How To Topic

Adding a Placeholder Field to a Component

You can make an interview more dynamic by adding placeholder fields to component properties (such as Titles, Prompts, Additional information, etc.), Text properties in Dialog elements, and to non-Key columns in Fixed table components and Built in tables.

To add a placeholder field to a component

1. Open Component Studio.
2. Open:
   • The variable or dialog whose component property (such as Title) you want to add a placeholder field to
   • The Dialog element (Text Element, Divider, Script Link and Web Link) whose Text property you want to add a placeholder field to
   • The Fixed table component, Single Select variable, or Multi Select variable
3. Place your cursor in the component property or non-key column where you want to add a field.
4. In the Tools pane, click on the Field Editor tab.
5. From the Placeholder Type list, select one of the Variables or Computed Values types (a Computation or Other Expression).
   1. If you choose a variable:
      1. Select or type a variable name.
      2. (Optional) Select or type a Linked dialog name.
      3. (Optional) Select or type a Format.
   2. If you choose a Computation:
      1. Select or type a Computation name.
      2. (Optional) Select or type a Format.
   3. If you choose Other Expression:
      1. Type an Expression.
6. Click Add Field.

If you use a placeholder field in a component's interview display text, you must make sure the template user provides an answer for that placeholder before the interview displays the component containing the placeholder field.