Designing and Filling Forms

Special types of text fields have been implemented to support designing and filling forms. They can be managed with the FormFieldCollection available through the TextControl.FormFields, the WPF.TextControl.FormFields or the ServerTextControl.FormFields property. An object of the CheckFormField class represents a checkbox and can be checked or unchecked through the end-user. The field itself cannot be edited, the field's text is set either to the Unicode character for the checked state or to the character for the unchecked state. An object of the TextFormField class is a text input field for a form. When it is empty it can be set to a specified width. An object of the SelectionFormField class can either be used to offer the end-user a combobox or a drop-down list, depending on whether the field's text is changeable or not. An object of the DateFormField class can be used to manage and format a date. The user can select the date via a date control or through entering text. Corresponding events indicate that a form field's contents have been changed. The FormFieldCheckChanged and FormFieldDateChanged events inform about a changed check state or date, the FormFieldSelectionChanged event about a new selected item and the FormFieldTextChanged event occurs when the text of a TextFormField was altered. The DocumentPermissions class offers the DocumentPermissions.AllowEditingformFields property so that form fields can still be edited, if the EditMode property has been changed from Edit to ReadAndSelect. Form fields can be saved and loaded with Textcontrol's text format (.TX) and with the .DOC, .DOCX and .RTF formats. When saving a document as .pdf, form fields are converted to PDF formfields. A Microsoft Word form field is converted either to a TextControl FormField or to an ApplicationField depending on the LoadSettings.ApplicationFieldFormat property. The keyboard and mouse assignment is listed in Mouse and Keyboard Assignment for Form Fields. More information about formfields can be found in Creating Forms. Furthermore, a complete rule engine is available to enable workflows and logic within forms. By using the built-in ManageConditionalInstructionsDialog dialog or Conditional Instructions sidebar, the ConditionalInstructionDialog dialog is provided to define objects of type ConditionalInstruction. An instance of that class represents a list of form field related Instruction elements that are executed when specific requirements, represented by an array of Condition objects, are fulfilled. It is added to an instance of the ConditionalInstructionCollection class, that can be obtained with the FormFieldCollection.ConditionalInstructions property. A condition of a ConditionalInstruction is met, when the comparison between the value of the related FormField and the required comparison value succeeded. An object of type Instruction represents one of up to four types of actions that can be executed to the related form field: Changing the FormField.Enabled property, marking the form field value as valid or invalid, setting a new value and replacing the SelectionFormField.Items array with another string array. Furthermore, an else instruction value can be defined to that instruction, which is applied when the corresponding conditions are not fulfilled. More information about conditional instructions can be found in Creating Conditional Instructions for Form Fields.

Classes

Class	Description
TXTextControl.CheckFormField	The CheckFormField class represents a checkbox in a document.
TXTextControl.CheckFormFieldEventArgs	The CheckFormFieldEventArgs class provides data for the TextControl.FormFieldCheckChanged event.
TXTextControl.Condition	An object of the Condition class is an element of the ConditionalInstruction class and represents the state of a FormField that has to be fulfilled to execute the instructions of the related ConditionalInstruction object.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstruction	An object of the ConditionalInstruction class represents a list of form field related instructions that are executed when specific requirements, represented by an array of conditions, are fulfilled.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection	An instance of the ConditionalInstructionCollection class contains all conditional instructions in a Text Control document or part of the document represented through objects of type ConditionalInstruction.
TXTextControl.DateFormField	An object of the DateFormField class represents a date field on a form.
TXTextControl.DateFormFieldEventArgs	The DateFormFieldEventArgs class provides data for the TextControl.FormFieldDateChanged event.
TXTextControl.FormField	The FormField class is the base class of all form fields.
TXTextControl.FormFieldCollection	An instance of the FormFieldCollection class contains all form fields in a Text Control document represented through objects of the types TextFormField, CheckFormField and SelectionFormField.
TXTextControl.FormFieldEventArgs	The FormFieldEventArgs class provides data for the TextControl.FormFieldSettingsChanged event, which occurs, when the name, the id and/or formatting attributes of a form field have been changed.
TXTextControl.Instruction	An object of the Instruction class is an element of the ConditionalInstruction class and represents actions that are execute´d when the corresponding conditions are fulfilled.
TXTextControl.SelectionFormField	An object of the SelectionFormField class represents a combobox or a drop-down list on a form.
TXTextControl.SelectionFormFieldEventArgs	The SelectionFormFieldEventArgs class provides data for the TextControl.FormFieldSelectionChanged event.
TXTextControl.TextFormField	An object of the TextFormField class represents a text input field on a form.
TXTextControl.TextFormFieldEventArgs	The TextFormFieldEventArgs class provides data for the TextControl.FormFieldTextChanged event.

Constructors

Constructor	Description
TXTextControl.CheckFormField	Initializes a new instance of the CheckFormField class.
TXTextControl.Condition	Initializes a new instance of the Condition class.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstruction	Initializes a new instance of the ConditionalInstruction class.
TXTextControl.DateFormField	Initializes a new instance of the DateFormField class.
TXTextControl.Instruction	Initializes a new instance of the Instruction class to determine an action that is executed when the defined requirements of the ConditionalInstruction.Conditions array are fulfilled or not fulfilled.
TXTextControl.SelectionFormField	Initializes a new instance of the SelectionFormField class.
TXTextControl.TextFormField	Initializes a new instance of the TextFormField class.

Enumerations

Enumeration	Description
TXTextControl.Condition.ComparisonOperators	Determines the comparison operator that is used to compare the condition's form field value with the specified comparison value or the interpretation of that value.
TXTextControl.Condition.ComparisonValueTypes	Determines how the condition's comparison value is interpreted by the condition.
TXTextControl.Condition.ItemComparisonFlags	Determines how the specified comparison value has to be interpreted when comparing it with the SelectionFormField's Text property.
TXTextControl.Condition.LogicalConnectives	Determines how the condition is related to the previous condition inside the corresponding ConditionalInstruction.Conditions array.
TXTextControl.Condition.Month	Determines the month that is compared with the condition's form field value.
TXTextControl.Condition.TextComparisonFlags	Determines how the specified comparison value has to be interpreted when comparing it with the TextFormField's or SelectionFormField's Text property.
TXTextControl.Instruction.InstructionTypes	Determines the type of action to execute.

Fields

Field	Description
TXTextControl.CheckFormField.DefaultCheckedCharacter	Represents the default character which is used to display the checkbox in the checked state.
TXTextControl.CheckFormField.DefaultUncheckedCharacter	Represents the default character which is used to display the checkbox in the unchecked state.

Methods

Method	Description
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstruction.Copy	Returns a copy of this ConditionalInstruction object.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.Add	Inserts an instance of the class ConditionalInstruction to the collection and the document.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.Clear	Removes all conditional instructions from the collection and the document.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.CopyTo	Copies the elements of the collection to an array, starting at a particular index.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.GetEnumerator	Returns an enumerator that can be used to iterate through the collection.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.GetItem	Gets that ConditionalInstruction element from the collection, where the Name property value equals the specified name.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.GetItems	Gets those ConditionalInstruction elements from the collection, where at least one Condition or Instruction element references the specified FormField.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.IsValueValid	Returns a value indicating whether the value of a specific form field is marked as valid.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.Remove	Removes that ConditionalInstruction element from the collection and the document, where the Name property value equals the specified name.
TXTextControl.FormField.FormFieldDialog	Opens a dialog box to alter the formatting attributes of the form field.
TXTextControl.FormFieldCollection.Add	Inserts the specified form field at the current input position.
TXTextControl.FormFieldCollection.Clear	Removes all form fields from a Text Control document.
TXTextControl.FormFieldCollection.CopyTo	Copies the elements of the collection to an array, starting at a particular index.
TXTextControl.FormFieldCollection.GetItem	Gets a particular form field from the collection.
TXTextControl.FormFieldCollection.Remove	Removes the specified form field from a Text Control document.

Properties

Property	Description
TXTextControl.CheckFormField.CheckedCharacter	Gets or sets the character which is used to display the checkbox in the checked state.
TXTextControl.CheckFormField.Checked	Gets or set a value indicating whether the checkbox is in the checked state.
TXTextControl.CheckFormField.SupportedCheckedCharacters	Gets possible characters which can be used to display the checkbox in the checked state.
TXTextControl.CheckFormField.SupportedUncheckedCharacters	Gets possible characters which can be used to display the checkbox in the unchecked state.
TXTextControl.CheckFormField.UncheckedCharacter	Gets or sets the character which is used to display the checkbox in the unchecked state.
TXTextControl.CheckFormFieldEventArgs.CheckFormField	Gets an object representing the CheckFormField that causes the event.
TXTextControl.Condition.ComparisonOperator	Gets the operator that is used to compare the condition's form field value with the specified comparison value.
TXTextControl.Condition.ComparisonValue	Gets the value that is compared with the condition's form field value.
TXTextControl.Condition.ComparisonValueType	Gets a value of type ComparisonValueTypes that determines how the condition's comparison value is interpreted.
TXTextControl.Condition.FormField	Gets the FormField whose property value is to be compared with the condition's comparison value.
TXTextControl.Condition.LogicalConnective	Gets or sets a value of type Condition.LogicalConnectives that describes how the condition is related to the previous condition inside the corresponding ConditionalInstruction.Conditions array.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstruction.Conditions	Gets or sets an array of conditions, that represent the requirements that has to be fulfilled to execute the specified instructions.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstruction.Instructions	Gets or sets an array of instructions that are executed when the specified conditions are fulfilled.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstruction.Name	Gets or sets a name of the conditional instruction.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.ConditionalInstructionNames	Gets the names of all ConditionalInstruction elements that are listed inside the collection.
TXTextControl.ConditionalInstructionCollection.Count	Gets the number of elements contained in the collection.
TXTextControl.DateFormField.Date	Gets or sets the DateFormField's date.
TXTextControl.DateFormField.DateFormat	Gets or sets the date's format.
TXTextControl.DateFormField.EmptyWidth	Gets or sets the horizontal extension, in twips, of the DateFormField, when a date is not set.
TXTextControl.DateFormField.IsDateControlVisible	Gets or sets a value indicating wheather a date control is shown below the DateFormField so that the user can select a date.
TXTextControl.DateFormField.SupportedDateFormats	Gets an array of format picture strings which can be used to format the date.
TXTextControl.DateFormFieldEventArgs.DateFormField	Gets an object representing the DateFormField that causes the event.
TXTextControl.FormField.Enabled	Gets or set a value indicating whether the form field is enabled.
TXTextControl.FormFieldCollection.ConditionalInstructions	Gets a collection of all conditional instructions that references to the form fields of the collection.
TXTextControl.FormFieldCollection.Item	Gets the form field with the specified number from the collection.
TXTextControl.FormFieldEventArgs.FormField	Gets an object that represents the form field which causes the event.
TXTextControl.Instruction.ElseInstructionValue	Gets the value that is set by the specified action when the defined requirements of the ConditionalInstruction.Conditions array are not fulfilled and the Instruction.IsElseInstructionEnabled property is set to true.
TXTextControl.Instruction.FormField	Gets the FormField to which the specified action is executed.
TXTextControl.Instruction.InstructionType	Gets the type of action to execute.
TXTextControl.Instruction.InstructionValue	Gets the value that is set by the specified action when the defined requirements of the ConditionalInstruction.Conditions array are fulfilled.
TXTextControl.Instruction.IsElseInstructionEnabled	Gets or sets a value indicating whether this Instruction allows to execute else instructions.
TXTextControl.Instruction.IsFormFieldChangeInstruction	Gets or sets a value indicating whether this Instruction listens to value changes of the related conditions' form fields.
TXTextControl.Instruction.IsInitialInstruction	Gets or sets a value indicating whether this Instruction is handled when the document is initialized as a form.
TXTextControl.SelectionFormField.EmptyWidth	Gets or sets the horizontal extension, in twips, of the SelectionFormField, when there is no selected item.
TXTextControl.SelectionFormField.IsDropDownArrowVisible	Gets or sets a value indicating wheather a dropdown arrow is shown so that the user can select an item.
TXTextControl.SelectionFormField.Items	Gets or sets a list of items for the SelectionFormField.
TXTextControl.SelectionFormField.SelectedIndex	Gets or sets the index of the selected item of the SelectionFormField.
TXTextControl.SelectionFormFieldEventArgs.SelectionFormField	Gets an object representing the SelectionFormField that causes the event.
TXTextControl.ServerTextControl.FormFields	Gets a collection of all form fields contained in the document.
TXTextControl.TextFormField.EmptyWidth	Gets or sets the horizontal extension, in twips, of the form field, when it is empty.
TXTextControl.TextFormFieldEventArgs.TextFormField	Gets an object representing the TextFormField that causes the event.