i'm trying to display a short help text for people who perform data entry using a calc field like this:

Case(

Status(CurrentFieldName) = "text", "Please enter text",

Status(CurrentFieldName) = "date", "Please enter a date",

"")

but nothing appears in the field. i could script it, but that approach has problems. why does nothing appear in the calc field?

If I understand what you want to do is have the field show "enter date" or "enter text" when a new record is created to let the data person know what goes in the field. So with a new record request the date field will read

[Please enter Date]and the data person would enter a date in that field. If this is correct this can be done by defining the field to automatic fill with "Please Enter Date" so any new record will have this in the date field.

The problem with that is this text will have to be deleted to enter the date in the field.

Create a calculation field to overlay the field in question. The calculation would test to see if the data field was empty, if so then "Please enter data..." when they tab or click into the data field the calc field will dissappear.

Set the calc field to not allow user entry.

Even if you check the "Do not store..." in the options of the calc field, it will only return the fieldname the cursor was in when you went to the record -- and if the cursor isn't in any field, the fieldname will be blank.

I'd change the calc field to a text field, then create scripts for the "date" and "text" fields that set what was the calc field to the proper message and then go to the field you want. Then assign the buttons to the fields.

quote:

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Originally posted by Ocean West:

Create a calculation field to overlay the field in question. The calculation would test to see if the data field was empty, if so then "Please enter data..." when they tab or click into the data field the calc field will dissappear.

Set the calc field to not allow user entry.

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this is closest to what i want. thanks everyone!!

Simpler but not as perfect would be to auto enter the text you want and turn the field into a button and create a script so that when you click on it, it clears the field and then puts the cursor in it.