Message to tell user how many characters is left

[kdankwah]

I would like to attach a message box to a field that tells the user how many characters is left on the field. The length of the field is 250 characters long which is the max anyway. I dont want to use a memo field. What happens is the users keep on typing without knowing if they are going over the 250 characters.

Any code out there to do this will be helpful.

Thanks

[G Gabriel]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

Use the OnKey event to count the characters entered.
BTW the max is 255 if you think you could use 5 more.

[kdankwah]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

Thanks a lot.

[kdankwah]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

Hi Gabriel,

I used the len() to count the characters, my problem is which of the event objectS to use so that it will show as the useR is typing in the field. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[G Gabriel]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

You could use a variable and refresh it with the onkey event script that counts the characters.

[kdankwah]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

Thanks

[Clunes]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

I don't see a choice for an 'onkey event' on a field. Where does it reside?

[Clunes]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

Sorry - found it as a part of the form events

[kdankwah]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

I am finding it hard to do this it does not work for me. The Len() does not work. This is what I have as a variable.

Len("descript")

with descript as the name of the character field that I am counting, but its counting the word "descript".

Thanks

[G Gabriel]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

Len(alltrim(descript))

[MikeC]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

K,
Double quotes tell Alpha most times to take what is between them as literally whatever is there. Just placing the name without quotes (as G showed) tells Alpha that it is a field or a variable dependent upon context (that is why many times you will also see a variable as var->your_variable instead of just the name when it is possible to have either a field or variable).

[kdankwah]

Re: Message to tell user how many characters is left

Thanks Mike and Gabriel, I am always learning here.