> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://community-test.logicnets.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://community-test.logicnets.com/release-9/platform-documentation/form-node-parts/text-area.md).
# Text Area
## Description
The *text area* part allows your application users to enter responses/information.
## Use
You can use *text area* part to render a multi-line, free-text or number input in an application. The system writes back any user input in the application context.
Due to the underlying code, you should not use the following words in a data object name: and, break, do, else, elseif ,end, false, for, function, if, in, local, nil not ,or, repeat, return, then, true, until, while.
## Editor Fields
| Field Name | Description/Use | Type/Options | Optional/Mandatory |
| ----------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- | ------------------ |
| HTML enabled | When this enabled you can use HTML formatting on the caption. | Yes \| No | Optional |
| Question | This is the caption the system displays in front of the text-input field. | Text | Optional |
| Data object | This is the name of the data object in which the system will store the user input. | Data Object | Mandatory |
| Placeholder
(v7.4+)
| Text entered here appears inside the text area on first load. As soon as the user types anything into the text box, the placeholder text disappears. This field is typically used to place instructions on what the user should enter. | Text | Optional |
| Default value | This is the value the system presents to the user and writes to the context if no previous value exists. | Text | Optional |
| Data object type | This is the type for your data object. | Text \| Number | Mandatory |
| Max chars | This is the maximum number of characters the user is allowed to put in the field. The browser enforces this limit. | Number | Optional |
### Style Tab Options
| Field Name | Description/Use | Type/Options | Optional/Mandatory |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ |
| Width | This is the width of the text area in pixels. | Text | Optional |
| Height | This is the height of the text area in pixels. | Text | Optional |
| Element template | This is the reference to a data object containing a part template. See part templates for more information.
Text: The system will write the user input as a text string in the context.
Number: The system will write the user input as a number value in the context. The system will write a nil value into the context when the user enters a non-number value.
Note: In older versions, the system also uses numeric but the numeric type is depreciated and shall be replaced by number.
| Data Object | Optional |
| Syntax highlighting | This enables syntax highlighting in the text-area input box. | (disabled) \| lua \| xml \| js \| css \| xml \| html | Optional |
### Validation Tab Options
| Field Name | Description/Use | Type/Options | Optional/Mandatory |
| ---------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------ | ------------------ |
| Type | This dropdown list allows you to pick the type of validation you want to set for the text area.
- mandatory: A value must be provided.
- numeric, percentage, currency: The value must be a number. It may contain a comma or dot as decimal character. This validation rule can be used when the data-object type is set to text. This combination allows the user to enter decimal number and allows users to enter a comma as a decimal point.
- time: The input must be a time string: hh:mm or hhmm. 12:14 and 1214 are both allowed.
- custom: Violates when the condition parameter is not met.
- email: The value must contain a @.
- date: The input must be a date string: mm/dd/yy.
| Options | Optional |
| Condition | This is the validation condition you set for the part. It is only required when type=**custom**. | Condition | Optional |
| Message | This is the message the system displays to the user when the validation rule is violated. The system only shows the first message to the user. | Text | Optional |
### Advanced Tab Options
| Field Name | Description/Use | Type/Options | Optional/Mandatory |
| ------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------ | ------------------ |
| Captions
(v8.1+)
| This allows you to specify different captions based on rules. The system only displays one caption, the last caption in the table the rule determines to be true. If there is no rule the system determines to be true, the system uses the 'standard' caption. For an example, see [Multi-Caption Example Project](/release-9/example-gallery/example-projects-for-parts/multi-caption-example-project.md). | Text | Optional |
| Escape HTML
(v7.4+)
| When enabled the text entered by the user is stored in the context as HTML. For example:
Input: “a < 1”
Context: “a < 1”.
| Checkbox | Optional |
| Enable spellcheck
(v8.4+)
| When enabled, misspelled words are shown with a red wavy underline, when the text area is active. | Checkbox | Optional |
| Enable Copy to Clipboard
(v8.4+)
| When enabled, text area shows copy icon allowing user to copy text (in order to paste into another system outside of LogicNets)
Additional options to allow customization of this feature
- Copy to Clipboard title (hover text, defaults to COPY)
- Copy to Clipboard message (temporarily displayed after copy button is clicked, defaults to "Copied!")
- Copy to clipboard callback (to allow custom jS script)
| Checkbox | Optional |
## Example
An example of this part is in the Q\&A Showcase project, on the alphanumeric inputs tab. Downloaded the project [here](/release-9/example-gallery/how-to-guides/qa-showcase-and-example-project.md).
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the following URL with the `ask` and `goal` query parameters:
```
GET https://community-test.logicnets.com/release-9/platform-documentation/form-node-parts/text-area.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is what the user is ultimately trying to achieve, the reason they need the answer. Sharing it helps GitBook give you a better, more relevant answer. A goal is most helpful when it describes the outcome the user wants rather than restating the question. For example, with `ask=how do I create an API token`, a goal like `automate deployments from our CI pipeline` lets GitBook tailor the answer to that use case.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.