Automatically completing menu entries

For forms viewed in a browser, you can turn on an "automatic complete" feature for character fields that have a menu attached to them. When this feature is configured for a field and a user begins typing text into the field, a list of values that match the text appears. When multiple values are presented, the user can change the selection with the up and down arrow keys or using the mouse. To select a highlighted option, the user presses Enter or click it with a mouse.



By default, the suggestion list is case-insensitive, and it displays the value of the option, not the label. (You can change the configuration so that the menu's labels are displayed instead of its values.)

This feature applies only to forms viewed in a browser.

Remember these tips when configuring workflow with character fields that have the automatic complete feature turned on:

• The Menu/Row/Level Choice workflow condition executes when auto complete is used to fill in the value.
• If workflow manipulates values of menu selections, you might want to configure auto-complete to show labels rather than values so that the workflow runs properly.
• The Return/Table or Level Dbl-Clk workflow condition does not run when the user presses Enter as part of the Auto Complete feature (that is, when the selection list is displayed). At other times, the workflow condition executes normally.

For more information, see Defining workflow to automate processes.

 To enable or disable auto-complete

1. Create a character field.
2. Attach a menu to it.
3. Select the character field.

4. In the Properties tab, set the following properties:

    ~|

   Property

    ~|

   Description

    ~|

    Auto Complete

    ~|

   Determines what types of matches are displayed. The options are:

   • None (the default) — Disables auto-complete.
   • Leading Match — Lists menu options that begin with the text that the user entered in the field.
   • Anywhere Match — Lists menu options that include any text that the user entered in the field.

   Auto Complete After Keystrokes

    |

   The number of characters the user must type to trigger auto complete. For example, if you enter 3, auto complete displays the list of matching values after the users enters 3 or more characters. The default is 0.

   Note

   This property is used only for character fields with a search menu attached. The property is ignored for all other fields.

   Auto Complete Hide Menu Button

    |

    Determines whether the menu box is displayed (False) or hidden (True). The default is False. For large data sets, set this option to True so that users cannot open a menu. Instead, the menu data is used for auto-completion purposes only.

    |

    Auto Complete Match By

    |

   Determines whether menu values or labels are displayed. The options are:

   • Value (the default) — Menu values are displayed and used for matching while typing, as well as for completion.
   • Label — Menu labels are displayed and used for matching while typing, but the menu value is used for completion. (This option is not normally used unless workflow on menu choice operates on the value, but you want to show the label to the user.)

   Note

   At runtime, users can disable auto-complete by pressing Escape while typing in a character field. Auto-complete remains canceled until the field loses focus; it is re-enabled the next time the field gets focus.

 To configure auto-complete to match by label

1. Follow the steps in To enable or disable auto-complete to enable Auto Complete for a character field.
2. Select the character field.
3. In the Properties tab, click Auto Complete Match By, and select one of the following values:
   • Value (default) — Menu values are displayed and used for matching while typing, as well as for completion.
   • Label — Menu labels are displayed and used for matching while typing, but the menu value is used for completion. (This option is not normally used unless workflow on menu choice operates on the value but you want to show the label to the user.)

For more information, see: