Set pattern-matching conditions for data by using conditional formatting

In Microsoft Office InfoPath, you can use conditional formatting to specify different formatting options for a control that is based on conditions that occur on the form. If the specified conditions are true when a user fills out a form that is based on your form template, the conditional formatting is applied.

This article explains how to use conditional formatting to help ensure that the data that a user enters into a specific control matches a predetermined pattern. For example, you can add conditional formatting to a text box control for a phone number to require that the user enters a three-digit area code.

Note: To require that data matches a predetermined pattern, you can also use data validation.

In this article

Before you begin

Compatibility considerations

Set pattern-matching conditions for a control

Before you begin

In order to complete this procedure, your form template must contain a control that supports conditional formatting. Although you can set a pattern-matching condition for any InfoPath control that supports conditional formatting, pattern matching works best with controls that display characters such as numbers, letters, or punctuation. For example, setting a pattern-matching condition for a text box is useful, but setting such a condition for a check box will not yield useful results.

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Compatibility considerations

When you design a form template in InfoPath, you can choose a specific compatibility mode to design a browser-compatible form template. When a browser-compatible form template is published to a server running InfoPath Forms Services, and then browser-enabled, forms based on the form template can be viewed in a Web browser. When you design a browser-compatible form template, some controls are unavailable in the Controls task pane because they cannot be displayed in a Web browser.

List of controls that support conditional formatting

The following table lists the Office InfoPath 2007 controls that support conditional formatting and whether they are available for browser-compatible form templates.

Note: Although you can set a pattern-matching condition for any InfoPath control that supports conditional formatting, pattern matching works best with controls that display characters such as numbers, letters, or punctuation. For example, setting a pattern-matching conditional for a text box is useful, but setting such a condition for a check box will not yield useful results.

Controls that support conditional formatting	Available for browser-compatible form templates?
Check box	Yes
Date picker	Yes
Drop-down list box	Yes
Expression box	Yes
List box	Yes
Option button	Yes
Optional section	Yes
Repeating section	Yes
Repeating table	Yes
Rich text box	Yes
Section	Yes
Text box	Yes
File attachment	Yes
Button	Yes
Bulleted, numbered, or plain list	No
Choice section	No
Combo box	No
Horizontal repeating table	No
Ink picture	No
Master/Detail	No
Multiple-selection list box	No
Picture	No
Repeating recursive section	No
Vertical label	No

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Set pattern-matching conditions for a control

1. On the form template, click the control that you want to set a pattern-matching condition for.

2. On the Format menu, click Conditional Formatting.

3. In the Conditional Formatting dialog box, click Add.

4. Under If this condition is true, in the first box, click Select a field or group.

5. In the Select a Field or Group dialog box, click the field that corresponds to the control, and then click OK.

6. In the second box in the Conditional Format dialog box, select matches pattern or does not match pattern.

7. In the third box, click Select a pattern.

8. Under Standard patterns in the Data Entry Pattern dialog box, click the pattern that you want, and then click OK.

   List of standard patterns

   Pattern	Example
   Phone number	(555) 555-0100
   Social Security number	123-45-6789
   Zip code	98052
   Zip code + 4	98052-6399

   Note: To create a custom pattern, click Custom pattern, type the pattern that you want in the Custom pattern box, and then click OK.

9. Under Then apply this formatting, select the formatting that you want.

10. Click OK twice to save the condition and return to the form template.

11. To test your changes, click Preview on the Standard toolbar, or press CTRL+SHIFT+B.

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