Lock field on edit/highlighting edit changes?

  • twrarepairexchange
    Asked on November 1, 2014 at 5:46 AM

    Is there a way to prevent a particular field from being edited via the edit link? I'd like to be able to lock the username once someone's submitted so it can't be changed when someone is editing their sign up (so I can keep track of people). 

    Also, is there a way to highlight changes on the notifier email for the changes?
  • jonathan
    Replied on November 1, 2014 at 7:12 AM

    Hi,

    Unfortunately there is no way to lock field or make it Read-Only after using the Edit_Link of the submission.

    Perhaps what you can do instead is to Hide the field using condition rules after the form is submitted. So, the field(ex: username) should now be hidden and cannot be altered when in Edit Mode after using the Edit_Link of submission.

    User guide: http://www.jotform.com/help/57-Smart-Forms-Using-Conditional-Logic

    A trick you can use is to have a Hidden Box gets populated when the username is filled-in. Then add also a confirmation checkbox that needs to be checked (ex: a terms agreement).

    Now, use both the filled in Hidden Box and the Checked checkbox as the rule to Hide the username.

    In Edit Mode, since the hidden box is populated and checked box is checked, the username will be hidden. There is no way the user can unfill the Hidden box because it is hidden.

    Hope this help. Tell us if you did not get a grasped on my suggestion.

    Thanks.

     

     

     

  • jonathan
    Replied on November 1, 2014 at 7:13 AM

    we will respond to your other question here http://www.jotform.com/answers/452701

    Thanks.

  • twrarepairexchange
    Replied on November 1, 2014 at 9:15 AM

    Hi, I just tested this and set things up as follows:

     

    if USERNAME is FILLED

    insert {USERNAME} into USERNAME (LOCKED)

     

    and

     

    if USERNAME (LOCKED) is FILLED

    AND: CHECKBOX is FILLED

    THEN: hide USERNAME

    show USERNAME (LOCKED)

     

    unfortunately however this creates two issues:

     

    first: it means that the username is uneditable before clicking submit the first time, for example, if someone is reviewing the form before submitting

     

    secondly: this turns out not to actually work on edit because the USERNAME field is hidden before submission,and so it's data isn't recorded (at least, it's not on my notification despite {USERNAME} being one of the fields or in the submissions viewed through my forms). the data for USERNAME (LOCKED) is, so that one I can work around.

     

    however, the second point (of the conditionally hidden field not populating on submit) IS an issue because it means that, when the edit link is clicked, the USERNAME field is blank which also clears the conditions so the original USERNAME field shows up instead - and blank.

     

    Is there a way to keep the input from a hidden box on submission? if there is that would fix the issue, but I haven't been able to find one.

     

  • raul
    Replied on November 1, 2014 at 2:48 PM

    Hello,

    I'm escalating this thread to our developers as a feature request.
    They will evaluate it and provide a response to you as soon as they can.

    Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
    Thanks.

  • twrarepairexchange
    Replied on November 1, 2014 at 7:00 PM

    Thank you! The speed and level of service I've received with this issue make me feel great about going pro next month. :)

    Can I ask whether it was 'save hidden fields' or the original issue of 'on edit conditionals' that was passed on as a feature request?

    edit: never mind, on-edit conditionals would still need the hidden fields saved or it'd still wipe the username box on resubmission.

  • raul
    Replied on November 1, 2014 at 8:38 PM

    Hello,

    What I added as a feature request was your original request for the ability of lock/hide a field when the form is being edited after it was submitted.

    Please let us know if you have further questions.
    Best Regards.

  • twrarepairexchange
    Replied on November 15, 2014 at 5:05 PM

    hiya,

    just wondering if there was any news on the ability to lock/hide a field on edit. We'll be setting the form for the current round public around the 28th, so wanted to know if that's going to be feasible or we should more be looking for it for round 4 instead.

    Thanks for all the help so far. :)

  • jonathan
    Replied on November 15, 2014 at 6:17 PM

    Hi,

    We have no updated response yet from our development regarding the feature request.

    I also would like to inform you that the feature is currently not on the high priority list at this time.. so most likely, this will take a long time to be attended to by the dev team as they will address issues in accordance to its priority.

    Is this the jotform http://www.jotform.co/form/42831888070864 you are working on? Please confirm which of your form.

    I will try also find a workaround to help achieve what you wanted to do.

    Thanks.

     

     

  • twrarepairexchange
    Replied on November 20, 2014 at 7:50 PM

    Hiya,

    Sorry for the delay, the email notif ended up in spam for some reason.

    Yes, that's the form. I currently have it set up to show a warning not to edit the username field when it's a) filled and b) a confirmation box at the end is filled in as well, but (as I'm sure you know working in customer service) people are notoriously bad at following (or even reading) instructions and changing the username makes it difficult for us to keep track of our participants, so if it's possible to make it IMpossible for them to do that, I'd really appreciate the help.

  • raul
    Replied on November 20, 2014 at 7:58 PM

    Thank you for the additional information.

    I will also work to see if I can find a workaround to help you achieve what you want. If I'm able to come up with something I'll let you know here.

    Best Regards.

  • usmleny
    Replied on March 4, 2015 at 9:10 PM

    i found a work around to your request.  i am a user not a support.  what i did was insert a text on the form and have the text box refer the the desired field i wanted them to fill out.  it automatically fills.  i hide the text box during the submitter view and hide the submitter box during the editors view.  the text will automatically fill out as the submitter types.  

    if you need more clarification let me know. 

  • twrarepairexchange
    Replied on March 4, 2015 at 9:22 PM

    Hi, I'm not sure I exactly follow?

    It sounds like you're trying what we tried above - hiding the text box using a condition of filling another (uneditable) box - which was one of our first attempts at a workaround?

    If so, unless there's been changes made since Nov 1st (which is definitely possible) it doesn't actually pan out since the hidden box gets cleared on edit (the values of hidden boxes end up blank on edit) which resets things and results in the username box being blank - and due to the condition thus clears the second box as well. 

    If you mean something else, could you elaborate/clarify? or link to an example maybe?

    Thanks for trying to help :)

  • Elton Support Team Lead
    Replied on March 5, 2015 at 12:20 AM

    @twrarepairexchange 

    Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately there is no update about this request as of the moment.

    However, I think there is a feasible workaround using the conditions you have tried along with the email condition containing the edit URL. It's similar to approve submissions workaround. Take note that this requires your manual approval before the user receives the edit URL. I'm not sure if you have already tried this but I think this will help.

    Here's the process.

    1. The user fill and submits the form

    2. You will edit the submission and write a value on the hidden field to trigger the hide/show and email condition.

    Example:

    Actual Form: What users will see.

    Lock field on edit/highlighting edit changes? Image 1 Screenshot 50

    On the back-end, when you edit submission you will be able to add value on the hidden field to trigger the form conditions.

    Lock field on edit/highlighting edit changes? Image 2 Screenshot 61

    This is how it looks after the value is filled.

    Lock field on edit/highlighting edit changes? Image 3 Screenshot 72

    Here's a sample condition:

    Lock field on edit/highlighting edit changes? Image 4 Screenshot 83

    You can test or clone this form.

    http://form.jotformpro.com/form/50629531556963?

    Sample edit link: http://submit.jotformpro.com/form.php?formID=50629531556963&sid=301340936521762598&mode=edit

    Let us know if you need further assistance on achieving this if you want to take this route. Thanks!

  • stevedellar
    Replied on April 24, 2016 at 5:56 AM

    An automated solution

     

    Make 2 fields on the form.  On for the one you want (EDIT) and one for a non editable copy (NOEDIT) that automatically has the EDIT field value and is visible only when  EDIT version is filled.

    make the NOEDIT field hidden if the EDIT field is empty

    make the EDIT field hidden if the EDIT field is filled.

    In that way the NOEDIT comes into view and the EDIT disappears when you enter a feild value in EDIT.

     

    Next Update the NOEDIT field with the value of EDIT . you can do that with the calculate field tool

     

  • Mike_G JotForm Support
    Replied on April 24, 2016 at 6:38 AM

    Thank you for your input, @stevedellar, we appreciate you taking the time to share your workaround. However, I would like to apologize, I'm not sure if you have tested it but I believe there might be a conflict on "make the EDIT field hidden if the EDIT field is filled."

    If I understood it correctly, this will make the EDIT field hidden the moment you have entered a single letter in it. Here's a test form that I have created after following the instruction you have mentioned above. https://form.jotform.com/61142331620945

    Please feel free to let us know if I have missed anything.

    @twrarepairexchange

    Actually, I have created a workaround on a different thread that allows you to disable field(s) in edit mode. In this way, submitters would not be able to change any data you don't want them to change in edit mode.

    Here's a link to that thread: Disable-form-fields-of-form-in-edit-mode

    Let us know if you have questions or if you need any further assistance. Thank you.