Form Field Formatting
When creating or editing a form field, it is possible to define formatting rules which are enforced through JavaScript. Field Formatting allows you to define how the values or text within a field will be displayed. For Example: Making currency always
show 2 decimal places or a date that shows a 2 digit month, day, and year.
Note: Formatting options are only available for text boxes and combo boxes.
Setting Custom Field Formatting
- Access the field properties by right clicking (Mac: Ctrl + Click) on the field and choose Properties in the mouse menu or click on the edit button on the
Mini Toolbar.
- Click on the Format Tab
- Set the options below to be applied to the selected field
Field Formatting Options
None - Default value, sets no formatting rules and any text can be entered into the field
Number - Sets the field to only accept numbers based on the settings selected
-
- Decimal Places: number of decimal places to use
- Separator Style: separators to use for thousands and decimal places
- Currency Symbol: currency symbol to be used
- Symbol Placement: the location of the currency symbol
- Negative Number Style: the style of the text when the value is a negative number
-
- Use red text: turns the negative number red
- Use parenthesis: puts the negative number inside parenthesis
Percentage - Sets the field to display a percentage based on the settings selected
-
- Decimal Places: number of decimal places to use
- Separator Style: separators to use for thousands and decimal places
Date/Time - Sets the field to only accept date, time, or date-time values based on the settings selected.
-
- Options List: Select any of the predefined date/time formats that come with PDF Studio
- Custom: Create your own custom date/time format using the below date/time codes
-
- yyyy = four-digit year
- yy = two-digit year
- mm = two-digit month (01=January, etc.)
- mmm = three letter month abbreviation (Jan=January, etc.)
- mmmm = full month name
- dd = two-digit day of month (01 through 31)
- HH = two digits of hour (00 through 23) (AM/PM NOT allowed)
- MM = two digits of minute (00 through 59)
- ss = two digits of second (00 through 59)
- h = two digit hour using 12-hour AM/PM format
- tt = displays AM/PM based on the time
Note: When a date or date-time setting is selected when viewing the document PDF Studio will display a calendar button on the field. This button will allow users to select a date using a calendar picker instead of typing in the field if they wish.
Other - Allows you to select from a list of common predefined field formatting rules
-
- US Zip Code: standard 5 digit US zip code
- US Zip Code + 4: standard 5 digit US zip code plus the additional 4 digit geographic segment
- US Phone Number: US phone number format (XXX) XXX-XXXX
- US Social Security Number: US social security number format XXX-XX-XXXX
- Custom: set a custom format using the below letter codes
-
- 9 to allow numbers
- A to allow letters
- O (the letter) to allow numbers and letters
- X to allow printable characters
Custom - Allows you to create your own custom formatting rules using the supported PDF Form JavaScript
Sample Format Examples
Date/Time
- Year: yyyy (eg 1997)
- Year and month: yyyy-mm (eg 1997-07)
- Complete date: yyyy-mm-dd (eg 1997-07-16)
- Complete date plus hours and minutes: yyyy-mm-dd HH:MM (eg 1997-07-16 19:20)
Other / Custom
- A phone number in France such as "05 44 06 72 25" would be represented by the following custom format: "99 99 99 99 99"
- A phone number in Sweden such as "46 71 123 456" would be represented by the following custom format: "99 99 999 999"
- A seat on a flight such as "99C" would be represented by the following custom format: "99A"