Allow a datum to be empty

#1

Hi guys!

I like the data feature a lot. I was using it to create a form. In a form, you often have an input box, a label for the box, and sometimes a description. So I built a component with all these things. I included the description in the component because I'd like to be able to easily add text to it whenever I want.

I thought about putting a space in the new datum. When I do that and press enter, subform removes the text box. (That might be a bug I need to try and write up later.) But even if it worked, if I could have a datum that was a space, I assume it would maintain an empty box. I'd like to be able to remove the mins on the description box so that if nothing is in there, it doesn't impact the layout. It would be tricky to select the text box to add text to it - I'd only be able to access it in the box tree.

It's a low priority for me. Just something I came across.
Thanks!

#2

Hey Nicki! This is something that I've wished for several times while building components, as well. Essentially "don't show this thing unless it has content."

I've used states as a workaround, which works well sometimes, but probably not for every situation.

I'm not sure what the best solution is. Not being able to select something on the artboard makes me a little nervous. Maybe there's a solution that looks something like InDesign's "show hidden characters", where you can see the ΒΆ symbols and such. That could illuminate where there are empty elements.