TextArea

The TextArea element provides a multi-line plain-text editing control, suitable for capturing longer pieces of text like comments, descriptions, or detailed notes.

In BetterForms, this is the standard choice when you need users to input more than a single line of text.

Common Configuration Properties

Below are some of the most common properties used when configuring a TextArea element in BetterForms:

Property	Type	Description
type	String	Must be set to "textArea".
label	String	The text displayed above or next to the textarea to describe its purpose.
model	String	The key in your BetterForms data model where the textarea's string value will be stored.
placeholder	String	Placeholder text displayed within the textarea when it is empty.
rows	Number	A hint to the browser for the number of visible text lines.
maxlength	Number	The maximum number of characters allowed in the textarea.
disabled	Boolean	If true, the textarea will be visible but not interactive. Defaults to false.
readonly	Boolean	If true, the textarea content will not be editable. Defaults to false.
hint	String	Additional helper text displayed with the textarea.
required	Boolean	If true, the form will require this field to have a value for submission. Defaults to false.
featured	Boolean	Can be used by themes to apply special styling.
styleClasses	String / Array	CSS class(es) to apply to the textarea wrapper for custom styling.

fieldOptions

The following options can be placed inside the fieldOptions object on the schema:

Property	Type	Description
rows	Number	Number of visible text rows (default 2).
min	Number	Minimum character length (minlength attribute).
max	Number	Maximum character length (maxlength attribute).
autoExpand	Boolean	When true, the textarea automatically grows taller as the user types so all content is visible without scrolling. Defaults to false.
maxHeight	Number	Optional pixel limit for auto-expansion. Once the content exceeds this height the textarea stops growing and shows a scrollbar instead. Only applies when autoExpand is true.

Example Schema Snippet

{
  "type": "textArea",
  "label": "Additional Comments",
  "model": "userComments",
  "placeholder": "Enter any additional comments here...",
  "rows": 4,
  "maxlength": 500,
  "hint": "Maximum 500 characters."
}

Auto-Expand Example

Use autoExpand to make the textarea grow with its content. Add maxHeight to cap the expansion at a fixed pixel height:

{
  "type": "textArea",
  "label": "Biography",
  "model": "bio",
  "placeholder": "Tell us about yourself...",
  "fieldOptions": {
    "rows": 4,
    "max": 500,
    "autoExpand": true,
    "maxHeight": 240
  }
}

When autoExpand is enabled:

• The textarea starts at the height defined by rows.

• As the user types and content exceeds the visible area, the textarea grows to fit.

• If maxHeight is set (in pixels), the textarea stops growing at that height and a vertical scrollbar appears for any additional content.

• When content is deleted, the textarea shrinks back down automatically.

BetterForms Specific Notes

• This element is intended for plain text. If you need rich text editing (WYSIWYG), look for a dedicated rich text editor component in BetterForms or consider integrating one as a custom element.

• The min and max properties in the underlying library sometimes refer to character count for textAreas; however, maxlength is the more standard HTML attribute for this purpose.

• v3.3.0+: The autoExpand and maxHeight options were added. These require VFG v3.3.0 or later.

Full Property Reference

This element is based on a standard form generation library. For a comprehensive list of all available properties, advanced configuration options, and the full technical specification, please refer to the TextArea Field Documentation.