Custom Fields

The Custom Fields are accessed in the back end via the 'Custom Fields tab'. The following grid display is presented.

Figure 6.3. Custom Field - Header

Custom Field - Header

The display shows the supplied 'Product Request' custom group, and also a 'Demo' group which is used to illustrate some of the permutations possible using the feature.

[Note]Note

Changing the field type will change the display shown to the user, and the screen will refresh. This is achieved by the use of javascript and AJAX calls to the underlying Joomla system. Whilst we have not experienced any problems with this, there is always a possibility that on some very slow systems a delay may be apparent before the screen refresh occurs.

Individual Field Types

There a number of different custom field types that can be defined and these are described below. They follow the standard field types as used in Joomla.As many or as few custom fields may be created and added to a specific custom field group. The only limitation is the size of the field which is used to store the captured information in each issue, which is unlikely to be exceeded except where the number of custom fields and the text information captured is very large.

The 'header' field type is a simple type that is used to display a 'header' record in the custom field group to which it is attached. More than one 'header' field type can be defined to split the individual fields in to separate sections which might reflect the different uses to which the fields are being employed.

Figure 6.4. Custom Field - Header

Custom Field - Header

The data field is used to capture a specific date that is required to progress an issue. An example might be to capture the date upon which the problem was first seen, or the date upon when some specific event occurred.

Figure 6.5. Custom Field - Date

Custom Field - Date

The 'select' field is used to capture one of a list of possible values that are presented. The list of values is defined when the field is created (or edited) as shown in the screen below.

Figure 6.6. Custom Field - Select

Custom Field - Select

Similar to the 'select' field above, the 'multi select field' will enable the capture a multiple number of the selected values.

Figure 6.7. Custom Field - Multi Select

Custom Field - Multi Select

Radio buttons are very similar to the 'select' and 'multi-select' fields as described above, only the user is presented with a number of button.

Figure 6.8. Custom Field - Radio Buttons

Custom Field - Radio Buttons

The text field is used for capturing some user entered string which may be characters, numbers or any combination of the two.

Figure 6.9. Custom Field - Text

Custom Field - Text

The text area field is possibly the more complex field type where the use is presented with a predefine box for them to enter information If defined then the box may be presented as a WYSIWYG editor.

[Note]Note

If the editor option is used, and you desire your users to use a WYSIWYG editor, ensure that the component is configured to show a WYSIWYG editor, otherwise it is a plain text area box that will be displayed on the front end.

Figure 6.10. Custom Field - Text Area

Custom Field - Text Area

[Note]Note

There is an additional field which is not shown in the above displays which is the text to be supplied for the field 'tool tip'. This information is displayed when the user cursor is located over the field name. It is typically used to provide additional guidance information to the user to aid is completing the field correctly.

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