Text control

Use this control to add a text box that displays the contents of a text field and conditionally enables users to enter or modify its contents.

Search for	Example	Results
A single word	`cat`	Topics that contain the word "cat". You will also find its grammatical variations, such as "cats".
A phrase. You can specify that the search results contain a specific phrase.	`"cat food"` (quotation marks)	Topics that contain the literal phrase "cat food" and all its grammatical variations. Without the quotation marks, the query is equivalent to specifying an OR operator, which finds topics with one of the individual words instead of the phrase.

Search for	Operator	Example
Two or more words in the same topic	`AND` `and` `+` (plus symbol) `&` (ampersand)	`cat AND dog` `"cat food"+milk` `"cat food"&"dog food"`
Either word in a topic	`OR` `or` `\|` (pipe)	`cat OR dog` `cat \| dog`
Topics that do not contain a specific word or phrase	`NOT` `not` `!` (exclamation point)	`NOT cat` `! dog`
Topics that contain one string and do not contain another	`^` (caret)	`cat ^ mouse`
A combination of search types	`( )` parentheses	`cat + (dog \| mouse)` `cat \| dog + (! mouse)`

To place a text box on a form, click Text and then click the form.
Be sure to put the name of the database field or variable that you want to associate with this control into the Input property.

Property	Usage
Name	Specify a unique identifier for the object on the screen. (Optional) This name is used by external applications, such as RAD, to dynamically change the properties of the object.
X	Specify the object’s horizontal position based on the left edge of the object.
Y	Specify the object’s vertical position based on the top edge of the object.
Width	Specify the width of the object in alignment grid units.
Height	Specify the height of the object in alignment grid units.
Visible Condition	Specify an expression to override the Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.
Visible	Select this option to make the object visible on the form. Clear the check box to hide the object from view on the form.
Caption	Specify a text caption for the object.
Caption Condition	Specify an expression to override the Caption property when that expression evaluates to true.
Input	Specify the database field or variable to associate with this control.
Accessible Name	Specify a component name for use with accessibility software. (Optional) Note: This function is only supported by the Web client. If no name is present, the Web client defaults to looking for a nearby label to use for the name of the component. For buttons, check boxes, or radio buttons, it uses the component’s text. Accessibility software can query the Web client to get this information and use it to present data to the user in a variety of ways. For example, speech simulation software says the name and the type of component when the component has focus.
Accessible Description	Specify a component description for use with accessibility software. (Optional) Note: This function is only supported by the Web client. If no description is present, the Web client defaults to looking for a nearby label to use for the name of the component. For buttons, check boxes, or radio buttons, the Web client will use the component’s text. Accessibility software can query the Web client to get this information, and use it to present it to the user in a variety of ways. For example, when a component gets focus, speech simulation software will say the name and the type of component, based on the settings in the Accessible Name and Accessible Description fields.
Tab Stop	Specify the tab sort order for this field. By default, the TAB key navigates the focus on a form from top to bottom and left to right. Objects that have a non-zero Tab Stop are visited first, in ascending order. For a button, file, radio button or check box, you will almost always use the default of 0.
Read-Only	Select this option to disable editing capabilities and provide only viewing access to the field. Give read–only fields a tab–stop value of –1 to prevent users from tabbing into them.
Read-Only Condition	Specify an expression to override the Read-Only property when that expression evaluates to true.
Mandatory	Setting Mandatory to Yes by checking the box indicates that the field is required and therefore a red asterisk indicating a required field is displayed. This is a visible change only. To make the field mandatory for any form it appears on, use the System Definition Utility. To make the field mandatory for a small number of forms only, use Format Control.
Mandatory Condition	Specify an expression to override the Mandatory property when that expression evaluates to true.
Password	Select this option to make the text entered in the field a series of asterisks on the screen. The data is not encrypted, just transposed.
Maximum Chars	Specify the number of characters the user can enter in the field. The default is 0 (unlimited).
Maximum Characters Beep	Select this option to notify the user by sounding a beep that they reached the maximum number of characters. This is not available on UNIX systems.
Case Conversion	Specify how to change the case of text entered in the field. The choices are None, Upper, Lower.
Decimals	Specify the number of decimal points for numbers in this field. Service Manager modifies numbers entered in the field to the number of decimal points you specify.
Parse	Select this option to verify that the text entered in a field is the correct syntax. The syntax for the field is defined by the type of field it displays (date, expression, number, and so forth).
Array Length	Specify the size of the scrolling region used to view array entries. A scroll bar appears beside the fields to allow users to view the array entries. - If a field is assigned an Array Length of 5, the form stacks five fields vertically to allow users to view the five array entries. - If Array Length is set to -1, the form dynamically creates as many fields as there are entries in the array. - If the Input data type is scalar, only a single text box appears. Note: The screen object must be associated with an array data structure. The default is 0, which means one vertical line of information appears.
Input Conversion	Specify the name of an Input Conversion routine. This property is used by RAD subroutines that mask the display of data on an input field, or check and validate the entry of data into an input field. If specified, the routine is called at runtime to convert the contents of the field before it is displayed on the screen. For examples, refer to the RAD input and output routines.
Mask	Specify the mask value (the condition that sets a value to be passed for this field to the input and output conversion routines). When a field has a mask value and you save the record, the format of the mask value displays in the field. For example, you decide to update the purchase cost information of a contract in Configuration Management. You enter a date in the Currency EX Date field of the Financial tab as 02/26/09. The condition for the mask value is set as: xxx dd,yyyy. When you save the record, the Currency Ex Date field displays the date format of February 26, 2009. Valid values for the mask vary depending on the routine being called.
Output Conversion	Specify the name of an Output Conversion routine. This property is used by RAD subroutines that mask the display of data on an output field, or check and validate the entry of data into an input field. If specified, the routine is called at runtime to convert the contents of the field before it is displayed on the screen. For examples, refer to the RAD input and output routines.

Property

Usage

Name

Specify a unique identifier for the object on the screen. (Optional)

This name is used by external applications, such as RAD, to dynamically change the properties of the object.

Specify the object’s horizontal position based on the left edge of the object.

Specify the object’s vertical position based on the top edge of the object.

Width

Specify the width of the object in alignment grid units.

Height

Specify the height of the object in alignment grid units.

Visible Condition

Specify an expression to override the Visible property when that expression evaluates to true.

Visible

Select this option to make the object visible on the form. Clear the check box to hide the object from view on the form.

Caption

Specify a text caption for the object.

Caption Condition

Specify an expression to override the Caption property when that expression evaluates to true.

Input

Specify the database field or variable to associate with this control.

Accessible Name

Specify a component name for use with accessibility software. (Optional)

Note: This function is only supported by the Web client.

If no name is present, the Web client defaults to looking for a nearby label to use for the name of the component. For buttons, check boxes, or radio buttons, it uses the component’s text. Accessibility software can query the Web client to get this information and use it to present data to the user in a variety of ways. For example, speech simulation software says the name and the type of component when the component has focus.

Accessible Description

Specify a component description for use with accessibility software. (Optional)

Note: This function is only supported by the Web client.

If no description is present, the Web client defaults to looking for a nearby label to use for the name of the component. For buttons, check boxes, or radio buttons, the Web client will use the component’s text. Accessibility software can query the Web client to get this information, and use it to present it to the user in a variety of ways. For example, when a component gets focus, speech simulation software will say the name and the type of component, based on the settings in the Accessible Name and Accessible Description fields.

Tab Stop

Specify the tab sort order for this field. By default, the TAB key navigates the focus on a form from top to bottom and left to right. Objects that have a non-zero Tab Stop are visited first, in ascending order. For a button, file, radio button or check box, you will almost always use the default of 0.

Read-Only

Select this option to disable editing capabilities and provide only viewing access to the field. Give read–only fields a tab–stop value of –1 to prevent users from tabbing into them.

Read-Only Condition

Specify an expression to override the Read-Only property when that expression evaluates to true.

Mandatory

Setting Mandatory to Yes by checking the box indicates that the field is required and therefore a red asterisk indicating a required field is displayed. This is a visible change only. To make the field mandatory for any form it appears on, use the System Definition Utility. To make the field mandatory for a small number of forms only, use Format Control.

Mandatory Condition

Specify an expression to override the Mandatory property when that expression evaluates to true.

Password

Select this option to make the text entered in the field a series of asterisks on the screen. The data is not encrypted, just transposed.

Maximum Chars

Specify the number of characters the user can enter in the field. The default is 0 (unlimited).

Maximum Characters Beep

Select this option to notify the user by sounding a beep that they reached the maximum number of characters. This is not available on UNIX systems.

Case Conversion

Specify how to change the case of text entered in the field. The choices are None, Upper, Lower.

Decimals

Specify the number of decimal points for numbers in this field.
Service Manager modifies numbers entered in the field to the number of decimal points you specify.

Parse

Select this option to verify that the text entered in a field is the correct syntax. The syntax for the field is defined by the type of field it displays (date, expression, number, and so forth).

Array Length

Specify the size of the scrolling region used to view array entries. A scroll bar appears beside the fields to allow users to view the array entries.
- If a field is assigned an Array Length of 5, the form stacks five fields vertically to allow users to view the five array entries.
- If Array Length is set to -1, the form dynamically creates as many fields as there are entries in the array.
- If the Input data type is scalar, only a single text box appears.

Note: The screen object must be associated with an array data structure.

The default is 0, which means one vertical line of information appears.

Input Conversion

Specify the name of an Input Conversion routine. This property is used by RAD subroutines that mask the display of data on an input field, or check and validate the entry of data into an input field. If specified, the routine is called at runtime to convert the contents of the field before it is displayed on the screen. For examples, refer to the RAD input and output routines.

Mask

Specify the mask value (the condition that sets a value to be passed for this field to the input and output conversion routines). When a field has a mask value and you save the record, the format of the mask value displays in the field. For example, you decide to update the purchase cost information of a contract in Configuration Management. You enter a date in the Currency EX Date field of the Financial tab as 02/26/09. The condition for the mask value is set as: xxx dd,yyyy. When you save the record, the Currency Ex Date field displays the date format of February 26, 2009. Valid values for the mask vary depending on the routine being called.

Output Conversion

Specify the name of an Output Conversion routine. This property is used by RAD subroutines that mask the display of data on an output field, or check and validate the entry of data into an input field. If specified, the routine is called at runtime to convert the contents of the field before it is displayed on the screen. For examples, refer to the RAD input and output routines.

Related concepts