HTML Element Component

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Overview

The HTML Element component adds HTML formatting  into your application. In Express View, you can see your HTML Elements render along with the rest of your module.

Some common examples of when to use the HTML Element component are:

  • Inserting a custom logo or image.

  • Showing a section heading or break.

  • Adding a paragraph of static text.

You'll find the HTML Element component in the Display & Layout group to the left of the Module Builder.

What You'll Learn                                                

After completing this article, you’ll know when to use an HTML Element component, how to configure its  settings, and how to add it to an application.

About the Configuration Window

To learn more about general component settings and those that display when a component is associated with Data Models, view our General Component Settings article.

Display Panel

Formatting

Setting

Description

Tag                                                                        

Set the HTML container for your content here. The HTML Tag is what you'll see inside angled brackets in traditional HTML. Common HTML tags you can use include:

  • h1: Heading 1 text.

  • p: Paragraph of text.

  • a: Basic hyperlink.

  • hr: Horizontal rule.

By default, the HTML Tag is set to p.

Content                                                                        

The Content window works together with your HTML Tag. If you create a heading, enter your heading text here. The same goes for a paragraph or a basic hyperlink. What you enter here is what displays to your end-user in Express View. In traditional HTML, your content displays between your start and end tags. You can also enter additional HTML tags in the Content window. What you enter in the Tag setting field determines the default HTML tag.

To prevent security exploits, only use safe HTML tags and attributes. When configuring your HTML tags and attributes, consider the following:

  • Safe attributes for use in HTML tags: 'class', 'color', 'size', 'href', 'style', 'align', 'target', 'title', 'width', 'height', 'role', 'type', 'id', 'for', 'xmlns', 'rel', 'fill', 'frameborder', 'border', 'charset', 'tabindex', 'allow', 'valign', 'font-size', 'padding-top', 'css', 'tooltip', and 'aria-hidden'.

  • Allowed HTML tag attribute combinations that may only be used in combination with explicitly allowed HTML tags: 'src' and/or 'alt' can only be used in combination with <img>.

    'src' is only supported for older, pre-existing configurations.

  • Disallowed HTML tags that are unsafe or otherwise non-permissible: <script> is never allowed.

A static image displaying the UDesigner HTML Element's Display settings.

Default State Options

Setting

Description

Hide Element                                                                        

Displays or hides the component from view. Setting Hide Field to A toggle switch indicating an on/off state for a user interface element. (ON) hides the component in Express View. Setting it to A toggle switch in the 'on' position, indicating an active setting or feature. (OFF) displays the component. The component is always visible in the Module Builder.

By default, Hide Field is set to A toggle switch in the 'on' position, indicating an active setting or feature. (OFF).

Advanced Panel

Additional Styling

Setting

Description

Custom CSS Class                                                                    

Enter a Custom CSS 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.

Custom CSS Class for Container                                                                    

Enter a Custom CSS Class to apply to the HTML tag you entered in the HTML Tag field.

Add Attributes                                                                    

This table works together with your HTML Tag to define any relevant attributes.

Common examples include:

  • Set the href (or destination) for a hyperlink.

  • Define the src (or source URL) of an image.

Label                                                                        

Each attribute has a label recognized in HTML.

For example:

  • For the destination of a hyperlink, this is your href.

  • For the source of an image, this is your src.

Value                                                                        

Each attribute has a value assigned to it. For a hyperlink, this is the URL you link to. For an image, this is the address where the image exists.

A static image displaying the UDesigner HTML Element's Advanced settings.

Adding an HTML Element Component

In this example, use an HTML Element component to add a heading for a few Personal Information questions. Follow this configuration with two Text Field components to collect the end-user’s first and last names. Also use a Phone Number component to collect their phone number. Then, place these into columns and add a second HTML Element component to hold a horizontal rule denoting the end of the section.

These instructions assume that you have an open module saved with a title.

For this configuration, you'll need the following components:

Configure the First HTML Element Component

First, set up the section header. Add an HTML Element component that reads Personal Information and set its size to h3.

  1. In the Module Builder, drag and drop an HTML Element component onto your canvas.

  2. In the Property ID field, enter htmlPersonalInfo.

  3. In the Tag field, enter h3.

  4. In the Content window, enter Personal Information..

  5. Click Save Component.

Configure the Columns Component

Using a Columns component, you can create containers for the components that follow. Select the pre-configured layout containing two evenly-spaced columns.

  1. Drag and drop a Columns Component Icon Columns component onto your canvas, placing it below your htmlPersonalInfo HTML Element.

  2. In the Property ID  field, enter colPersonalInfo.

  3. Click Save Component.

Configure the Text Field Components

Add two Text Field components to collect your end-user’s first and last name.

  1. Drag and drop two Text Field components onto your canvas, placing one Text Field in each column of the colPersonalInfo Columns Component Icon Columns component.

  2. Complete the Property ID and Label Text as follows:

    Property ID

    Label Text

    firstName                                                                    

    First Name

    lastName                                                                    

    Last Name

  3. Click Save Component for each component as you add it.

Configure the Phone Number Component

Add a Phone Number component to collect more personal information.

  1. Drag and drop a Phone Number component onto your canvas, placing it below your firstName Text Field component in the colPersonalInfo Columns Component Icon Columns component.

  2. In the Property ID field, enter phoneNumber.

  3. In the Label Text field, enter Phone Number.

  4. Click Save Component.

Configure the Second HTML Element Component

Add a second HTML Element component to the configuration.

  1. Drag and drop an HTML Element component onto your canvas, placing it below your colPersonalInfo Columns Component Icon Columns component.

  2. In the Property ID field, enter htmlHorizontalRule.

  3. In the Tag field, enter hr. This tag adds a horizontal line to your module in Express View.

    A static image showing the HTML Element component, the Tag setting value is set to hr.

  4. Click Save Component.

  5. Save your module.

Your module looks like the following in Express View:

Resources

Overview

The HTML Element component adds HTML formatting  into your application. In Express View, you can see your HTML Elements render along with the rest of your module.

Some common examples of when to use the HTML Element component are:

  • Inserting a custom logo or image.

  • Showing a section heading or break.

  • Adding a paragraph of static text.

You'll find the HTML Element component in the Display & Layout group to the left of the Module Builder.

What You'll Learn                                                

After completing this article, you’ll know when to use an HTML Element component, how to configure its  settings, and how to add it to an application.

About the Configuration Window

To learn more about general component settings and those that display when a component is associated with Data Models, view our General Component Settings article.

Display Panel

A static image dispaying the HTML Element component's Display settings.

Formatting

Setting

Description

Tag                                                                        

Set the HTML container for your content here. The HTML Tag is what you'll see inside angled brackets in traditional HTML. Common HTML tags you can use include:

  • h1: Heading 1 text.

  • p: Paragraph of text.

  • a: Basic hyperlink.

  • hr: Horizontal rule.

By default, the HTML Tag is set to p.

Content                                                                        

The Content window works together with your HTML Tag. If you create a heading, enter your heading text here. The same goes for a paragraph or a basic hyperlink. What you enter here is what displays to your end-user in Express View. In traditional HTML, your content displays between your start and end tags. You can also enter additional HTML tags in the Content window. What you enter in the Tag setting field determines the default HTML tag.

To prevent security exploits, only use safe HTML tags and attributes. When configuring your HTML tags and attributes, consider the following:

  • Safe attributes for use in HTML tags: 'class', 'color', 'size', 'href', 'style', 'align', 'target', 'title', 'width', 'height', 'role', 'type', 'id', 'for', 'xmlns', 'rel', 'fill', 'frameborder', 'border', 'charset', 'tabindex', 'allow', 'valign', 'font-size', 'padding-top', 'css', 'tooltip', and 'aria-hidden'.

  • Allowed HTML tag attribute combinations that may only be used in combination with explicitly allowed HTML tags: 'src' and/or 'alt' can only be used in combination with <img>.

    'src' is only supported for older, pre-existing configurations.

  • Disallowed HTML tags that are unsafe or otherwise non-permissible: <script> is never allowed.

Default State Options

Setting

Description

Hide Element                                                                        

Displays or hides the component from view. Setting Hide Field to A toggle switch indicating an on/off state for a user interface element. (ON) hides the component in Express View. Setting it to A toggle switch in the 'on' position, indicating an active setting or feature. (OFF) displays the component. The component is always visible in the Module Builder.

By default, Hide Field is set to A toggle switch in the 'on' position, indicating an active setting or feature. (OFF).

Advanced Panel

A static image dispaying the HTML Element component's Advanced settings.

Additional Styling

Setting

Description

Custom CSS Class                                                                    

Enter a Custom CSS 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.

Custom CSS Class for Container                                                                    

Enter a Custom CSS Class to apply to the HTML tag you entered in the HTML Tag field.

Add Attributes                                                                    

This table works together with your HTML Tag to define any relevant attributes.

Common examples include:

  • Set the href (or destination) for a hyperlink.

  • Define the src (or source URL) of an image.

Label                                                                        

Each attribute has a label recognized in HTML.

For example:

  • For the destination of a hyperlink, this is your href.

  • For the source of an image, this is your src.

Value                                                                        

Each attribute has a value assigned to it. For a hyperlink, this is the URL you link to. For an image, this is the address where the image exists.

Adding an HTML Element Component

In this example, use an HTML Element component to add a heading for a few Personal Information questions. Follow this configuration with two Text Field components to collect the end-user’s first and last names. Also use a Phone Number component to collect their phone number. Then, place these into columns and add a second HTML Element component to hold a horizontal rule denoting the end of the section.

These instructions assume that you have an open module saved with a title.

For this configuration, you'll need the following components:

Configure the First HTML Element Component

First, set up the section header. Add an HTML Element component that reads Personal Information and set its size to h3.

  1. In the Module Builder, drag and drop an HTML Element component onto your canvas.

  2. In the Property ID field, enter htmlPersonalInfo.

  3. In the Tag field, enter h3.

  4. In the Content window, enter Personal Information..

  5. Click Save & Close.

Configure the Columns Component

Using a Columns component, you can create containers for the components that follow. Select the pre-configured layout containing two evenly-spaced columns.

  1. Drag and drop a Columns Component Icon Columns component onto your canvas, placing it below your htmlPersonalInfo HTML Element.

  2. In the Property ID  field, enter colPersonalInfo.

  3. Under Formatting, click the icon displaying   (two) evenly-spaced columns.

  4. Click Save & Close.

Configure the Text Field Components

Add two Text Field components to collect your end-user’s first and last name.

  1. Drag and drop two Text Field components onto your canvas, placing one Text Field in each column of the colPersonalInfo Columns Component Icon Columns component.

  2. Complete the Property ID and Label Text as follows:

    Property ID

    Label Text

    firstName                                                                    

    First Name

    lastName                                                                    

    Last Name

  3. Save & Close each component as you add it.

Configure the Phone Number Component

Add a Phone Number component to collect more personal information.

  1. Drag and drop a Phone Number component onto your canvas, placing it below your firstName Text Field component in the colPersonalInfo Columns Component Icon Columns component.

  2. In the Property ID field, enter phoneNumber.

  3. In the Label Text field, enter Phone Number.

  4. Click Save & Close.

Configure the Second HTML Element Component

Add a second HTML Element component to the configuration.

  1. Drag and drop an HTML Element component onto your canvas, placing it below your colPersonalInfo Columns Component Icon Columns component.

  2. In the Property ID field, enter htmlHorizontalRule.

  3. In the Tag field, enter hr to display a horizontal rule on the page.

  4. Click Save & Close.

  5. Save your module.

Your module looks like the following in Express View:

Resources