I'm wondering how best to limit the possible field edits made by an online user.

I have a form which uses drop-down menus to enter specific text into field. When users create a new record, their submission places one of three or four possibilities into different fields based on the drop-down menus. Then, when other users search for specific records, those restricted field entries are converted (using If/Else statements)into more descriptive text and specialized links. That much works fine.

However, I'm trying to add an intermediate step which allows the creator of a new record to edit his/her entry before making it available to others online. The way I'm currently doing this is making the new record reply page an editable form, with [FMP-field: fieldname] entries inside text areas. This allows the user to see what was entered and edit anything necessary to make it more accurate. However, (and here's the puzzle) it also allows them to add anything to the fields that I've tried to restrict in terms of contents to allow the IF/Else statements to work. I know I can make the fields only allow certain entries, but fear that would add to user frustration (Database says "guess what words I'll let you type...Nope, that wont' work either...guess again")

What I'd really like is an [FMP-field: fieldname] reply that comes in as a drop down menu...but is that possible? Or do I have to do the reply, edit, repost as separate forms/pages?

Any help, as always, is appreciated.

Once the user clicks the first "-new", the results page could show what their "bio" reads as a read-only page. Use two buttons (1) OK which takes them to what ever results page you desire or (2) EDIT which takes them to a page identical or nearly identical to the original submission page where they can -edit by the same criteria as originally offered, and again take them to a read only (2 button) results page following an -edit.

SIMPLIFY ...

Keith M. Davie

Thanks, Keith.

I'm afraid it was a desire to "simplify" that led me into that data-management cul-de-sac in the first place; I streamlined the process by eliminating the middle page which gives them 2 choices but no chance to edit, and allowing them to edit right on the reply page. That method does work well sometimes, but not for this situation.

Thanks again.

It's me again (sorry)

I just tried what Keith suggested and it dawned on me that the reason I didn't want to do it that way in the first place is that it forces the user to resubmit ALL the information on the form (at least, that's how it appears to be working). So if there are 20 fields, and they made a mistake in only one, they have to reenter all of them to edit the record. Or am I (still) missing something?

One of these days it will all make sense