# Miscellaneous > Database Programming >  Tags field size and type in update

## alarabie

Why do I have to specify the type to specify the field size in the .dbupdateflds function. This seems to work fine if you have a text field but there is no type for an updatable numeric field, and specifying just the tags argument is ignored and the field defaults to 25. ie to set the length of an input field to 4 I have to say |type=text|tags=size=4, this works just fine for character fields but what about numeric field, just specifying |tags=size=4 is ignored and it defaults to 25 without the type argument.

How do I do that?

----------


## Frank

If TYPE="" then a set of defaults take place

TYPE=TEXT
TAG=SIZE=25
NOTES=""
DEF = Raw Field or Process Date Format

for any use sepcied options, TYPE must be specified.

>>... numeric field
need explanation what is this in an <INPUT....> field.

FK

----------


## alarabie

This is correct, it is an input field and I am using my own update template. It works by saying my number field is a text field, but having to specify a "text" type to change the length of a numeric displayed field is confusing. You may want to change the manual and specify that you can use the text type for any type of fields including numeric fields, since there is no specific types of numeric field unless they are read only.

----------


## Frank

you mean it is confusing between numeric field "size" and "TEXT SIZE" and MAXLENGTH?

----------


## alarabie

What I mean is that if I want to specify the displayed size of an input field for and add or update function, I have to use the type "text" for a numeric field, what is confusing is that there is no choice for a numeric type field.

Type of input field -  
Text (Def to SIZE=25, NO OPTIONS) 
Password 
TextCalendar 
TextArea 
Radio, Radio+BN0 (B=Blank N=Null 0=Zero) 
Checkbox,Checkbox+BN0 (B=Blank N=Null 0=Zero) 
SelectBox, SelectBox+BN0 (B=Blank N=Null 0=Zero) 
ROUpdate 
RONOUpdate 
ROAdd 
RONOAdd 
Hidden 

Since I cannot specify a size without specifying a type, there is no evident choice.

One must assume that text also includes numeric fields, ie fields that are specified in the DB as integer, long integer, decimal etc.

That is the part that I find confusing and where maybe the manual could be more explicit.

----------


## Frank

OH, but there is no such thing as Numeric in HTML! All inputs <INPUT..> are of text type and the real types are applied via the DB part after the HTML part. The Type=TEXT is just using the HTML "<Input Type=TEXT"..>

May be I'll add to doc like Type=TEXT is the HTML <INPUT TYPE=TEXT...>

----------


## alarabie

OK, I get it now, I thought the type was referring to the DB type.

Thanks.

----------


## Frank

See my new year resolution in the  message above...
give me some input...

----------


## alarabie

Yes, if you refer to the HTML type it would be a lot clearer.

----------

