Display only bottom few lines of large text field

[apethick]

Is it possible to format a text field on a layout so that only the bottom 4-5 lines display and print? My database has a large notes field that people add to the bottom of, and the report only needs the most recent text, not all of it. Thanks.

[RussBaker]

Don't think so, BUT I use both the following methods:

1. A global field for notes which when you go to it via a script sets the field to be "date/time/user/version and start here" & global notes field. This way your most recent note is always at the top of the field. If you want to retain formatting (bold,text colour etc) use Copy and Paste instead of SetField.

2. For more complex notes, use a separate file to store them and view the notes using a portal and relationship which sorts the notes by most recent date/time first. This way is much better because you can access your notes in a matrix fashion, by user or subject, etc.

[Geeksharka]

I don't know of a way to display, or print, just the bottom few lines of a large text field.

I would recommend that instead of having users enter new notes into the same large Notes field, that you create a related file of NOTES. Each new note would be its own record, relating to the primary file that the note is about. That way all notes could be time and date stamped automatically, and you could show just the latest and greatest via a portal. You could then also just print the latest notes.

As it happens, a sample file in the Sample Files section that displays how to automate and show child files is based on a Customer and Notes setup. You may want to check it out.

HTH