Making a text box expand as you type into it?

[wrenm]

I was wondering if it is possible to make a text box (or any kind of box) expand as you type into it.  Currently the box does not have a caption, I simply want to allow the value box to expand as i type into it.  It would also be great if it would expand to another page...does anyone know if this is possible and if so how can i do it?

[wrenm]

Jono,

Thanks a bunch, everything looks great and it works.  You also tought me how to do it from your notes!  I do have another question...how did you change the content area.  I did see how you put the page numbers and such but i can not seem to figure out how to change that content area

[Jono_Moore]

The content area is found on the Master Page - on the hierarchy palette.

Your "live" design area is controlled by the content area.

If you didn't want the header on the second (or more) pages you could add a second master page that has no header and the content area pulled up near the top of the form. Then the rest of the pages of your form could use the second master to flow onto.

[KaramyCG]

I have been reading this thread and trying to apply the suggestions to the form I have attached below.  I was asked to make the four text areas for Symptoms, Interventions, Response and Plan be able to expand to accomodate longer notes from the various folk working on the cases.  I haven't been able to do much to it -- no matter where I start I keep getting the message that

"although the object is allowed to break, deselecting the Allow Page Breaks Within Content option of the parent object restricts this object from breaking within pages."

I've gone through the doc about 14 ways from Sunday but can't sort this out.  Have attached the ORIGINAL  pain in the ____ file.

Would appreciate a second set of eyes on this one, I confess I can't sort out where/how to start implementing the changes needed.

[Jono_Moore]

File is still queued but that error means the subform containing the objects that are allowed to break is not set to allow page breaks.

[jdrcs]

Does anyone know how to make these dynamic forms accessible by a screen reader such as JAWS for vision impaired users?

[KaramyCG]

ok,  (went back and looked)  the option is greyed out.   What settings do I need to change to allow me to make it live would be the question I guess.  Once I can at least do that I can start making the rest of the changes to expand the text boxes.

Many thanks for looking at this!!  was up till 4 this morning with this beast

[Jono_Moore]

Please don't hijack threads, I've responded in your existing thread.

[Jono_Moore]

Wow, that form is a bit of a mess.

You haven't used any subforms so it's not going to work as-is.

I won't have time to look at it closely until tonight. Some questions/comments in the meantime:

• Do you really need 2 master pages - does that block need to be at the bottom of each page? Or is it just supposed to follow everything else.
  
• You've used tables to do a lot of the layout - probably not a good idea.
• You've made the Content Area the full size of the page, better to size it what you want your margins to be.
• You have no master subform (or any at all for that matter...)

Subforms control how and where things get layed out and control flow. Did you look at the fixed file I posted for wrenm in message 14? It should give you a good idea of how subform hierarchy works.

Basically:

Content Area

     Subform

          Subform

          Subform

               Subform

etc.

[KaramyCG]

Any help would be greatly appreciated and, yes, that is a mess x about 17.   The good news is I didn't design it -- the bad news is I got tagged to try and fix it.

I'll try to answer in order:

You haven't used any subforms so it's not going to work as-is.

                    I don't think whoever did the initial form knew about the subform issue so no provisions made for them.

I won't have time to look at it closely until tonight. Some questions/comments in the meantime:

• Do you really need 2 master pages - does that block need to be at the bottom of each page? Or is it just supposed to follow everything else.

                     the information is to be on the bottom of every page -- clients/workers need to sign each page to prove they have read the information

• You've used tables to do a lot of the layout - probably not a good idea.

                              if we need to dump the tables, that's fine -  I looked at the 7_Questions_Flowing.pdf from another thread and I can make it work

                              the way it needs to with the information in a header but they WANT it as a footer.

• You've made the Content Area the full size of the page, better to size it what you want your margins to be.

                                ok, that should be the easy fix of the batch

• You have no master subform (or any at all for that matter...)

                             my problem was I couldn't find a way to add a master subform that didn't give me that message.  If I couldn't get that

                              one to work without the error message then none contained within would either ??

[Jono_Moore]

Didn't have time to look at it last night, will try and get to it tonight!

[KaramyCG]

that's fine and thank you, thank you, thank you.. this thing's driving me bats!

[Jono_Moore]

Here you go!

I ended up rebuilding it (mostly). The original file was pretty severely messed up - whoever built it didn't bother trying to figure out how Designer works or what it does.

Anyway, you now have one Master Page with the footer fields on it. One main subform that contains the other elements. Everything is set to flow.

On the time calculation line you could put a script on the Duration field to do the math. Someone else could maybe help out here, I tried a quick Formcalc calculation but because the Participant field divides and it doesn't have a number yet it was generating an error - wasn't sure how to get the calculation to wait until there was a value in that field (I've left the calculation commented out in the Calculate event of the Duration field).

The footer on the Master Page needs work, I just quickly put some fields together in there.

That should be enough to get you going anyway!

[KaramyCG]

oh my gosh.....Jono, thank you!  it is showing as queued but I'll pop back later and download.

I cannot thank you enough for your time and patience!!!!

[KaramyCG]

It still says "queued"   how long does it take normallly?  if it would be easier can you email?  I am kspencer@computergumbo.com

[Jono_Moore]

Queueing can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days...

File emailed.

[KaramyCG]

THANK you!   It is gorgeous!  I did a bit to add the + = /  to finalize matching the form and it is on it way.  I canNOT tell you how much I appreciate the time and energy you put into helping me with this!

[Jono_Moore]

Glad I could help. Yeah, I didn't get everything in there, was more worried about getting a proper structure set up for you.

[cschindler3]

Any chance you might be able to help out a teacher with the same issue?  I am trying to create classroom observation forms and having no luck with the dynamic expandind text boxes.  I am beyond frustrated and need to get these out into my county teachers' hands.  Thanks!

[PO_Secretary]

Hi~

I too have been very frustrated with figuring out things on my own (I do not find the books helpful and I've been searching online for weeks).  I have figured out how to do the subforms and making my text field boxes expand; however, it overlaps the information below it.  How do I get the rest of my document to move down if the box gets expanded when it is used by the user?  I would SO Greatly appreciate any help you can offer.....I'm almost out of Advil and ready to start pulling my hair out!!!

Thanks~

Tammie

[PO_Secretary]

Sorry, I posted this for Juno....I'm new to forums too! lol

[Former Community Member]

The root subform needs to be set to flowed if you want the rest of the content to expand beyond the page.

Paul