Adding a text, password, or hidden field control
A text control lets users enter plain text. A password control lets users enter plain text, but displays that text only as a series of asterisks (or other special characters). A hidden field control submits a value when the form is submitted, but does not display that value to the user. To add a text, password, or hidden field control to a form:
- Use the Text Field tool
to draw a text control inside the form box. Note that while hidden fields can overlap each other within a form box, visible form controls cannot. - Choose Item > Modify and then click the Form tab.
- Enter a name for the text control in the Name field.
- Choose an option from the Type drop-down menu to specify the type of field:
- Choose Text-Single Line for a control that can contain only one line of text.
- Choose Text-Multi Line for a control that can contain multiple lines of text.
- Choose Password for a control where all characters are displayed as asterisks or bullets.
- Choose Hidden Field for a control that will be submitted with the form, but will not display in the end user’s Web browser. You can use a hidden field to send data that the end user cannot see. Hidden fields are commonly used to store session ID information, variables, validation codes, and so forth. If you choose Hidden Field, the Max Chars, Wrap Text, Read Only, and Required options will not be available.
- Enter a number in the Max Chars field to specify the maximum number of characters that the control will accept.
- Check the Wrap Text check box to specify that multiple lines of text in the control should automatically wrap from one line to the next. (This check box is available only if Text-Multi Line is chosen in the Type drop-down menu.)
- To keep the end user from editing the contents of the control, check Read Only.
- To indicate that the control must contain a value before the form can be submitted, check Required.
- Click OK.
Parent topic: Forms