Creating a character counter with a default starting value of 1 not 0

[hvanderburg]

I'm trying to create a visible character counter that has a default start of 1. Currently, the first letter I type displays as 0. Here is the script I have in my keystrokes:

if(!event.willCommit)
{
var nChars = event.selEnd - event.selStart;

var aFull = event.value.split("");

aFull.splice(event.selStart, nChars, event.change);

var strFull = aFull.join("");

var aWrds = strFull.split(/\s+/);\

this.getField("Text1").value=event.value.split("").length

}

I'd also like the counter to revert to 0 when the field is empty.

[Thom Parker · Accepted solution]

The text field is displaying the value of the field before the keystroke. If you want to include the keystroke, then use strFull.

You also don't need to split a string to get it's length. This is a standard string property

this.getField("Text1").value = strFull.length;

Where did you find this code?  

[hvanderburg]

It's patched together from a few different forum posts I found on here. Older ones. That worked perfectly, thank you.

[hvanderburg]

Can I use this code multiple times for different text fields on the form? Or does it need to be individual for each field besides changing "Text 1" to "Text 2"?

[try67]

You can, and should, put it in a function as a doc-level script and provide it with the name of the field as a parameter.

[Thom Parker]

You can copy the code into any other text field keystroke event, the only needed change is the output field name, as you've indicated.

As Try67 mentions, the best methodology for repeated use is to abstract the functionality into a document level function. Then call the function from the keystroke scripts. This is particularly helpful if it is used many times. 

Here's an example, notice that the input to this function is the name of the field where the result is displayed. 

 function MyCountChars(strRsltFld)
   if(!event.willCommit)
    {
        var nChars = event.selEnd - event.selStart;
        var aFull = event.value.split("");
        aFull.splice(event.selStart, nChars, event.change);    
        var strFull = aFull.join("");
        var aWrds = strFull.split(/\s+/);\
        this.getField(strRsltFld).value = strFull.length
    }
}

[hvanderburg]

I guess I'm not understanding how I would call that script multiple times across multiple text fields so each one displayed the count of the field I am currently typing in. How would I correctly call each individual text field in their respective keystrokes?

[try67]

Using this example provided above, this is the code you would place under the Keystroke event of the first field:

MyCountChars("Text1");

[hvanderburg]

Thank you both for your help!

[hvanderburg]

I got all my fields updated and put the suggested code into my document level script, but the first field is the only one that seems to run the script. The other fields don't show the character count while typing, only when clicking out of the field.

I've attached a link to the file if that is at all helpful.

PDF Link 

[Thom Parker]

But you are wrong, the script is working perfectly and the text fields are updating. You just can't see it because the count result field is behind the field the user is typing into, so the display of the result is frozen in time. Move it so it is not being blocked by the main field.

[hvanderburg]

Oh goodness. That did fix it. Thank you so much for all the help!