text Area types only.
Value - The value to be entered into the database if box is checked.

Security Tab

The Security tab defines the field-level permissions. Use this tab to assign users and groups specific rights to the field and its data.

Check Use Explicit Security to restrict editing access to this field, then click the Edit Security Settings button to modify security settings for the field. The Field Security dialog displays for selectively assigning individual users or groups field-level permissions. Click the edit icon to change permissions through the Edit Field Security Permissions dialog.

Related Links

New Form Field

CommonSpot Page URL Properties

Field Security

Add Field Security Permissions

You can download PDF versions of the Content Contributor's, Administrator's, and Elements Reference documents from the support section of paperthin.com (requires login).

The following guides are available locally on your CommonSpot Server:

You can also download these other guides from the support section of paperthin.com (with login):

For technical support:

http://www.paperthin.com/support/