Lotus-Notes: Reset Radiogroup via Javascript

Question

I'm currently working on a Lotus Notes solution. We're just using Web forms so client side operations are done via Javascript.

What I want to accomplish is to reset a Group of Radio Buttons. There are 3 possibilities and I want to choose none. (A 'none of them' possibility would be preferable, I know but we are required to reset them)

I currently use:

//Unchecks a single group of Radio Buttons
//groupname - the name attribute of the group which selection needs to be unchecked
function clearRadioButtonGroup(groupName) {
    for(i=0;i<document.forms[0].elements[groupName].length;i++) {
                    document.forms[0].elements[groupName][i].checked = false;
            }
 }

The problem with this routine is, the Radiogroup gets reset, but on a form submit the old value gets submitted. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

The problem is that clearing the radio buttons make no information about them appear in the submitted form data, and Domino seems to interpret that as no change to the field rather than clear the field.

I haven't found any solution to this I really like, but I can think of two options:

1. Change the radio buttons to include a no choice option.

The alternative is a bit clumpsy:

• Add an editable field to the form to use as a flag, hide it from the web browser with css.
• Have clearRadioButtonGroup also set the flag field to something.
• Have the onChange event of the radio buttons clear the flag field.
• In a WebQueryOpen agent, set the radio buttons field to empty if the flag field is non-empty.

Another alternative could be to uses some clever javascript/css trick to hide the no choice option and have clearRadioButtonGroup simply set that choice.

Answer 2

What version of Domino are you using? Since 7.x (I think) a %%Surrogate field gets generated as a hidden field in your HTML that you'll be able to reset, so after deselecting all of the radio button options, you can then clear out the %%Surrogate field and you should then avoid having to select a "None of the above" option.

Matt

Answer 3

Are you certain that the old value is actually being submitted? Perhaps it just isn't being updated (erased) in the NotesDocument you're editing? Just a hunch...

BTW, you can download a program called Fiddler that will let you inspect the HTTP POSTs, and you can confirm that the POST data doesn't contain any values for that radio button group. That might help narrow down the problem.

Answer 4

Put the following pass thru HTML code on your form:

<input type="hidden" name="FieldName" id="FieldID" value="">

(FieldName and FieldID are the name and id of your radio field on the form)

When you reset your radio through Javascript and submit your document, the field will be reset to blank.