# Use the string pop-up character input

The string pop-up character input is an alternative to the string pop-up keyboard. To use the character input instead of the keyboard, in the Tools menu, select Options > String Pop-Up, and then select Use the string pop-up character input.

The character input opens instead of the keyboard when the operator presses a string input enable button, the User and Password buttons in the Login dialog box, or the buttons in the Change Password dialog box.

## To use the string pop-up character input

1. Press the buttons in the pop-up, or use the keys on an external keyboard or keypad, to enter a string in the pop-up’s scratchpad.
2. Press Enter .

   Tip: | When the pop-up is open, the graphic display does not accept input to any other objects in the display. If the graphic display changes remotely before the operator has pressed the Enter button in the string pop-up character input, the pop-up closes without writing anything out. If the computer’s resolution is smaller than 320 pixels wide by 240 pixels high, the string pop-up character input cannot open. If the string input enable button has its Mask scratchpad option set to True, the string pop-up character input's scratchpad will show # characters instead of the characters entered. When invoked from the Change Password or from the Login dialog box's Password button, the string pop-up character input's scratchpad will show # characters instead of the characters entered.

## Use the keys on the external keyboard or keypad

- SEL [F1]

  Press F1 on the keyboard to write the selected character to the scratchpad.

- Insert/Overstrike [F2]

  Press the F2 key to toggle between insert and overstrike modes.

- << [F3]

  Press F3 to move the cursor in the scratchpad to the left.

- >> [F4]

  Press F4 to move the cursor in the scratchpad to the right.

- CLR [F5]

  Press F5 or the Delete key to clear the scratchpad.

- Backspace

  Press the to delete the character to the left of the cursor. Hold the button down to delete multiple characters.

- Left arrow

  Press the Left arrow key to move the character highlight to the left.

- Right arrow

  Press the Right arrow key to move the character highlight to the right.

- Up arrow

  Press the Up arrow key to move the character highlight up to the next higher row.

- Down arrow

  Press the Down arrow key to move the character highlight down to the next row down.

- Escape

  Press the Esc key to close the pop-up without writing the string to the Value connection or text box.

- Enter

  Press the Enter key to write the string to the Value connection of a string input enable button or to the text field in the Login or Change Password dialog box.

## See also

Use the string pop-up keyboard

How the String Input Enable button works at run time

Use the Login dialog box