Setting the tab order of fields in a form view

The field tab order determines which the order the fields in the form view get the input focus when the user presses the TAB key in a browser.

If you do not define the tab order for a form view, the default tab order is based on the X and Y positions of the field in the form view and moves from left to right, then down (as you would read the form). By default, a field added to the top of a form view receives the input focus before a field added to the bottom of a form view, regardless of the order in which they were added to the form.

Use the Layout > Tab Order commands to set any tab order regardless of the position of a field in the form view. For example, if the form view has columns of fields, you can set the tab order to go down the columns, top to bottom and then left to right. Or you can define a tab order that starts with all required fields, and then goes to the optional fields. Also, because different views of the same form can have different tab orders, you can define tab orders so that different groups of users are taken first to the fields that are the most important to them.

You cannot use tab order control to make tabbing move from a field in one form view to a field in a different form or view. You also cannot use tab order to make tabbing move on to, off of, or between panels.

To set the tab order by editing the form view

1. Select Layout > Tab Order > Select and Edit to enter the Select and Edit mode.
    A box with the tab sequence number appears on each field in the form editor. The sequence numbers begin with zero.
2. Select a field, click a tab sequence number box, type the new number, and press ENTER or click the outside the field.
    The tab sequence numbers of the other fields are adjusted.
3. Repeat step 2 until you have set the tab order.
4. Select Layout > Tab Order > Select and Edit again to exit the Select and Edit mode.
    The boxes with the tab sequence numbers are removed from the fields.

To set the tab order by clicking fields

1. Select Layout > Tab Order > Increment on Click to enter the Increment on Click mode.
    A box with the tab sequence number appears on each field in the form editor. The sequence numbers begin with zero.
2. Click the first field whose the tab order you need to change until the tab sequence number is correct.
    Click once to make the field the first field (number zero), twice to make the second, and so on. The tab sequence numbers of the other fields are adjusted as you click.
3. Click the next field whose the tab order you need to change until the tab sequence number is correct.
    Click once to make the field the next in the tab order, twice to make the next plus one, and so on. The tab sequence numbers of the other fields are adjusted as you click.
4. Repeat step 3 until you have set the tab order.
5. Select Layout > Tab Order > Increment on Click again to exit the Increment on Click mode.
    The boxes with the tab sequence numbers are removed from the fields.
    To use Increment on Click mode to set the tab order for the initial fields in the order (or all fields), click each field once in order.
    You can switch between Select and Edit mode and Increment on Click mode without exiting both modes by choosing the appropriate Layout > Tab Order command.

To set the tab order to the default

• Select Layout > Tab Order > Set Default.
   You can set the tab order to the default when you are in either of the tab order editing modes or in neither mode.

  Note

  Fields that are on panels appear as "nested" under the panel on the Set Tab Order window. Shared fields on panels appear under each panel on which it is shared. You can set the tab order differently on different panels.