Sorry for reporting multiple problems in a single thread.

First, if you leave a hidden field value blank, the form is not build using the field name and an empty (null) value; it completely removed from the published code instead. This prevents using a script to fill in a hidden value since the field does not exist. The obvious fix is to put in a dummy value for the field, but this is not intuitive. I think the normal action someone would take is to leave the field blank.

Next, there seems to be an error in the way tabs are used in the form Hidden Values editor under XP and Vista.

Under XP, using the tab key allows you to move between the columns once you are in the "insert" mode. Also, the current row being edited is highlighted and the current column (name or value) is shown as active. I consider this normal behavior.

Under Vista, pressing the Insert button puts the editor into the proper mode and highlights the current row with the name column ready to accept data. Pressing tab, does not move the cursor to the value column. On my system, it seems to go to never-never land; I have to click in the value column to enter anything.

Under XP, pressing the tab key while in the value column opens a new row and places the cursor in the next name column. Under Vista, this does not work.

There is also very inconsistent actions taken under both OS when using arrow keys. If I am in insert mode and enter a name value, then press the right arrow, the contents of name is moved to the value column, but pressing the left arrow does not reverse this action, it just moves the cursor back to the name column.

Maybe.

If you are in the last row and both the name and value fields have data, pressing the left arrow will put the value data in the name column and leave the value column blank.

If you move up to another row, pressing arrow keys do not swap the column data.

Maybe.

If you move to a row (not the last, unless you leave insert mode and double-click a column) and change either the name or value data and press either the left or right arrow, the column data will swap.

There seems to be many rules concerning what happens when the left/right arrow keys are used. Maybe it should be simplified to just moving between the columns and not changing the data.

Hi larryd,

Thanks for the info. I have passed this on to the Development Gods for their review. I'll let you know what they have to say.

Hi Larry,

Just to follow up for Derry:

I believe that hidden fields with no values are removed because of a validation problem when leaving it in but I can't see happening now so we will have to re-check that. As you say you can use a single space or other value as a place holder. Don't forget you can also add the hidden fields from script if they don't exist. Something like this:

//create new hidden element
var hiddenfield = document.createElement("input");
hiddenfield.setAttribute("type","hidden");
hiddenfield.setAttribute("value",someNalue");
hiddenfield.setAttribute("name","someName");

//add new element to the existing form
document.getElementById("Oform1").appendChild(hiddenfield)

We will look into the Vista discrepancies with the tab key.

The arrow key key issues you mention seems to be a bug. That is, the data in a column should not be changing at all when you use the arrow keys.

Thanks.