So I've seen the examples of putting fields in portals and making fields invisible that way, but I want the fields to lock, not be invisible. I want them always to be visible, just some times editable and sometimes not. I tried using the portal as an overlay, putting the editable one on top, but because the portal isn't truley transparent there's no way to show the group underneath when the function is complete.

Sorry for the confusing description,

Alan

Do you mean "editable" or "enterable"? Both require a lock field. To make the field non-editable, have it validate by calculation: IsEmpty(lock). To lock the field, set the lock field to 1, or "lock", or whatever.

To make the field non-enterable, take it out of the Tab Order, and write a script:

SCRIPT: Enter Field

If["IsEmpty(lock)"]

If you want to control editing or changing, simple have the field validate on the lock field via the Define Fields options. If the lock field is 0, the original field can not be edited. Otherwise it can be.

HTH

Old Advance Man