Customizing the Database > Designing Custom Fields, Pages, and Records > Custom Field attributes

Custom Field attributes

A Field's attributes provide details about the Field: whether the Field value can be spell checked, whether a value must be entered in the Field, etc. The particular attributes available depend on the particular Field Type.

Important: Keep in mind that Fields are designed for use in multiple Custom Pages and Records. Editing a Field's attributes affects that Field wherever it is used in all Pages and Records.

Right-click on the Field in the Custom Page or Record Designer dialog and choose Show Attributes on the shortcut menu that appears. This opens the Field Attributes dialog. For example, the dialog for a Text Custom Field looks like this:

Field Attribute	Description
Field Name	If desired, edit the name that identifies the Field in the database. Keep in mind that the Field Name must be unique and should be meaningful. It will be used in such features as Document Assembly. It is not case sensitive but must not contain spaces, and cannot be changed afterward. OUTLOOK/EXCHANGE LINK TIP: If you wish to synchronize particular Amicus Custom Fields with Outlook Custom Fields via the Outlook/Exchange Contacts & Calendar Link, ensure that those Amicus Custom Field Names do not contain underscores, square brackets, or number signs (#). Custom Field Names containing those characters are not allowed in Outlook. DOCUMENT ASSEMBLY TIP: If you wish to generate documents that include Amicus Custom Fields from Custom Pages, ensure that those Field Names do not contain dashes or other special characters. Word and WordPerfect merge work only with names composed of letters, numbers, or underscore characters. We recommend using short names (e.g. 34 characters or less).
Field Label Text	If desired, edit the label for the Field. The label does not need to be unique.
Help Tool Tip	Optionally, enter a helpful description to appear as a ToolTip whenever a user places their cursor over the Field in a Page or Record.
Locked	Select this attribute to lock the Field's location on the Page or Record, to prevent designers from moving it accidentally.
Custom Field and Page/Record IDs	IDs that you can use to include the Field when customizing Advanced (SQL) Reports. For more information, see Using SQL Reporting Services with Amicus, available from the Amicus Help Center.
TabIndex	Enter the tab sequence of the Field on the Page or Record.
Location (X,Y)	This editable attribute specifies the Field's exact position as a number of pixels to the right (X) and down (Y) from the top left corner of the Page or Record.
Size (Width, Height)	This editable attribute specifies the Field's exact size as a number of pixels wide and high.
Maximum Length	Enter the maximum number of characters that a user can enter in the Field (1 to 255).
Lookup From	IDs that you can use to include the Field when customizing Advanced (SQL) Reports. For more information, see Using SQL Reporting Services with Amicus, available from the Amicus Help Center.
Drop-Down List Items	For a Drop-Down List Field, click the ... button at the right of this attribute's row to specify the drop-down list items for users to select from. In the dialog that appears, you may add, move, edit, and delete list items. (You may change or delete list items only if those particular items are not currently assigned in the Custom Field on any Custom Pages or Records.) TIP: Before changing or removing an existing list item, ensure that all users have logged out of Amicus Attorney. This allows a more comprehensive check on whether the list item has been assigned in any Files or People records.
Default Value	Enter a default value for the Field, if desired.
Frequently Used Field	Select this attribute if the Field might be used in several Pages or Records. This is simply for convenience—the Field will be available for selection from the Frequently Used Fields list shown in the control panel of the Custom Page/Record Designer dialog.
Required on Page	Select this attribute to make the Field a required data field.
Spell Check	Select this attribute to make the Spell Check function available in this field.
Include in Searches	Select this attribute to make the Field available for searches. (Text, Memo, Drop-Down List, Checkbox, Date, Path/URL, E-mail, SSN, and SIN Fields only.) Note that this attribute does not affect the list of Fields available for Conflict Check searches from the People module.
Uppercase	Select this attribute to automatically change any text entered by users in the Field to uppercase.
Show In List View	In Custom Records, select this attribute to show the Field as a column in the Record list view of File and Person Details dialogs.
Position In List	For a Field shown as a column in the Record list view, select the column position (1, 2, 3, etc.).
Calculate Total	For a Field shown as a column in the Record list view, select this attribute to show the total value at the bottom of the column.

When you are finished, click the X in the top right corner of the dialog. Or, select another Field whose attributes you wish to view.