auto new field

[Poes]

Is there a way for putting an auto-tab (auto new field) funtion when a specific amount of characters is reached ?

Thanks !

[Steve T.]

Hi, Poes! I'm hardly an expert in this regard, but my guess is that there isn't a way if you mean while the user is typing in the field. Under normal circumstances, I do not think FileMaker checks/validates the field until the user tries to move out of the field (FM does not watch each character as it is typed). You can probably work something out after-the-fact, though, using calculation fields and/or scripts.

--ST

[QuinTech]

Hi, Poes. I didn't want to post this until someone else said that what you want isn't possible (thanks, Steve) because mine is a far-from-ideal solution and i wanted to see if anyone else seconded my belief that there's no good way of doing this. But here's something you might try:

You could make it impossible for users to get to this layout except by script. In that script, you would have a loop:

Loop

If (Length (Field ) = 25 )

Set Field ( Field , Left ( Field , 25 ) )

Go to Field ( NextField )

End If

Pause Script ( one second )

End Loop

Of course, substitute your desired number of characters for 25. As i said, this is far from ideal, and here's why:

1. Someone who types quickly could reach, say, character #30 or greater before the loop checks the length of the field, and then they would lose their typing and possibly their train of thought. Minor annoyance, but it would be annoying.

2. If you keep the status area available, anyone could cancel the loop, thus negating your efforts. Even just hitting the escape key would cancel the loop.

3. A loop like this can make the computer appear to be crashing (because the program halts briefly every second as it processes commands), causing extreme nervousness and irritability in the user, if not an outright reboot.

There are probably other reasons why this is not a great solution (and i'd love to hear them), but if this feature is a must-have, this just might work.

Does this help?

Jerry