How to show label inside a field ?

[Pedro8000]

Hi guys - a very simple question which is bugging the life out of me. I want a brief comment to appear inside a field and then dissapear when the typing starts. For example within the address field i simply want the description address until the user enters the field and then it disappears.

Ive seen this on many dastabases and havent a clue how to do it in filemaker ? Any help would be much appreciated !

Thanks

Peter

[Lee Smith]

Take a look at the Auto Enter Calculation

[LaRetta]

Hi Peter,

If you use Auto-enter, you can get false-positive ... counting the field in summaries as having a 'value', sub-summaries grouping by label, searching finding them when the plan is to find records with 'real values'. Instead you might try this: Take the field's label and make the fill transparent. Attach conditional format with formula of:

not IsEmpty ( yourField )

Below select 'more options' and specify font custom size and 500. Place the label over the field and Arrange > Bring to front. Now, since the background is transparent, it will show the values underneath but since the font is set to 500, the label will disappear (only showing the label when the field is empty).

[bruceR]

What version of FileMaker are you running?

Here's one way; requires conditional formatting.

Make the fields transparent.

Send the label text to the back, behind the (transparent) fields.

Use conditional formatting to fill the fields when they are not empty.

HideLabel.fp7.zip

[LaRetta]

Six of one - half dozen, LOL. If you make the field transparent, you lose ability to format the field (color, emboss) whereas attaching conditional format to label causes no restriction on the field.

Well now Peter, you have three choices! Cool huh!, :-)

[Fitch]

I generally prefer LaRetta's method, FWIW. I think it's a little easier to maintain.

[Pedro8000]

^{THANKS SO MUCH GUYS, THAT WORKED A TREAT FIRST TIME. SAVED ME SO MUCH TIME.}

^{BIG THANKYOU !!!}

[LaRetta]

Just a word of caution on this concept ... it caught me once when I first used it ... once data is entered, the label is gone of course so don't use it on fields such as PhoneNumber and FaxNumber because if they both are filled in, a User won't be able to tell which is which.

[DR. ALI BAHAR]

LaRetta's method is good and working in Filemaker Pro only... such methods do not work in Webdirect because the Field Label then Blocks any Clicks into the Field...

I am using these since a year but have removed due to the issues to my clients in the Case of Webdirect....

as an Exam visit my client at:  https://goo.gl/vxvfHW

I hope you will enjoy this webdirect.

[Lee Smith]

Hello Ali and welcome to the FM Forums.

I sent you a welcome message and a request for Profile Information.

This is a really old thread, and it was before FileMaker introduced "Placeholder Text". 

Lee