Format Tab, Text Box Builder

See Also

The Format tab in the Text Box Builder specifies miscellaneous format options for the text box and the type of input mask. This builder also has the Value tab and the Style tab.

When you choose OK, the builder closes, applying the property settings from every tab.

Tab Options

Data Type

Specifies a Character, Date, Logical, or Numeric data type for your text box. If you choose a value in the Value tab, make sure it is the same data type as the value specified here.

Enable at Run Time

Specifies that the text box be enabled when the form is run. This option is available for all data types and is checked by default. This option corresponds to the Enabled property.

Alphabetic Characters Only

Specifies that only alphabetic characters be allowed in the text box (no numbers or symbols). This option is available for Character data type only. This option corresponds to the "A" setting of the Format property.

Make Read-Only

Prevents the user from changing the text in the text box. This option corresponds to the ReadOnly property and is available for all data types.

Select on Entry

Specifies that the text in the text box be selected when the text box has the focus. This option is available for the Character data type only. This option corresponds to the "K" setting of the Format property.

Hide Selection

Specifies whether or not selected text in the text box remains visibly selected when the text box doesn't have the focus. This option corresponds to the HideSelection property and is available for all data types.

Display Leading Zeros

Specifies that zeros to the left of the decimal point be displayed. This is available for the Numeric data type only. This option corresponds to the "L" setting of the Format property.

Use Current SET DATE

Adds the setting "D" to the Format property so that date entries will conform to the current SET DATE or Date Format of the Regional tab of the Options dialog box. This option appears when you select Date in the Data Type drop-down box.

British Date

Adds the setting "E" to the Format property so that date entries will conform to British formatting of SET DATE or of the Date Format of the Regional tab of the Options dialog box. This option appears when you select Date in the Data Type drop-down box.

Input Mask

Specifies format of user input for Numeric, Character, and Logical fields. Several options are available from the drop-down list; an example of the selected input mask appears to the right of the drop-down list. For example, an input mask for a Numeric data type is North American phone number format:
(###) ###-####.