Mastering Laserfiche Forms: Using JavaScript to Control Character Length in the ‘Other’ Field

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Introduction:

Laserfiche Forms provides a robust platform for creating and managing forms, but sometimes, additional customization is needed to meet specific requirements. One such customization is controlling the character limit in the “Other” field, which can be effectively achieved using JavaScript. By implementing JavaScript, you can dynamically enforce character limits, ensuring that users provide concise and relevant information. This not only enhances data quality but also improves the user experience by providing immediate feedback.

Use Cases:

• Parent Communication: For forms that parents fill out, such as permission slips or feedback forms, a character limit ensures that responses are brief and to the point, which helps in processing the information more efficiently.

• Student Feedback: When collecting feedback from students about a lesson or activity, limiting the character count encourages them to provide concise and focused responses, making it easier for teachers to quickly understand and address their comments.

• Job Applications: Limiting the length of responses in the “Other” field to ensure applicants provide relevant information.

Test Version: Laserfiche Forms Professional Version 11.0.2311.50564

Setup: Download codes from Bait and Tackle "Define character field length for "Other" field"

Define character field length for "Other" field - Modern Designer

1. Select JS in the top right corner.

2. Copy and paste the JavaScript code from "Define character field length for "Other" field" into JS.

   
   

   

   
   

   *Adjust the length by editing the value in red:    

   if (fieldVal.otherChoiceValue && fieldVal.otherChoiceValue.length > 5) {

   
   
   
   
   
   

Conclusion: Hooking the Benefits of Character Count Control

Reeling in the benefits of controlling the character count in the “Other” field of a Laserfiche form can help schools catch more concise and relevant data. Whether you’re gathering student feedback, parent comments, or teacher insights, keeping responses short ensures you don’t get bogged down with too much information. It’s a great way to keep your data pool clean and easy to manage, helping educators and administrators make better decisions without getting caught in a sea of words.