Text input

The TextInput widget provides a field in which users can enter text. The widget supports suggestions, which help users enter uniform data, and on-change actions, which are Actions that run when a change occurs in the text input field, like a user adding or deleting text.

When you need to collect abstract or unknown data from users, use this TextInput widget. To collect defined data from users, use the SelectionInput widget instead.

Chat apps receive and can process the value of entered text during form input events. For details about working with form inputs, see Receive form data.

Example

The following image displays a card consisting of a TextInput widget.

A dialog featuring a variety of different widgets.
Figure 1: A dialog helping a user create a new contact for their address book. The name and address fields are TextInput widgets.

Here's the card's JSON:

JSON

{
  "cardsV2": [
    {
      "cardId": "exampleCard",
      "card": {
        "sections": [
          {
            "header": "Add new contact",
            "widgets": [
              {
                "textInput": {
                  "label": "Name",
                  "type": "SINGLE_LINE",
                  "name": "contactName"
                }
              },
              {
                "textInput": {
                  "label": "Address",
                  "type": "MULTIPLE_LINE",
                  "name": "address"
                }
              },
              {
                "decoratedText": {
                  "text": "Add to favorites",
                  "switchControl": {
                    "controlType": "SWITCH",
                    "name": "saveFavorite"
                  }
                }
              },
              {
                "decoratedText": {
                  "text": "Merge with existing contacts",
                  "switchControl": {
                    "controlType": "SWITCH",
                    "name": "mergeContact",
                    "selected": true
                  }
                }
              },
              {
                "buttonList": {
                  "buttons": [
                    {
                      "text": "Next",
                      "onClick": {
                        "action": {
                          "function": "openSequentialDialog"
                        }
                      }
                    }
                  ]
                }
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

JSON representation and fields

JSON representation 
{
  "name": string,
  "label": string,
  "hintText": string,
  "value": string,
  "type": enum (Type),
  "onChangeAction": {
    object (Action)
  },
  "initialSuggestions": {
    object (Suggestions)
  },
  "autoCompleteAction": {
    object (Action)
  }
}
Fields
name

string

The name by which the text input is identified in a form input event.

For details about working with form inputs, see Receive form data.

label

string

The text that appears above the text input field in the user interface.

Specify text that helps the user enter the information your app needs. For example, if you are asking someone's name, but specifically need their surname, write surname instead of name.

Required if hintText is unspecified. Otherwise, optional.

hintText

string

Text that appears below the text input field meant to assist users by prompting them to enter a certain value. This text is always visible.

Required if label is unspecified. Otherwise, optional.

value

string

The value entered by a user, returned as part of a form input event.

For details about working with form inputs, see Receive form data.

type

enum (Type)

How a text input field appears in the user interface. For example, whether the field is single or multi-line.

onChangeAction

object (Action)

What to do when a change occurs in the text input field. For example, a user adding to the field or deleting text.

Examples of actions to take include running a custom function or opening a dialog in Google Chat.

initialSuggestions

object (Suggestions)

Suggested values that users can enter. These values appear when users click inside the text input field. As users type, the suggested values dynamically filter to match what the users have typed.

For example, a text input field for programming language might suggest Java, JavaScript, Python, and C++. When users start typing Jav, the list of suggestions filters to show just Java and JavaScript.

Suggested values help guide users to enter values that your app can make sense of. When referring to JavaScript, some users might enter javascript and others java script. Suggesting JavaScript can standardize how users interact with your app.

When specified, TextInput.type is always SINGLE_LINE, even if it's set to MULTIPLE_LINE.

autoCompleteAction

object (Action)

Optional. Specify what action to take when the text input field provides suggestions to users who interact with it.

If unspecified, the suggestions are set by initialSuggestions and are processed by the client.

If specified, the app takes the action specified here, such as running a custom function.

Supported by Google Workspace Add-ons, but not Chat apps.

Type

Enums
SINGLE_LINE The text input field has a fixed height of one line.
MULTIPLE_LINE The text input field has a fixed height of multiple lines.

Action

An action that describes the behavior when the form is submitted. For example, you can invoke an Apps Script script to handle the form. If the action is triggered, the form values are sent to the server.

JSON representation 
{
  "function": string,
  "parameters": [
    {
      object (ActionParameter)
    }
  ],
  "loadIndicator": enum (LoadIndicator),
  "persistValues": boolean,
  "interaction": enum (Interaction)
}
Fields
function

string

A custom function to invoke when the containing element is clicked or othrwise activated.

For example usage, see Create interactive cards.

parameters[]

object (ActionParameter)

List of action parameters.

loadIndicator

enum (LoadIndicator)

Specifies the loading indicator that the action displays while making the call to the action.

persistValues

boolean

Indicates whether form values persist after the action. The default value is false.

If true, form values remain after the action is triggered. To let the user make changes while the action is being processed, set LoadIndicator to NONE. For card messages in Chat apps, you must also set the action's ResponseType to UPDATE_MESSAGE and use the same cardId from the card that contained the action.

If false, the form values are cleared when the action is triggered. To prevent the user from making changes while the action is being processed, set LoadIndicator to SPINNER.

interaction

enum (Interaction)

Optional. Required when opening a dialog.

What to do in response to an interaction with a user, such as a user clicking a button in a card message.

If unspecified, the app responds by executing an action —like opening a link or running a function—as normal.

By specifying an interaction, the app can respond in special interactive ways. For example, by setting interaction to OPEN_DIALOG, the app can open a dialog. When specified, a loading indicator isn't shown.

Supported by Chat apps, but not Google Workspace Add-ons. If specified for an add-on, the entire card is stripped and nothing is shown in the client.

ActionParameter

List of string parameters to supply when the action method is invoked. For example, consider three snooze buttons: snooze now, snooze one day, or snooze next week. You might use action method = snooze(), passing the snooze type and snooze time in the list of string parameters.

To learn more, see CommonEventObject.

JSON representation 
{
  "key": string,
  "value": string
}
Fields
key

string

The name of the parameter for the action script.

value

string

The value of the parameter.

LoadIndicator

Specifies the loading indicator that the action displays while making the call to the action.

Enums
SPINNER Displays a spinner to indicate that content is loading.
NONE Nothing is displayed.

Interaction

Optional. Required when opening a dialog.

What to do in response to an interaction with a user, such as a user clicking a button in a card message.

If unspecified, the app responds by executing an action —like opening a link or running a function—as normal.

By specifying an interaction, the app can respond in special interactive ways. For example, by setting interaction to OPEN_DIALOG, the app can open a dialog.

When specified, a loading indicator isn't shown.

Supported by Chat apps, but not Google Workspace Add-ons. If specified for an add-on, the entire card is stripped and nothing is shown in the client.

Enums
INTERACTION_UNSPECIFIED Default value. The action executes as normal.
OPEN_DIALOG

Opens a dialog, a windowed, card-based interface that Chat apps use to interact with users.

Only supported by Chat apps in response to button-clicks on card messages.

Not supported by Google Workspace Add-ons. If specified for an add-on, the entire card is stripped and nothing is shown in the client.

Suggestions

JSON representation 
{
  "items": [
    {
      object (SuggestionItem)
    }
  ]
}
Fields
items[]

object (SuggestionItem)

A list of suggestions used for autocomplete recommendations in text input fields.

SuggestionItem

JSON representation 
{

  // Union field content can be only one of the following:
  "text": string
  // End of list of possible types for union field content.
}
Fields

Union field content.

content can be only one of the following:

text

string

The value of a suggested input to a text input field. This is equivalent to what users enter themselves.