Field Types Overview
PowerForms provides 18 field controls covering text input, selections, dates, file uploads, user info and recipient routing scenarios.
Controls at a Glance
| Control | Description | Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| TextBox | Single/multi-line text input with validation and length limits | Name, phone, title |
| RichTextBox | Rich text editor input | Messages, descriptions |
| DropDownList | Single-select dropdown | State, time slot |
| ListBox | List box with multi-select | Skills, tags |
| RadioButtonList | Horizontally/vertically arranged radio buttons | Gender, yes/no |
| CheckBox | Single checkbox | Terms agreement |
| CheckBoxList | Group of checkboxes | Interests, multi-select |
| FileUpload | Single file upload | Resume, attachment |
| Multiple FileUpload | Drag-and-drop multi-file upload | Multiple attachments |
| DatePicker | Date picker | Appointment date |
| Label | Static text | In-form instructions |
| HTML | Custom HTML content | Agreements, rich content |
| TextBox (DisplayName) | Auto-fills the logged-in user's display name | Identify logged-in users |
| TextBox (Email) | Auto-fills the logged-in user's email | User email |
| DropDownList (Country) | Country dropdown from DNN Lists | International forms |
| DropDownList (Region) | Region dropdown cascading with Country | State/province |
| DropDownList (SendEmail) | Routes notifications by selection | Sales/support dispatch |
| Confirm | Final confirmation checkbox | Informed confirmation |
Common Field Settings
All fields share these basic settings (see Building a Form):
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Internal identifier; letters and digits only; unique; never displayed |
| Alias | Display name, visible to users |
| ToolTip | Prompt text inside the input box |
| Description | Help text below the field |
| Required | Whether the field is mandatory |
| Active / Start / Disable | Enable state and effective/expiry times |
| Permissions | Visible to all users or selected roles |
Control-Specific Settings
Choosing a Control Type dynamically shows its specific options:
| Setting | Applies to | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | RadioButtonList, CheckBoxList | Horizontal or vertical arrangement |
| Column | RadioButtonList, CheckBoxList | Number of columns when horizontal |
| Width | Most controls | Control width (pixels or percent) |
| Rows | TextBox, RichTextBox, ListBox | Height in rows |
| List Collection | DropDownList, ListBox, RadioButtonList, CheckBoxList, SendEmail | Options, one per line |
| Default Value | Most controls | Default value; format varies by control |
| Verification | TextBox | Validation type (see below) |
| Equals Control | TextBox | Must match another field's value |
| Associated Control | Region | The associated Country field |
| Max Length | TextBox | Maximum input length |
Validation Types
The TextBox Verification dropdown provides the following types (based on jQuery ValidationEngine):
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| optional | Optional. If filled in, the format is validated |
| integer | Integer |
| number | Number |
| date | Date (YYYY/MM/DD etc.) |
| Email address | |
| phone | Phone number |
| ipv4 | IPv4 address |
| url | URL starting with http://, https:// or ftp:// |
| onlyNumberSp | Digits and spaces only |
| onlyLetterSp | Letters (either case) and apostrophes only |
| onlyLetterNumber | Digits and letters only |
Combined with Required, you get "mandatory + format" validation. Validation prompts support 30+ languages — see General settings.
Dynamic Option Controls
In the effect style settings, the module also offers three dynamic option controls to enrich the configuration experience:
- Color picker
- URLs picker (can pick from the Media Library)
- Icon picker
Next Steps
- Building a Form — creating and managing fields
- TextBox — start with the most common control