Wrapping radio button lines

[Greg Hains]

Hi,

 

I have a need where the list of values in radio button format has text values that exceed approximately half the width of the screen. (I know you may see that as a little silly, but it's part of a questionnaire and the text needs to be what it is.)

 

I want to resize the box so that the lines with the long values wrap around to the next line, but cannot see how it's done - if it's at all possible.

 

Does anybody know how/if it can be done please?

 

Cheers,

Greg

[LaRetta]

(I know you may see that as a little silly, but it's part of a questionnaire and the text needs to be what it is.)

 

Well, I am sorry to tell you this, Greg, but 'what it is' is poor design that will be major PIB.  All someone has to do is want to change the wording in that 'question' and you will be looping through records, bumping up against record-locks in an active system, and slowing business down just to correct them.  And then the answers people have given to the questions will no longer match the questions they ACTUALLY answered.  Some would think it is inappropriate to change a question after it has been asked.

 

In all, the questions should be in records (a Questions table with a unique, meaningless ID and then the text 'question' in a text field).   Radio Buttons, Checkboxes, Pop-ups and drop-downs are not meant to hold long-text lists nor great numbers of items (25 or so).  And if they were records, they could have answers as natural relationship off of them.  

 

I do not see how radio button is the right tool for this task.

[Greg Hains]

Hi LaRetta.

 

I completely agree with you (big PIB), and have recommended the client change it, however, as it is part of a questionnaire as part of an industry standard, I am stuck with it. I was at least trying to keeping the screens tidy by wrapping.  

The reason they wanted checkboxes rather than alternatives was so that the other options available were visible to the reader - a comparative survey if you like.

 

Seems I'm stuck with it.

 

Thanks for your reply - to my rescue again it would seem.

 

Cheers,

Greg

[LaRetta]

Unfortunately, I didn't rescue you at all then, sorry to say.  They will not wrap very well.  Maybe decrease the size and give them the full width of the layout.  You have 13 so you could also consider using a virtual table to hold each GetValue ( that value list ; serial ) and display a portal.  What would be the difference between viewing long list in a radio button or viewing it in a portal?  The portal field can confirm to your wrapping by setting indents.  And it can disappear if it is on a popover (new in 13).

 

But if they must see all the questions at one time, why even put it in a popover ... just place a large portal on the layout.  Anyway, I feel your pain and wish you many responses with great approaches!

[Greg Hains]

LaRetta,

 

Going to such lengths to combat a poor choice of (survey) interface really is the tail wagging the dog.

I might have to live with this one though. Sigh...

 

Thanks again.

Greg  :-) 

[Lee Smith]

Hi Greg,

 

Can you attach a copy of your file so that we can see what you’re up against?

 

You really didn’t answer LaRetta question about using the new design features, are they an option?

 

Lee

[Ron Cates]

I have always hated the way FileMaker displays radio Button and check box sets. So I created a combination on buttons and scripts to replace them. The button just looks like a checkbox but the associated Value is passed in a script parameter. It shows ticked or unticked using conditional formatting. That way you can use a text field to display your question and format and position it for each one as you see fit. If you like I can work up a sample and post it...

[argwallace]

Not sure if it will help in your case, but you can always add a "-" to a radio button list just as you would to a drop down list. On the drop down, it gives you a line, on the radio button, it creates a new column. For what it's worth...

 

Stephen

[Ron Cates]

Here's that sample file of the technique I use.

RadioCheckBox.zip

[Greg Hains]

Hey - thanks everybody

 

In answer to LaRetta's question, I have not tried utilising the fancier features of v13 yet to achieve this, I was just seeing if it was something "native" to FM in general.  I will read back through these comments, try the example file and see how I go.

 

Cheers,

Greg