InfoPath Dev

Hi Folks

I have a Infopath Form (2007) published to SP.  I wish to limit the number of characters to a text box.  Now I know this is an easy step through the display tab in the text box properties.  However my form has been published for some time with many records associated with the template.  I am worried if I apply the 255 char limit now I will lose the data currently associated with that field where the char count is > 255.  Is this the case?  If so would writing some function in code erase this potential problem?

Any advice appreciated.

Regards

Chas

The textbox character limit only stops users from entering any more characters if it reaches the limit.  It has no effect on the field itself and will not truncate the field value.  If the field already has a value that is over the limit, users will be able to delete characters, but not type any new text until the field length is below the limit.  Is that alright?

Hello chas805,

no, you don´t need to be worry about loosing data. All the data will be there even with the new template.

But you have to consider that you can´t submit an already filled form if you have to make changes of the data in the 'old' forms because every time if you want to submit a form where the appropriate field has more than 255 characters you will get a validation error and you can´t submit the form.

Regards, 

 Thanks guys I have just tried it in my SP site and what you state is correct  - all data is intact.  Thanks for the re-assurance :)

Actually, I don't believe that's true.  It seems that the character limit does not cause validation errors to happen, even if the length is over the limit.  It just prevents the user from entering too many characters.

Hello Jimmy,

in my experiences I have had problems to submit the forms cause of the validation errors if I had limit the text field afterwards I have already filled out some forms without the limitation. Therefore I have written the warning about submitting forms with more than (in that case) 255 characters.

But thanks for clarification.

Regards,