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Increasing the character limit in free text fields

SimonCrutchley

I've seen similar questions relating to 123 and other specific applications, but I wondered whether it's possible to increase the character limit in a standard AGOL form. I want the general public to be able to comment, and 255 characters is quite limiting. Is there a way, either to increase this, or to create some form of work around by adding contiguous fieds etc?

Thanks

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Accepted answers

ChristopherCounsell

The default character limit for a text/string field is 255. You can change it when creating the field, in most moments when you create the field.

All good re form, most data entry is restricted by the length of the field itself. Survey123 can add another layer.

You can't extend a field length. You can only create a new field. If you are in Pro, you need to:

Backup your data
Create a new, temporary field
Field calculate the data from your current field to the new one
Delete the original field
Create a new field of the same name, but increase the length
Field calculate the data from the temp field to the re-created one
Delete the temp field.

You don't need to do the long workaround if you have not collected any data.

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/overview/modifying-field-properties.htm

Are you using a feature class in a file geodatabase?

All comments

ChristopherCounsell

Yeah, most 'forms' are limited by the fieldlength.

When you create in ArcGIS Pro, you should be able to specify the field
length and it should persist from the feature class to a hosted layer.

If you're using csvs or shapefiles maybe your experience could be
different. Would recommend file geodatabase.

ChristopherCounsell

The default character limit for a text/string field is 255. You can change it when creating the field, in most moments when you create the field.

All good re form, most data entry is restricted by the length of the field itself. Survey123 can add another layer.

You can't extend a field length. You can only create a new field. If you are in Pro, you need to:

Backup your data
Create a new, temporary field
Field calculate the data from your current field to the new one
Delete the original field
Create a new field of the same name, but increase the length
Field calculate the data from the temp field to the re-created one
Delete the temp field.

You don't need to do the long workaround if you have not collected any data.

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/geodatabases/overview/modifying-field-properties.htm

Are you using a feature class in a file geodatabase?

SimonCrutchley

Hi there, thanks for that. I'm still puzzled as I thought that the character limit in Pro was 255. I've actually just tried to extend this to 400, and it seems to have given me 384, though I've not exported to AGOL yet.

As far as the 'Form' goes, no, this isn't in Field Maps, since I need to give the general public access; I'm just creating the simple 'Edit' form as an AGOL widget. Does that make sense?

ChristopherCounsell

You can increase it BEFORE creating the field. Once the field is created, you can only delete the field and re-create it with the new string length.

You can do it at multiple points:

Survey123 Connect Esri custom columns for field length
Survey123 web form - there is a schema review button you can modify the fields/types/lengths prior to publish
ArcGIS Pro database prior to publishing a feature layer
ArcGIS Online 'add field' in the item details page (change the default)

For an 'agol form' I assume you mean Field Maps forms (which have gone to other apps). This is data driven, meaning you need to set the field length as desired on creation.

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