, you must
make the control's field required. Depending on how
you want to display error alerts and the flexibility of your form, you
can make the field required by
displaying either a standard error message (a red asterisk or dashed red border and a ScreenTip that says "Cannot be blank") or a custom error message.
Note If your form prevents you from selecting the Cannot be blank check box in the Control Properties dialog box, you will need to display a custom error message.
Display a standard error message
when
a control is left blank
- In design mode, double-click the control whose field you want to make required.
- On the Data tab in the Control Properties dialog box, select the Cannot be blank check box.
Display a custom error message when
a control is left blank
- In design mode, select the control whose field you want to make required, and then click Data Validation on the Format menu.
- In the Data Validation dialog box, click Add.
- In the first box under If this condition is true, select the control's field.
- In the second box, click is blank.
- In the Error alert type box, click the type of error alert you want to display to users.
- In the ScreenTip box, type the text you want to display when a user rests the insertion point on the control or right-clicks the control.
- In the Message box, type the text you want to display in the dialog box either immediately (if you chose a dialog box alert) or when the user requests more details (if you chose an inline alert).
Note The information in this topic may not apply if you are working with a form designed using Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 without the service pack installed. Learn more