4.1  Different types of field - text, menus, dates

A number of different field types are available - this page shows examples of text, menus, numbers, dates and times. The next page shows how to add subrecords and lists to add more complex structure to your catalogs. Being able to represent links and cross references to other items of data is a key advantage of Catalyzer, and the pages on References to other records in the catalog and Resources - other files show how. The previous chapter showed how to add a field and change its type using the "Field type" selector.

The default type of field "Text" gives you single line text entry:

A "text box" lets you enter a paragraph of information:

You can copy and paste information from other applications using ctrl-C and ctrl-V (command-C and command-V on Mac).

See also the reference pages on adding Text and Text Box fields.

There are a number of other types available to you to make it simpler to enter data:

Menus, choices, checkboxes and buttons

You can construct your own menus with your own options:

These can contain subitems, and you can edit them to contain your own items.

Checkboxes let you signal a yes/no value:

Choices are similar to menus, but you can select multiple values:

Radio buttons are another way to display menu options:

If you convert a "Text" field type to a "Menu" type, the menu will automatically be populated with all the different values the text field contains.

See also the reference pages on adding Menu, Choice and Radio fields.

Numbers, dates and times

For numerical values, you can use the Number type:

The date field lets you add dates:

It's also possible to store an empty value in a field - right-click on the field name and choose "Remove value".

See also the reference pages on adding Number, Date and Time fields.