Creating a New Custom Field

Custom Fields are typically defined on a blog-by-blog basis. Meaning, that you can create multiple blogs, each with their own unique and distinct data models.

To begin, select the blog you wish to add the custom field to from the blog selector in the main Movable Type navigation.

Then, from the “Preferences” menu select “Custom Fields.” You will then be presented with a table containing all of the custom fields defined within that blog. To create a new field, click the “New Field” link above the table.

You will then be able to fill out a simple form to define your field.

System-wide Custom Fields

Custom fields can also be created at a system level, meaning that if an administrator wishes to add a custom field to every entry for every blog in the entire system, they can do so.

To create a global custom field, follow the instructions for creating a blog-specific custom field, but start from the System Dashboard.

Defining a Pull-down Menu, Radio Buttons and Checkboxes

Some of the fields you may wish to define need to be restricted in some way to a specific set of values. This is required for specific input types like radio buttons, check boxes, and pull-down menus. The mechanism for managing the list of allowed values is the same no matter what type of input is being defined.

To create a pull down menu containing a list of colors for example, create a new field and give it a name of “Favorite Color.” In the “Options” field define the list of acceptable values using a comma to delimit each value. For example:

Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, Indigo, Purple, Black, White, Other

Changing the list of allowed values

You can at any time change the list of allowed values associated with a custom field. Doing so will not disturb the current values of existing objects that utilize that field.