# Select text input field

**URL:** <https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765>\
**Category:** Ignition\
**Tags:** perspective\
**Created:** [March 3, 2022, 7:26am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765 "2022-03-03T07:26:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![liam1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e68b1a/32.png) [@liam1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/liam1)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 7:26am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765/1 "2022-03-03T07:26:53Z")

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Is there a way for me to select the current text in textinput field after setting focus as demonstratored below?

I see that in normal javascript can use the “select()” function.

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/original/3X/0/0/002d8d80ca2fc9b7c4dcbd4ea6cf2e6c850c4822.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![victordcq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f6c823/32.png) [@victordcq](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/victordcq)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 8:06am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765/2 "2022-03-03T08:06:34Z")

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What do you want to do with the text after it would get selected?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![liam1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e68b1a/32.png) [@liam1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/liam1)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 8:47am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765/4 "2022-03-03T08:47:22Z")

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This will allow the user to detete the current input without needing to select it or hold backscape.This is a common feature on forms where users tabs through input fields.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![victordcq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f6c823/32.png) [@victordcq](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/victordcq)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 8:59am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765/5 "2022-03-03T08:59:50Z")

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This already happens when you use tab to go to the next inputfield (atleast in chrome and the designer)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pascal.fragnoud](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/inductiveautomation/user_avatar/forum.inductiveautomation.com/pascal.fragnoud/32/24728_2.png) [@pascal.fragnoud](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/pascal.fragnoud)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 9:15am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765/6 "2022-03-03T09:15:55Z")

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Wouldn’t the `placeholder` property of this component be what you’re looking for ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![liam1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e68b1a/32.png) [@liam1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/liam1)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 9:16am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765/7 "2022-03-03T09:16:58Z")

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This issue is the this is not a form ,it is a hidden text field that is unhidden ,so the ‘tab’ key is not pressed when the textfield is revealed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![victordcq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f6c823/32.png) [@victordcq](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/victordcq)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 9:27am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765/8 "2022-03-03T09:27:42Z")

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That does not seem possible.  
If the default text is always to be overwritten you should use a placeholder like @pascal.fragnoud suggested

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![liam1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e68b1a/32.png) [@liam1](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/u/liam1)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2022, 9:36am UTC](https://forum.inductiveautomation.com/t/select-text-input-field/56765/9 "2022-03-03T09:36:40Z")

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> [@pascal.fragnoud](#):
>
> placeholder

okay ill give that a try