About > Fields

Each record stored in MetaLocator has multiple fields.  Some of these fields are System Fields, provided by MetaLocator, and others can be provided by you as needed.  Fields are also created automatically when the Import system finds columns it does not recognize. Fields have a type associated with them that controls how they display and behave.  The various types of fields include:

• Text - The default plain-text field
• Links - These are interpreted as links, and should be links such as 'http://www.metalocator.com/'
• Email Forms - These become links to an email form, the data in this column can be an email address
• Image Gallery - This displays as a gallery of images
• Much more...

In all there are over 20 types of fields, each with its own related tutorials.  Search our documentation section for more information on a specific field type. To create a new Field, click New in the upper right, choose your options and save the Field.   This Field will now be displayed on the Record Editor.  It will also be recognized as an existing Field when you import data. Editing or creating a new Field will open the Field Editor, in the screen shot below, we see the State System Field.  Note that the Name and other fields are read only because this is a System Field.

• Name:  This is the name of the field.  These should be safe for use as database column names, or they will be made safe.  This means you should not use special characters or spaces.  You can change what the end user sees by manipulating the appropriate Language file.
• Field Type
  • Text.  This is the default field type.  When output, it is displayed just as it is imported.
  • Numeric:  These expect numeric values, and the underlying database field is created as numeric.
  • Dropdown List:  This is also a text field, but when presented as a data entry field to an administrator or as a data entry form element to the end user in the Record Form Layout, it is displayed as a drop-down list with a fixed set of choices.
  • Date: This is a date field, which can be used to search with the Date search control
  • Hyperlink: This field should contain full links like 'http://www.metalocator.com'.  It should not have HTML.
  • Image:  This field accepts an Image URL.  MetaLocator will render this as an HTML image tag, using the data provided in this field as the src attribute.
  • Image Gallery:  This field accepts multiple images and allows you to display a responsive image gallery.
  • HTML:  This field will be treated as raw HTML code and it will be output without any formatting added.
  • Record:  This field shows a record browser in data entry contexts.  It allows the user to establish a 1-to-many relationship between records of different types.
  • Hours:  This expects hours data formatted according to these instructions.
  • Email Form:  This field will create a link to an email form.  If populated with an email address, the form will deliver to that email address, and optionally an admin.  If empty, it will create a link to a form that delivers email to the account administrator's email address.
  • Territory Fields:  These fields store territory specifications for your location records.  See our Territory Tutorial for more information on using these fields.
• Field Length:  Here you can control the length of the underlying database field.  (Text fields only)
• Visitor Field:  Setting Visitor Field to "yes" indicates that this field will be displayed on the Record Form Layout.  Generally, you want to set this to No for all but the simplest fields.
• Ordering/Priority:  Controls the sort order of the fields when displayed in various contexts.
• List Values:  A comma-separated list of values used only when the Field Type is Drop Down List.  E.g. Red, Green, Blue
• Parent Field:  The field's parent field.  This allows the Search Form to filter subsequent drop-down lists in a chained manner.  For example, the State field's Parent is Country, and the State field's Child is City.   When the end user chooses a