Hiding, disabling, or requiring user input for a text field

You can hide or disable a text field on a panel stack in a Transaction Services-enabled document. You can also require users to select a value for a text field on a panel stack. This includes input object controls based on text fields. To do so, you define each condition on the text field using one of the following:

• The value of an input object control based on a text field. The input object control must be editable.

• An expression. You can use arithmetic operators to combine the values of the following controls in an expression:

  • Input object controls based on text fields

  • Input object controls based on metrics in grids

Each input object control must be editable.

You must also define a comparison value for each condition using one of the following:

• The value of any text field in the document.

• An expression. You can use arithmetic operators to combine the values of any text fields and metrics on a grid, regardless of whether they are configured as transaction controls.

Prerequisites

• The Transaction Services-enabled document contains the text field or input object control based on a text field. For steps, see Creating a transaction-enabled document. For steps to create text fields, see Adding text and data to a document: Text fields. For steps to create input object controls, see Input object controls that support transactions.

• The text field must be displayed on a panel stack.

To hide, disable, or require user input for a text field or input object control based on a text field

1. Open the document in Design or Editable Mode.

2. Right-click the text field, then select Transaction Conditions. The Transaction Conditions Editor opens.

3. From the Action drop-down list, select the action to perform when the condition is met, such as Disable, Hide, or Require. The actions available vary depending on the type of control that you are modifying.

4. Click the plus icon to the left. A new condition is created and displayed in the Transaction Conditions Editor. The selected action will be performed when this condition is met.

To define the condition

1. From the Filter On list, select one of the following:

   • To base the condition on the value of an input object control, select the control. To view a list of all available controls in the document, click See More.

   • To base the condition on the value of an expression, select Advanced Expression. The advanced expression options are displayed. Define the condition as follows:

     • To add the value of an input object control to the expression, from the Available list, double-click the control. The control is added to the expression and displayed in the editor pane to the right.

     • To add operators to the expression, click the addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), or division (/) operators above the editor pane.

     • When finished, click the check mark to apply your changes.

2. From the next list, select an operator to use to compare the values in the condition, such as Equals or Greater Than.

3. Define the value to compare to by doing one of the following:

   • To use a static value, type the value in the field.

   • To use the value of a text field, select the control. By default, the text fields in the same field group as the text field that the condition is based on are displayed. To see a full list of all text fields in the document, click See More.

   • To use the value of an expression, select Advanced Expression. The advanced expression options are displayed. Define the condition as follows:

     • To add the value of an input object control to the expression, from the Available list, double-click the control. The control is added to the expression and displayed in the editor pane to the right.

     • To add operators to the expression, click the addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), or division (/) operators above the editor pane.

     • When finished, click the check mark to apply your changes.

4. Click Apply to create the condition. Your new condition is created and displayed in the Transaction Conditions Editor.

   To add another condition to the action, hover the cursor over the action and click the arrow icon on the right. From the menu, select New Condition. Repeat the steps above to the additional condition, beginning at To define the condition.

5. To create a copy of a condition, hover the cursor over the condition and click the arrow icon on the right. From the menu, select Duplicate.

6. If you have defined multiple conditions for a single action, you can change the operator used to combine the conditions. Right-click the AND operator displayed between the conditions. From the menu, select a new operator.

7. To edit a condition, click the condition, then repeat the steps above to modify the condition, beginning at To define the condition.