Multi-line memo field on Invoice/Order creation

[Patrick]

As a services provider, I find I am usually running out of space to describe the work performed on the Invoice.

I checked the LineItems? table and see that the memo field is of type TEXT (2^{16 or 65536 characters), but it seems as though only around ~250 characters can be entered, and this on a 1-line entry field.}

I would like to request that the memo field control on the Order/Invoice? be enlarged to perhaps 3 or 4 lines with vertical scrollbar and the size limit expanded to at minimum 1,024 characters.

Also, since the maximum number of characters that can be entered is far less than 65,536 and TEXT fields require that the OPTIMIZE TABLE command be executed periodically to maintain performance and keep the table from fragmenting, I wonder if changing the field type to VARCHAR(1024) might be more efficient.

[brieb]

Things to keep in mind is that while your particular business may benefit form a large memo entry with 3-4 rows, with vertical scrollbars and the such, do most? If not, how could it be designed in such a way that is not prohibitive/unwieldy to other business types, who rarely use the memo field.

Also, creating a varchar > 255 requires the use of MySQL 5.0.3 or higher, and would limit MySQL compatibility.

[Patrick]

I have extended the length of the control to 1024 (an arbitrary number) on my modules/bms/invoice_addedit.php by changing the following line.

<!--    <td><input name="memo" type="text" id="memo" size="12" maxlength="255" />
</td> -->
        <td nowrap="wrap"><input name="memo" type="text" id="memo" size="12" maxlength="1024"></td>

And this works fine for the length. I need to include some php functions (htmlspecialchars/htmlspecialchars_decode) to handle any apostrophies (') or quotes (") in the memo field before the SQL insert and on the SQL select.

I was thinking of perhaps a "hidden" edit box such as the ones you have created for Discount, Tax, Shipping, and Payment as an edit control for the memo field. I am relatively new to PHP programming, but thought I could possibly learn from your code.

What do you think?

[brieb]

Well, this is going to get a bit tricky... You will need to increase the maxlength of the memo input field as you did above, but also some php and JS that displays saved lineitems on load and when they are added to the sales order (by the JS) This is where you will find the code that correctly handles specials chars.

Once you have made the changes, submit them as a SVN patch to this ticket.

[anonymous]

And this works fine for the length. I need to include some php functions (htmlspecialchars/htmlspecialchars_decode) to handle any apostrophies (') or quotes (") in the memo field before the SQL insert and on the SQL select.  nike air yeezy shoes I was thinking of perhaps a "hidden" edit box such as the ones you have created for Discount, Tax, Shipping, and Payment as an edit control for the memo field. I am relatively new to PHP programming, but thought I could possibly learn from your code.

[brieb]

duplicate of #262