helper field covers

[imoree]

Hello Everyone,

Just trying to get some Helper text to show in my fields to help users with

interface direction;

what i would like is to say have a fields where they can see in the field something like this:

please select flavor here : filling type

but when they click in any option, all i see is the field and that text is eliminated. Is this conditional formatting or just floating textfields.

i hope this makes sense and someone can help.

-i

[Fitch]

1. Use the text tool to create your text.

2. Use conditional formatting on the text:

not IsEmpty( yourField )

3. In the conditional formatting dialog, click More Formatting, and set the size very large (e.g. 222)

So, when yourField is not empty, the text label will exceed the bounds of its box, effectively becoming invisible.

[imoree]

worked like a charm . thanks

[imoree]

is this the best solution Fitch? just wondering is all as i would just like to know other options for future reference.

thanks,

-i

[David Jondreau]

Is blue the best color?

[Fitch]

Yes.

Haha. But seriously...

It's always going to depend on the situation.

In this case, there is a similar technique where you put the text label behind the field, format the field as transparent, and use conditional formatting on the field -- not IsEmpty (Self) -- to make the field opaque. The text label doesn't change, but it gets covered up by the field's color.

I find the technique I previously posted somewhat easier to work with, as far as selecting the objects in layout mode, and it's a little more flexible, since there are situations where I want the field to remain transparent.

No doubt there are other fine solutions out there as well, and who knows, maybe FileMaker 12 or 13 may offer us completely new ways to solve this.

[imoree]

thanks...