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It is often important to make keyword fields dynamic so the list can change based on the values selected in other documents. To get the list of existing values, you create a lookup view sorted by that column and use @DBColumn to get the list. In Notes client, you can set the keyword option, "Allow values not in list" to let the user enter a new value. However, on the Web that setting causes the browser to change the field to a plain text field because it does not have that capability.
Many developers work around this by putting a text field next to the dialog list field, where the user can enter a new value. To do so you have to either always show the field, or refresh the form and use hide formulas to display the text field.
There is a better way. If you add an option to the list called "<New Value>" (or something similar), you can use JavaScript to do the following:
- Check whether "<New Value>" is selected.
- Prompt the user for a new value.
- Add that choice to the dialog list.
- Automatically select the new choice.
Here is how:
Add this function to the form's JavaScript header:
function NewDialogListOption (objField) {
strLabel = objField.name;
// Check whether the user is
choosing to enter a new value
if(objField.options[objField.selectedIndex].text
== "<New
Value>")
{
// Prompt for new value
var strNewValue = prompt ("Enter new "
+ strLabel + ": ", "");
if (strNewValue != null)
{
// Create a new option object
var NewOption = document.
createElement("Option");
NewOption.text = strNewValue;
// Add the new option to the list
objField.add(NewOption);
// Select the new option
objField.selectedIndex =
(objField.options.length - 1);
}
}
}
Put this code in the field's onChange event:
NewDialogListOption (this);
MEMBER FEEDBACK TO THIS TIP
The field type needs to be a listbox, not a dialog list, for it to work.
—Elizabeth F.
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