Text Field Component

Estimated Reading Time: 4 minutes

Overview

The Text Field component is part of the core range of input components. Next to Buttons, text input components like Text Field and Text Area, are some of the most-frequently used inputs.

The Text Field component allows for alphanumeric responses (both letters and numbers). But keep in mind that Unqork also has a dedicated Number component. So, use a Text Field when responses might use only letters or combinations of letters and numbers. A Number component is better when collecting something like your end-user's age. And, if you can narrow down your end-user's options, you might use a Dropdown, Radio Buttons, or Date Input component.

You can find the component under the Primary Fields group to the left of the Module Builder.

What You'll Learn

After completing this article, you’ll know when to use a Text Field component, how to configure its settings, and how to use it in an Unqork application.

About the Configuration Window

Display Panel

Field Text

Setting	Description
Label Text	Label Text conveys what the input component is and what information it displays. Enter the purpose of the corresponding component or field. User-friendly labels make your module more accessible. Keep labels short and descriptive (a word or two) using title case. For longer entries, use sentence case.
Placeholder Text	A short prompt telling end-users the expected value of an input field. For example: Enter your Social Security Number. Placeholder Text displays inside the input field until the end-user begins an entry.
Prefix	Alphanumeric characters append to the start of the value entered in the field. If called by another component, the prefix stores with the value.
Suffix	Alphanumeric characters that append to the end of the value entered in the field. If called by another component, the suffix stores with the value.

Contextual Help

Setting	Description
Tooltip	A short hint that displays when an end-user positions their cursor over the (Tooltip) icon. Tooltips can display across more than one line.
Helper Text	A quick tip describing the expected value of an input field. Unlike a Tooltip, Helper Text stays visible under the input field and displays on a single line.

Default State Options

Setting	Description
Hide Label	Setting the Hide Label toggle to (ON) stops Label Text from displaying in Express View. Your Label Text still displays in the Module Builder. By default, the Hide Label toggle is set to (OFF).
Disable User Input	When set to (ON), end-users can’t interact with or edit the Express View's input field or element. When end-users hover over the field, their cursor changes to alert them to the status change. By default, the Disable User Input toggle is set to (OFF).
Read Only View	When set to (ON), the component is display-only. If another component pushes content to the field, the end-user sees that content. Otherwise, end-users see the word None. By default, the Read Only View toggle is set to (OFF).
Hide Field	Shows or hides the component from view. Setting the Hide Field toggle to (ON) hides the component in Express View. Setting the toggle to (OFF) shows the component. The component is always visible in the Module Builder. By default, the Hide Field toggle is set to (OFF).
Hide Helper Text	Stops Helper Text from displaying in Express View. By default, the Hide Helper Text toggle is set to (OFF).
Disable Browser Autocomplete	Setting the toggle to (ON) stops the browser from autofilling the field. When a user clicks the field, they must enter the value instead of having it autofill by the browser. Use this setting in all fields containing sensitive data. NOTE Some browsers might not honor this setting. By default, the Disable Browser Autofill toggle is set to (OFF).

Formatting

Setting	Description
Use Input Mask	Setting the Use Input Mask toggle to (ON) makes the Input Mask and Format Data With Mask options available. Setting the toggle to (OFF) hides these options from view. By default, the Use Input Mask toggle is set to (OFF).
Input Mask	An Input Mask is a string of characters that indicates the format of a valid input. Use an Input Mask when the format of the input value must be consistent. Use "9" to require a number, "a" to require a letter, and "*" to require an alphanumeric character. For example, you might use an input mask with a field that stores a Social Security Number (999-99-9999) or a formatted username (aa9999).
Format Data With Mask	Stores your data with the input mask formatting applied. Setting the Format Data With Mask toggle to (ON) activates the feature. Setting the toggle to (OFF) stores your data without the input mask formatting applied. By default, the Format Data With Mask toggle is set to (OFF).

Setting

Description

Use Input Mask

Setting the Use Input Mask toggle to (ON) makes the Input Mask and Format Data With Mask options available. Setting the toggle to (OFF) hides these options from view.

By default, the Use Input Mask toggle is set to (OFF).

Input Mask

An Input Mask is a string of characters that indicates the format of a valid input. Use an Input Mask when the format of the input value must be consistent. Use "9" to require a number, "a" to require a letter, and "*" to require an alphanumeric character.

For example, you might use an input mask with a field that stores a Social Security Number (999-99-9999) or a formatted username (aa9999).

Format Data With Mask

Stores your data with the input mask formatting applied. Setting the Format Data With Mask toggle to (ON) activates the feature. Setting the toggle to (OFF) stores your data without the input mask formatting applied.

By default, the Format Data With Mask toggle is set to (OFF).

Setting	Description
Store Data in Database	The Store Data in Database setting affects how data persists through your application. When set to (ON), Unqork stores values entered into the field to the database (server-side submission). This occurs in three scenarios: Navigating between Panels in a Navigation component. On navigation between pages (Panels), the component’s value saves to the database. Triggering a module save event using a Button component with an Action Type of Save. Navigating between screens of a workflow. On navigation between screens, the component’s value saves to the database. NOTE By default, workflows persist data from all fields in the client-side submission when navigating between screens. However, only values from fields with Store Data in Database enabled store in the server-side submission. Set the toggle to (OFF) when you don’t want to store the values from this field in the database. NOTE When using a Plug-In to remote execute a module, ensure data moving between modules is persistent. You can optionally enable Store Data in Database for components in the source module. But any components in the API module whose values are included in an API response must have Store Data in Database enabled. When a component’s data is not persistent, the data isn't included in an API call's response. So, Plug-Ins or external services requesting data from the API module can't receive non-persistent data in the response. To learn more about Store Data in Database in the context of API modules, see the panelResponse Panel section of the API Specification Snippet article in our In-Product Help. TIP Store Data in Database also affects what data is tracked using Unqork’s built-in tracker. When the Enable Tracker and Track Value toggles are set to (ON) in Module Settings, only values from fields with Store Data in Database enabled are tracked.

Actions Panel

Triggers

Setting	Description
Trigger	To set up a trigger, enter the Property ID of your chosen logic component into this field. When the end-user performs an action on the current component, the triggered component fires.
Trigger on Keypress	A variation of the trigger setting. With this setting, the triggered component fires on every keystroke made inside the current component.

Validation Panel

User Input

Setting	Description
Required	When set to (ON), the end user must enter a value in the component's visible fields. Set the toggle to (OFF) when an entry is optional. By default, the Required toggle is set to (OFF).
Required Error Message	A custom error message that displays below a required field. The error message displays when the end-user tries to save or submit the module without completing the required field.

Setting

Description

Required

When set to (ON), the end user must enter a value in the component's visible fields. Set the toggle to (OFF) when an entry is optional.

By default, the Required toggle is set to (OFF).

Required Error Message

A custom error message that displays below a required field. The error message displays when the end-user tries to save or submit the module without completing the required field.

Advanced Panel

Additional Validation Options

Setting	Description
Min/Max Length	Sets the minimum or the maximum number of characters an end-user must enter for valid input.
Min/Max Length Error Message	A custom error message that displays below the input field. The error message displays when the entry doesn't meet the minimum or maximum character length rule.
Show Max Length Countdown	When set to (ON), a character countdown displays below the input field showing the number of characters left before reaching maximum length. By default, the Show Maximum Length toggle is set to (OFF).
Allow Typing Beyond Maximum Length	When set to (ON), the end-user can continue typing past the field’s fixed maximum length. If the end-user's input exceeds the maximum length, an error message displays below the input field. By default, the Allow Typing Beyond Maximum Length toggle is set to (OFF).
Regular Expression Pattern	The Regular Expression pattern that the field's value must match to be valid. TIP To learn about Regular Expression patterns, see our Regex in Unqork article.
Pattern Error Message	An error message that displays if the value doesn't meet the Regular Expression pattern.

Additional Styling

Setting	Description
Custom CSS Class	Enter a Custom CSS Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language used for presenting how a HTML or XML document looks to end-users. Class to apply to your component. Custom CSS lets you maintain a consistent look and feel when the field or element is part of a template or multiple modules. Updated CSS styling applies to all components that reference this custom class name.

Setting

Description

Custom CSS Class

Enter a Custom CSS Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language used for presenting how a HTML or XML document looks to end-users. Class to apply to your component. Custom CSS lets you maintain a consistent look and feel when the field or element is part of a template or multiple modules.

Updated CSS styling applies to all components that reference this custom class name.