Show/hide field at article submission

Why would anyone add field to a type and hide it on the submission form?

Sergey Why would anyone add field to a type and hide it on the submission form?

People (DAU's) are lazy by nature!

Jeff Show only required fields and hide non required fields during submission

You may use an easy layout. Something that clearly shows what is mandatory, and what is optional. e.g.:

Put all required fields into the main area or first tab/group.
And all unimportant fields into a tab/group "optional". The latter is "hidden" automatically, abd does not distract the users eye.

I would also consider a text or message to explain it for the DAU. i.e. No need to enter this... blah blah... feel free to enter it later or any time..."

Jeff but this doesn't take into account showing/hiding field groups/tabs.

Oooops. Overseen ;)

@Sergey

BTW, I remember ME-Resources submission form had a template parameter to exclude fields, right?

pepperstreet I remember ME-Resources submission form had a template parameter to exclude fields, right?

Right.

Sergey Why would anyone add field to a type and hide it on the submission form?

The same reason why Community Builder, Easy Social, Easy Profile, JomSocial and any other community component provides this feature.

Another reason is to keep up with current trends and the competition on the internet; Less information, less stuff to fill in initially, make things easier in general.

BTW Sergey, my application already shows new/other ways of using Cobalt than you have forseen. The result is that new feature requests (like this) will arise, which is actually a good thing :-)

pepperstreet Oooops. Overseen ;)

Ha, ha,

Yes, I've already done everything you have mentioned, but I'm stuck on the tabs. And of course another - drastic - solution is to create another template from scratch....

The challenge I face is to gather enough information in a form to make a record (and my service) valuable and searchable to site visitors and make things not to complicated at the same time. As a former webmaster I have gathered enough experience that even the most logical form might prove a too big hurdle for the non tech savvy. So, even if you provide the means to enter data, it doesn't mean people will use it. Unless there is a need. In a boss/employee environment such a need is easier to create than in a free/commercial environment.

My application needs a more than average amount of data per record. Not all fields have equal importancy. Presenting all fields during submission would be like filling in a survey, which is ok if I am submitting the data. But my audience is anyone from the age of 14 to 80. I would like them to quickly post a record first and let them enhance it later. As a designer I have always believed in avoiding visual overload; if you don't need it and if it doesn't add anything: get rid of it!

But, in all, this is just a suggestion ;-)

Field has access rigth. Just set it to no one and it is hidden on the form. Or I cannot get your idea. My question again, why I have to create field for type with I will never show in the form. It is not used, what a sense to have it at all? It will be never filled and displaied.

Sergey Or I cannot get your idea. My question again, why I have to create field for type with I will never show in the form. It is not used, what a sense to have it at all? It will be never filled and displaied.>

Ah ok,

it seems like you don't understand what I mean.

The field will be visible but only when you edit the form, not when you submit the form for the first time (new record).

Just like I have changed the title of the form at first submission (new record): 'Submit new record'

And when you edit the same record (existing record) after submission the title will read: 'Edit record'

But you can do this with exicting rights? Correct?

Sergey But you can do this with exicting rights? Correct?>

Oh man you are so right!

I wrongly assumed that prohibiting field submission would also prohibit field edition. Even the tabs are hidden accordingly.

I seriously don't know why I didn't try this out before asking a bogus feature request. Sorry, guys. If you excuse me, I will sit in a corner for a couple of hours...

It is even more advanced. If there is a value in the field added by one who have right, after from is saved by one who do not have rights value is not emptied.