Strange behaviour with xxf:format attribute in my Xforms form (using Orbeon Form Runner)

Question

I have a numeric input field in my form. I just add some format on it with xxf:format :

<xf:input 
    id="input-control" 
    bind="input-bind" 
    class="question nombre" 
    xxf:format="if (. castable as xs:integer) 
                then replace(format-number(xs:integer(.),'###,###,###,###,###,###,###,###,###,##0'),',',' ')
                else ''">

This may look a bit wild but it's just a format where number 123456 will be presented as 123 456. This works great for me, but not for users... So now, I added a script to cancel formatting when input is focused (aka : go back to 123456 when editing the field) with a simple js :

<xf:action ev:event="DOMFocusIn">
    <xxf:script>
    var input = this.getElementsByTagName('input')[0];
    var valeur = input.value.replace(' ','');
    input.value = valeur;
    </xxf:script>
</xf:action>

Behaviour looks ok at first sight, I mean, I entered 123456, focus out and got 123 456 (format ok), focus in and got 123456 (script behaviour ok). But if I don't make any changes on the field and focus out, I don't have the format back (still 123456 instead of 123 456). I understand that the format is only applied when "needed" and "needed" means here, when the value of the input changes. But if I force an xforms-value-change event I still don't have the format back.

Anyone has an idea on how to achieve this ?

(anyone has understood anything ? :-s)

Answer 1

This can be tricky to get right. I would recommend using instead the fr:number control, which does all of this for you.