Multiline text boxes in layouts

I have a lot of documents where some sort of descriptive text is written to one column. I can make that column be Text-typed, which allows me to write multiple lines of text by using Shift-enter. However, this is tiresome and error-prone to remember to write each new line with shift-enter.

Please support making a large text area, or multiline text box, in detail layouts. Pressing enter on those fields should not cause the field to be accepted, but instead should just add a new line automatically.

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Actually, I think this is the same as Rich text column type

I just didn’t think it as “rich text”, simply multiline.

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I am also in need of a rich text or long text column type

Where you don’t have to press ctrl+enter for a new line - it is super annoying that I can’t press just enter for a new line.

I have seen other databases where they have a long form text field. This would be a valued addition in coda

Dear @Michael_Pilgrim,

Just to make you aware that Coda has this in place:
Just click in the text column and at the right bottom corner you will be able to expand to a full text block, where with “Enter” you will go to a new line

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In combination with the “detail view” of your table you will be able to get the most out of it. :building_construction: :paintbrush:

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Thanks for your reply but I wouldn’t call that a solution - you have to click the cell ‘twice’ before the expander even appears, then you have to click the expander too - so you’re talking 3 clicks just to get to it. It’s not easy to use.

I would prefer it if I could click once - maybe if there was a dedicated long form text column, I could just click in the cell and then type without having to press ctrl and enter to make a new line.

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I am finding myself wanting a “paragraph style” text box very often. The single line /text input does not work for many use cases where I want to enter a block of text (and refer to it), and it not be in a table.

It would also be important for this text to be rich text, as it would go in client reports etc (as well as be reference-able and act as an interactive control as the current text box does).

The new Canvas column solves it:

No, we don’t want a “Row” solution. We want a stand alone doc component. A free form, multi-line text field.

IE: Place your comments here…

That is just one use case, there are many more.

It COULD be the canvas idea but, not in a row. You have text field, just make it multi-line. That’s all we’re asking for!

Odd that this simple request has been around since 2019.

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I know this is old but I still need this ALL THE TIME. Even some text strings that can go in one line are cut off by the fixed (small) size of the text control.

I love the Canvas column, but I still have all kinds of unnecessary tables floating around my docs (and have to jump through hoops in formulas) because it is a column and not just a control.

Alternative: make the text in code blocks accessible through formulas, since the blocks can hold plain text?

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