Using password fields

To specify the password display character
To define the behavior of the field
To define custom data-binding properties for a password field
To limit the characters entered in password fields

If you want to control access to a form through a password, add a password field to the form. When a user types in the password field, the characters are masked by a character that you select. If required, you can define a specific input pattern that the user must match to gain access to the form.

After you add a password field to the form design, you can edit the caption text and manipulate the object’s properties in the Field, Value, and Binding tabs of the Object palette. You can define these properties:

Change the caption for the field. See Formatting captions.
Set a border style for the field. See To set the border style.
Define the field as visible, invisible, or hidden. See Making objects visible, invisible, or hidden.
Specify a locale for the list. See To specify a locale (language and country or region) for an object.
Specify that Designer use the horizontal length of the text field to determine how many characters to allow in the password field.
Select the password display character.
Define the edit pattern.
Define the validation pattern.
Specify a data-binding pattern.
Specify a binding method for storing and retrieving bound data.

A password field can be present without forcing users to supply a password. You can define whether the password is optional, recommended, or required, and you can set up messages to prompt users appropriately. All user input can be validated through scripting.

To specify the password display character

In the Object palette, click the Field tab.
In the Password Display Character box, type the character that will be used to hide the password value when it is displayed at run time.

To define the behavior of the field

In the Object palette, click the Value tab and select one of these options from the Type list:
- To allow users to choose whether to enter data, select User Entered - Optional.
- To prompt users to enter data and make the field recommended, select User Entered - Recommended and type a custom message in the Empty Message box.
- To prompt users to enter data and make the field required, select User Entered - Required and type a custom message in the Empty Message box.
If the value is recommended or required, type a prompt in the Empty Message box.

To define custom data-binding properties for a password field

Binding options enable you to build a form that captures data for enterprise infrastructures and/or use an external data source to populate a form at run time. Set data-binding properties in the Binding tab of the Object palette.

Select the password field.
Enable the form to connect to the data source when the form is opened.
Bind the field to its corresponding data node. For information about how to bind objects to a data source, see Binding fields to a data source.

To limit the characters entered in password fields

You can limit the number of characters entered in password fields by specifying that Designer use the horizontal length of the decimal or numeric field to determine how many characters to allow.

In the Object palette, click the Field tab and select Limit Length to Visible Area.