Field types

Text: Can store a single line of text, up to 1000 characters in length. The contents are stored in UTF-8 format, and therefore allow the entire Unicode character set to be used. However, the font used to display the text in the web browser of the client computer must contain the corresponding characters, in order for the text to be displayed in a proper way. This is generally true of operating systems like Windows Vista and Windows 7. The client computer must also have the correct IME (Input Method Editor) installed, for the user to be able to type text in a given script or character set. For instance, typing in non-Latin scripts (e.g., Chinese or Japanese) on English versions of the Windows operating systems typically requires the installation of the corresponding IME.

Number: Stores a single numeric value, as an integer or decimal value. It accepts up to 11 digits (including separators). Decimal numbers are automatically rounded up to 3 digits, i.e., if you enter 3.141592653, the field will display 3.142 instead, but if you enter 3.9999, it’ll be displayed as 4. Note that this is a visual improvement: the full number is still available on edition mode and when being copied or exported.
The thousand and decimal separators are also set in an automatic way, according to your language (unless Number format removes them); for example, in French, the number 1000.5 will be formatted as 1 000,5 (with space and comma as separators), while in English it would look like 1,000.5.

Date: Stores a date value. The format of the date is determined by the mask set by the current user in the User settings form. Entered dates (i.e., on forms and via imports) that are earlier than January 1, 1900 will be converted as text when displayed in reports due to the Excel limitation on date system.

Note: Stores a single or multi-line text with a maximum length of 4,000 characters. The restrictions for the Text type apply also to Note. In a form, this field can be temporarily extended in size by dragging its bottom right corner. Supports Markdown if specified in Form designer.

Checkbox: Its only possible values are checked (logical True) or unchecked (logical False).

Relation: This data type is used to create a direct relation (relation many-to-one) between records of tables (from the table where this field is created, pointing to a target table). In a form, this field type is displayed similar as a drop-down, containing a list of the _record names of the Target table (also known as "Parent table"). The list of records shown in this field may be filtered and displayed with additional field values by the administrator during configuration of form (valid only for new generation of forms).

Multi-value: This is a container of multiple fields of same type, as a result of setting up a many-to-many relationship or one-to-many relationship, e.g., a list of child records can be displayed here. Be aware that clicking the crosses of these values will delete their records.

Drop-down: This data type has an associated list of possible values. Its content is manually entered by the application administrator.

File: This provides the framework for associating a file to this field. It accepts up to 500 Mb. The file is uploaded by a user, and is stored in the system file server (i.e., the file contents are not directly stored in the database used by the IS Tools server, although the database provides the information necessary to retrieve this file) if no other file storage path is specified. In case the storage is an Amazon server, and the Show file history property in Form designer is checked, the File field will have the functionality to pop up a File history log where previous versions of the file uploaded can be downloaded.

Date time: In addition to a date value, this data type also allows the storage of a time value. Note that the IS Tools platform does not allow a time value alone (without an associated date value) to be stored. The format of the date time is determined by the mask set by the current user in the User settings form.

Link: This type stores a link to a network or Internet resource, e.g., a link to a web page http://www.istools.com. The http:// protocol is implied if no other protocol is specified followed by colon and double slash, e.g., ftp://, and no validation is made regarding spaces or special characters. In both cases, a single line of text up to 300 characters in length can be stored (including the implicit http:// protocol of the latter case). Note also that the system does not verify whether the resources pointed to by Link fields actually exist or are accessible.