Adding and editing data and label elements

You can add elements to, and change elements on, a form using the tool palettes shown below:

Mac users

Windows users

note : Layout selection

The Layout list only appears for check forms.

Editing elements using the Format window

Mac users only

The Format window enables you to change the format of any element on your form. The changes you make are shown on the form immediately. You can leave the Format window open while you work on the form.

The fields available in the Format window change, depending upon which type of field you have selected. The following fields are available when editing text elements.



A	Change the location of the element on your form.
B	Change the size of the element. Note that images may stretch if you resize them this way.
C	Change the format of text in a text field.
D	Change the background colors of the element.
E	Change the border format of an element.
F	Rotate an element in 90 degree increments.

If you have selected an image element, you can also click Browse and insert a different image in the field.

Windows users use the Form Properties window.

For more information about editing elements, see the relevant procedure below.

To add a data field to a form

1	Click the Fields add data button. The Add Fields Select from List window appears. This window lists all the data fields available for the form you selected.

The column on the right indicates the field type (Data, Column) and where it appears on a form. For example, the Total field only appears on the last page (as shown).

For more information about the data fields that are available in each form type, see Form fields.

2	Select the fields you require by clicking in the select column next to them.

3	If you want to display the data field title at the top of a column or next to a data field, select header and display options in the bottom of the window.

4	Click Add. The selected data fields appear on the form.

5	Edit the properties of the field as required—see ‘Editing all elements with common commands’.

Note that the Add Fields window can be left open on your desktop while you are working on the form.

To change the appearance of a data field

1	If you want to change the properties of a data field, double-click it. The Field Properties window appears.

The Field Properties window has two tabs: the Layout tab where you specify the text, format, background color, location, and size of the field, and the Borders tab where you specify the layout, color, and width of the field’s borders.

2	Change the properties as required and click OK.

To change the appearance of a data field

1	Select the field you want to change.

2	Click the Format button. The Format window opens.

3	Make your changes in the Format window. The appearance of the data field will be updated as you make selections.

To add a text field to a form

1	Click the Text buttonadd text button and then click on the form where you want to place the text field. A new text label named Text Field appears.

2	Move the field to where you want by dragging and dropping or using your keyboard arrows.

3	To add text to the field, double-click it. The Custom Text Field window appears.

4	Type your text in the field and click OK.

5	If you want to change the properties of the text field, click Format button. The Format window appears.

6	In the Fields tab, set the properties of the field, including text appearance, format, background color, borders, location, and size of the field, etc.

The text field appearance will update as you make selections.

7	Double-click the field. The Field Properties window displays the Layout tab where you specify the text content, location and size, text format, and background color of the field, and the Borders tab where you specify the layout, color, and width of the field’s borders.

8	Click OK to save the settings and close the Field Properties window.

If the text is longer than the size of the field, you may need to resize it—see ‘Editing all elements with common commands’.

To change the text in a text field

1	Double-click the text label. The Custom Text FieldField Properties window appears.

2	Change the content in the Text field on the Layout tab as required.

Click OK.

To change the font in a data field or text field

1	Select the data or text field you want to change.

2	Click the Format button. The Format window opens.

3	In the Fields tab, make the required changes.

4	To change the properties of another field, repeat from ‘Select the data or text field you want to change.’.

5	Double-click the data field or text label to be changed. The Field Properties window appears.

6	Click Text Format on the Layout tab. The Text Format window appears.

7	Make your choices in the Font, Font Style, Size, Justify, and Effects fields in this window.

8	If you want to change the font color:

a	Click Font Color. The Font Color window appears.

b	Select the new color and click OK. The Text Format window reappears.

Click OK.