When you are defining fields, in some cases you can specify how many fields respondents are supposed to fill in:
When you do so, you can specify what FORMS should do if the wrong number of filled-in fields is found.
In the Field dialog, click the Options tab.
In the If too many and/or If too few box, choose from among the resolutions described below.
| Select manually |
A validation error occurs and FORMS prompts you to manually choose which fields are to be considered filled in. This option is selected by default. |
| Select first |
FORMS automatically chooses the first filled-in fields as the valid ones.* "First" refers to the order in which you defined them on the form definition, not necessarily the order they appear on the form. No validation error occurs. |
| Select least filled in |
FORMS automatically chooses the least-filled-in fields as the valid ones.* Choose this alternative if heavily filled-in fields usually prove to be ones that someone has crossed out. No validation error occurs. |
| Select most filled in |
FORMS automatically chooses the most-filled-in field or fields as the valid ones*. No validation error occurs. |
| Illegal value** |
FORMS assigns the value you specify to every field in the series if too many marks are detected. No validation error occurs. |
* Note that FORMS automatically selects the maximum number of mark fields allowed.
| Select manually |
A validation error occurs and FORMS prompts you to manually choose which fields are to be considered filled in. This option is selected by default. When Verify displays the fields so that you can indicate which field is filled in, the value you type is assigned to the first field in the series unless you purposely switch to another field. You can double-click a field to indicate that it is to be considered filled in. In this case the value is assigned to the correct field. |
| Illegal value** |
FORMS assigns the value you specify to every field in the series if too few marks are detected. No validation error occurs. |
** Tip: Illegal values you specify do not need to conform to the format specification for the field. If there is a value that you want the Verify operator to sometimes enter for the mark or selection field, but that value is not normally one that should be valid for the field, then specify the value as an illegal value in the box, but do not select the Illegal value button. The value is then accepted by FORMS and does not produce a validation error.
The field values that FORMS transfers are also affected by other settings such as Transfer single value and Value if no mark. Read about those options to learn about their effects in combination with the options described above.