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numeric field allows entry of text

AcrUmbi
Registered: Dec 2 2010
Posts: 18

This feels like a dumb questions but I'm abut to punch LiveCycle. I had a form that used text fields to capture some numerical values...so I changed those fields to be numeric fields..but now when I render the form or open it in Adobe Reader, I can type in text and when I exit the field, it defaults to a zero value? Is this intentional by design? I would suspect that a numeric field would only allow data ENTRY of numerics?
 
Please help.

My Product Information:
LiveCycle Designer, Windows
gkaiseril
Online
Expert
Registered: Feb 23 2006
Posts: 4307
Exactly what type of field are you using?

What are the display, edit, validation patterns?

George Kaiser

AcrUmbi
Registered: Dec 2 2010
Posts: 18
I am using a numeric field. This field will hold a, for example, social security number. Initially I did not specify any patterns, not any at all. However, once I entered a valid SSN, when I left the field, it would "insert" commas...not cool. So then I tried applying a Display pattern, using both num.integer() or 12345 pattern. Great, commas did not appear but I could actually enter text, e.g. fdsfs, and it would let me...only to erase that and turn it into a 0 (zero) when I exit the field.

I don't have a strong grasp of the patterns to be frank, but eventually I was specifying Display Patterns, Edit Patterns, and Validtion patterns with no luck. Since it is a numeric field, why would it let a user enter text? Also, why default to 0 and not to say '', an empty string?
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1875
What happens when you create a new form from scratch and add just a single numeric text field and test it out?
AcrUmbi
Registered: Dec 2 2010
Posts: 18
Hello George,

So far, you are correct! Created a new form, dropped a numeric field on it, removed the caption so it has none. Made it a comb field and yes, it prevents me from entering any non-numerics! Utterly confused now.
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1875
Try deleting the field you're having trouble with and then recreate it.
AcrUmbi
Registered: Dec 2 2010
Posts: 18
In reality, it is not just one field, but about 5 or so of them. Do you think there's a setting somewhere that is "superceding" the numeric field behaviour?
George_Johnson
Expert
Registered: Jul 6 2008
Posts: 1875
Try deleting and recreating just one field and test it out. If it works, it could be that changing from text to numeric caused something weird to happen.
AcrUmbi
Registered: Dec 2 2010
Posts: 18
Hmn, I actually didn't just convert a text field to a numeric. I actually had recreated it so I could use the text one as a basis for dimensions and coordinates and such. Once I positioned the numeric field just right, then I would go ahead and remove the text field. And I am positive that I did delete the text field based on the different icon in the hierarchy tree. Weird!!

I'll eventually try as you suggest but at this point, I am going with text fields w/ custom embedded JS code.

Thanks George.