Field types

Every field in a collection has a type. The type decides what kind of value the field holds and which control you see in the item editor.

The 15 field types

Type	Use it for	In the item editor
Text	Short, single-line text: a title, a name, a job role.	A one-line text box.
Long text	Plain text over several lines, without formatting.	A multi-line text box.
Markdown	Formatted text: an article body, a product description.	A formatting editor with headings, bold, italic, lists, quotes, code blocks, tables, links and images. Edit markdown source shows the raw text.
Number	Prices, quantities, ratings, sort order.	A number box.
Boolean	Yes-or-no values, like "Featured".	An on/off control.
Slug	The part of an item's address that identifies it, like my-first-post.	A text box, plus Generate when the slug is generated from another field. See Item addresses and slugs.
Date & time	Publish dates, event times.	A calendar with a time box, Now and Clear. Shown in your local time.
Enum	One choice from a fixed list, like a category or a status.	A drop-down of the options you set.
Reference	A link to an item in another collection, like a post's author.	A search box to pick an item, with + New to create one. See References between collections.
List	Several values of the same kind, or several entries with their own fields.	Entries with Move up, Move down, Remove and + Add item.
Object	A group of fields kept together, like an address.	The group's fields, indented under the field name.
Dictionary	Named entries you make up as you go, like specifications (Weight: 2 kg).	Key and Value rows with + Add entry. Keys can't be empty or repeated.
Image	A picture from your image library.	Choose an image..., which opens the image picker, plus an Alt text box.
Color	A color value.	A hex box (#rgb or #rrggbb) and a color swatch.
Link	A web address.	A text box for the address.

Notes on some types

• Image. When you add an image field in Edit Schema, Starjay also adds a matching alt text field, named after the image field (for example, "Cover Alt Text"). In the item editor, the alt text box sits under the image. When you pick an image and the alt text is empty, the image's description from the library fills it in. See Alt text and descriptions.
• List. A list has one item type, or several. With several, each entry can be a different kind. See Object types and mixed lists.
• Object. An object's fields can be your own, or come from a reusable object type.
• Markdown. Pages show Markdown with its formatting. See Showing Markdown.

Settings every field has

• Field name. The label you see in the item editor.
• Required. The item can't be published without a value. It can still be saved. See Required fields.
• Help text. Open More options to add it. It's "Shown to editors and the AI."

Each collection also has a Title field. Its value is "Shown as each item's name in lists."

Changing a field after it's saved

• The name can change. Renaming a field doesn't affect its values.
• The type can't change, with one exception. A saved field's type shows a lock, with the tooltip "You cannot change the type for this field. Create a new field instead."
• The exception: Text, Long text and Markdown. A saved field can switch between these three, and its values are kept. The editor warns you how pages that already show the field may be affected, for example that **bold** may appear as typed until the page is updated.
• A saved list keeps its kind. You can't switch a saved list between one item type and several. To change it, add a new field and delete the old one.

Related

• Create a collection
• Edit items
• Limits