Experience Builder Edit Widget needs multiline option for text fields

[LJackson29]

The Edit Widget in Experience Builder needs to allow for multiline text for text fields that are long. We have a feature layer that has a project description field that is 500 characters which is difficult to edit in the small box provided in the Edit Widget. It would be nice if a multiline expandable box were available. 

[KarinaLivingston]

We are looking for the same functionality.

[JodiWalters]

We have this problem as well and have opened a case with ESRI - hopefully they will address it soon. 

[Jesse_WI_DNR]

Also hoping for full ExB parity with the WAB editing widget soon!

[AndreasLorentzen]

Quite frustrating. 
Is this featured as an idea as well?

[LJackson29]

Hi All -

I recently learned a work around for this option - it's not ideal but it helps. If you add a webmap that contains the layer you want to use to your Data tab in Experience Builder (EB), you can then select "New Editable Source" in the Edit Widget and select the layer from your web map. Under "Configure Fields" you will then see an option "Use Webmap Settings" (see snapshot below). In your webmap using the new map viewer, you need to configure a form using the Form tool (see snapshot below) for the layer you are using. In the Form window, you will be able to set properties for each field. For text fields there is a multiline option under "Input Type". This creates a slightly bigger box that allows the text to wrap. It also allows you to expand the box to the right when in Experience Builder, but that doesn't really work well. Ideally you would be able to expand the box down within the Editing window in EB. Ideally, you would not have to jump through all these hoops and would be able to select multiline in the EB Editing Widget and indicate how big the box should be so large text fields could be viewed better.

WARNING: If you already have your app all setup and have actions, you will likely need to change all the widgets over to the webmap layer I think. I basically had to recreate my whole app to implement this 😞

Hope this helps a little,

Leila

Edit widget settings

Webmap Form Tool

[JamesFotyAPD]

@LJackson29 

Thanks for the suggestion, Leila, on using the webmap form settings with the multiline input.

I've reached out to ESRI support about the inability to expand the multiline text box vertically. This seems to be an issue with the CSS theme files and that control. If ESRI updates the CSS in the future, it should allow vertical expansion of these multiline inputs.

[LJackson29]

@JamesFotyAPD 

Thanks for reaching out to ESRI. Hopefully we will see an update in the future - it is a feature our users would really like to see implemented.

[KevinMayall]

Really looking for this too.  I'm already using the Smart Forms in Map Viewer and displaying in the ExB Edit widget.  Still, the "multiline" form fields do not respect the design (vertical size) in Smart Forms in Map Viewer.

Esri, bring that CSS update please!

[shannon-julius]

This functionality is important for our users too. We have an app where users edit a "comments" field which can range from 100 to 1,500 characters, however the edit window for this item only shows about 50 characters. We are trying to migrate the customer from a spreadsheet to a much better, map-based experience in experience builder, however the function needed most frequently (edit the comments) is not an improvement over Excel. Opened a case with Esri which was logged as an enhancement. 

[ChristopherGillett]

Can I also add my voice here,

I also need users to enter comments of hundreds of characters and I need a fix for multi-line to be enabled in the edit widget.