Field types

ELO provides different types of fields. You should select the appropriate field type depending on the application and your requirements.

To select this type of field in the ELO Administration Console, go to Field templates > Input > Data type.

The following field types are available:

Text: In Text type fields, you can enter any characters.

File reference: Import a file reference from the file reference generator.

Date: In Date type fields, the user can select a date from an integrated calendar.

Please note

The field type Date is only provided for compatibility reasons. Please use the ISO date field type instead.

ISO date: In ISO date type fields, the user can select a date from an integrated calendar. The date is saved in ISO format (YYYYMMDD).

List entry: In the List entry type field, the user must store a hierarchical keyword list in a text file. The user selects keywords from this list when entering metadata.

Please note

The List entry field type is available for compatibility reasons. In newer ELO client versions, this field type is treated the same as the Text field type.

Number: In Number type fields, you can only enter numbers and number separators. If you enter any other characters in this field, a warning message will appear.

Numeric fixed width: You can only enter numbers and number separators to a Numeric fixed width type field. If you enter any other characters in this field, a warning message will appear. If you see this message, correct your entry. You must enter a value greater than zero to the Maximum length field to define the width.

Numeric fixed width, 1, 2, 4, or 6 decimal places: In a Numeric fixed width, x decimal places type field, you can only enter numbers and corresponding number separators. You must enter a value greater than zero to the Maximum length field to define the width.

If you enter a number when assigning metadata, it will automatically be completed according to the following convention:

• Number without decimal point: ELO will automatically add a decimal point and the selected number of decimal places (always zeros).
• Number with decimal point: ELO will add zeros after the last decimal until the required number of decimal places has been reached.

Please note

Using the type Numeric fixed width, 1, 2, 4, or 6 decimal places and configuring a setting in the Maximum length field at the same time can result in conflicts.

In such cases, at least the following must be taken into account for the setting in the Maximum length field:

• Places before the point
• The point
• The defined number of decimal places

If you expect multiple characters before the point, you will have to select a larger value for the Maximum length field.

Example 1

The setting Numeric, fixed width, 2 decimal places is selected. If the user enters the value "1" in the field, ELO will change it to 1.00.

Example 2

The setting Numeric, fixed width, 4 decimal places is selected. If the user enters the value "4.2" in the field, ELO will change it to 4.2000.

This ensures that entries always have the same number of decimal places.

Thesaurus: The Thesaurus field type provides word groups in a field which the user can select from a menu in a dialog box. The dialog box is opened by right-clicking the corresponding field.

User field: In a User type field, you can open a list of all active users and groups in ELO.

Relation: Relation type fields are used to link a field with the metadata of another entry.

The following conditions must be met before you can transfer metadata to a Relation type field:

• There must be at least one metadata form assigned the usage Relation.
• The required metadata forms must be entered in the Relation field in the field template.

Please note

You must create the metadata form and assign it the usage Relation before you create the corresponding fields.