APPLICATION DESIGN

To create a field that inherits an entire document
You can create a field that inherits the full contents of a document. For instance, a rich-text field in a new response document can automatically inherit the entire contents of its main document. To create a document that inherits the parent document an IBM® Lotus® Notes® client user highlights or opens an existing document before creating a new document. The documents do not need a main document/response document relationship. The opened or highlighted document is assumed to be the parent document. The parent document can be inherited in its entirety as rich text, as collapsible rich text, or as a link. Displaying the parent document as collapsible rich-text gives users the opportunity to review the parent document, but doesn't clutter the form. To suppress inheritance a Notes client user can press CTRL while choosing Create.

To inherit the parent document a Web browser user must open an existing document before creating the new document. The options "Inherit as rich text" and "Inherit as collapsible rich text" both inherit the topic in its entirety into the new document. Collapsible sections and inheriting as link are not supported on the Web. To enable Web users to create a new document from an open document, you must provide a form action to create a new document.

1. Open the form.

2. Create a rich-text field to store the inherited document.

3. Choose Design - Form Properties.

4. Click the Defaults tab.

5. Select "On Create: Inherit entire selected document into rich text field."

6. Enter or select the name of the rich-text field and select a document display option.

See Also