Name: exitField

Type: message

Syntax: exitField

Summary: Sent to the field with the selection when the selection is being removed from the field, and its contents have not changed.

Associations: field

Introduced: 1.0

OS: mac,windows,linux,ios,android

Platforms: desktop,server,web,mobile

Example:
on exitField -- remove visual signs that the field is being edited
set the showBorder of the target to false
end exitField

Description:
Handle the <exitField> message if you want to do something when the user leaves a field that hasn't been changed.

&nbsp;

The selection is removed from a field (and the field loses focus) when another window is brought to the front, when the user clicks in another field, or when the user tabs out of the field. The field also loses focus when the <select command> is used to select text in another field. However, the <exitField> message is not sent when the user clicks another point in the same field.

&nbsp;

The <exitField> message is sent to buttons whose <menuMode> is "comboBox", since the type-in box in a combo box behaves like a field.

&nbsp;

The <exitField> message is sent only if the field's contents have not changed since the last time it received the <openField message>. If a field is closing and its contents have changed, the <closeField message> is sent instead of <exitField>. This means that if you want to take an action when the selection is removed from a field--whether the field has changed or not--you must handle both <closeField> and <exitField>.

&nbsp;

>*Note:* If the field's contents were changed by script using the <put command>, then exitField will still be sent. <closeField> is only sent when the contents are changed by the user.

References: put command (command), select command (command), openField (message), closeField message (message), openField message (message), closeField (message), focusOut (message), menuMode (property)

Tags: ui
