Question on new text highlighting feature

[K1200]

Has anyone confirmed whether the new text highlighting feature can be used to highlight words in a text field according to a user-specified string (see attached example)?

Thanks.

[Jeff Hannes]

Hey, this could be a good use for the text-highlighting style whose purpose seems to have eluded most of us to this point!

Try this calculated field, where TEXT_BLOCK is the block of text you want to highlight words in, and USER_ENTRY is the word or string you want highlighted:

Substitute(TEXT_BLOCK; 



[uSER_ENTRY; TextStyleAdd(USER_ENTRY; HighlightYellow)];

[Proper(USER_ENTRY); TextStyleAdd(Proper(USER_ENTRY); HighlightYellow)];

[Lower(USER_ENTRY); TextStyleAdd(Lower(USER_ENTRY); HighlightYellow)];

[upper(USER_ENTRY); TextStyleAdd(Upper(USER_ENTRY); HighlightYellow)])

[Jeff Hannes]

One step further, using script triggers you can have the text highlight as you type. Here's a quick and dirty sample...

HIGHLIGHT.zip

[iMarcW]

Thanks for the demo. I can see where that might be useful. And using a calculated field for the display seems to take care of the issue of modifying the actual data.

The biggest problem, as with all of the formatting tools, will be with end users who don't get that whatever highlighting (or bolding, or changing the font size, etc.) is added to text during data entry will also show when that field gets used on another layout, in a different context. Either that, or you already use the TextFormatRemove function in your auto-enter calculation for the field, and the end user is frustrated at the arbitrary removal of their formatting.

Probably the best usage is for conditional formatting (you have to click the "More Formatting" button to find it in the CF dialog), if you really want to get someone's attention.

[K1200]

FYI, I found this site that clearly explains the basic highlighting capabilities:

Highlighting

[HALBURN]

I am trying to highlight matching text in a portal as I type into a field in the parent. Using the sample above I was able to get matching text to highlight in the portal, but only when it is a self referencing relationship. As soon as I try it with a different table it breaks. Does anyone know if it's possible to do this?

Thanks.