Character formatting using an event

[smrogers]

Hi,

I've seen derivatives of this thought, but nothing specific to what I'm looking for - but I can't say my search skills here are stellar...

Anyway, I'd like to use something like W_UPPER() with either the OnChange or OnDepart event for a field... essentially, I want to be able to change the case of characters in a field the user just entered, WITHOUT using field rules (I want to let the user set a flag that will allow an override of the automatic formatting if necessary). The field rules are a bit too rigid and unforgiving.

If anyone can shed some light on the subject or point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

[Selwyn Rabins]

Re: Character formatting using an event

Hi,

I've seen derivatives of this thought, but nothing specific to what I'm looking for - but I can't say my search skills here are stellar...

Anyway, I'd like to use something like W_UPPER() with either the OnChange or OnDepart event for a field... essentially, I want to be able to change the case of characters in a field the user just entered, WITHOUT using field rules (I want to let the user set a flag that will allow an override of the automatic formatting if necessary). The field rules are a bit too rigid and unforgiving.

If anyone can shed some light on the subject or point me in the right direction, I'd appreciate it.

it is pretty easy.

for example, put this in the onDepart event of a control on the form:

this.text = upper(this.text)

[DaveM]

Re: Character formatting using an event

May I add?

If you need a flag of some kind you will have to make it up a bit.

I only use it in field rules on certain fields(most). I use the word mostly, but if you type in

harvey - results = Harvey
hArvey - results = HArvey

In the ondepart event you could have something like

if flag="x" then
upper(this.text)
end if


.

[smrogers]

Re: Character formatting using an event

Selwyn and Dave, I appreciate your interest in my issue. While I'm getting better at XBasic, I still often rely on starting with an action script then analyzing the xbasic is generates to figure out how things work. In this instance, I understand what your saying I should do and pretty much get the logistics on how to do it... here's my problem. The syntax your using, i.e. 'upper(this.text)' is a bit general. What do I replace with 'this' and 'text'? The fieldname? Or is that litteral? Thanks very much again for your help (and everyone else's)... the reason I continue to praise the software

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Character formatting using an event

Shawn, that's a pretty good question. Check the help file topic on "Relative Addresses"

THIS is a reserved word that has special meaning depending on the context. Selwyn's script runs in an event tied to an object on the form. The OnDepart event. THIS in his script refers to the CURRENT OBJECT which is the text box the user has just edited.

[smrogers]

Re: Character formatting using an event

As always, thanks Tom!

[smrogers]

Re: Character formatting using an event

Hi - thanks for that Info again, Tom... I guess I'm having some kind of syntax problem, because I'm not getting it to work correctly. The object is a type-in-field, and I have a simple, one-line script attached to the OnDepart event, which is simply

upper(this.text)

When I go to the next object (another type-in-field), nothing changes; it remains as it was. What do you suggest I look at next?

Thx.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Character formatting using an event

Two corrections.

1) use the CanDepart event instead of OnDepart. OnDepart fires too late. Focus is already on the next object.

2) use Selwyn's code (all of it).

And one suggestion:

Condition the script so it doesn't run unless the form is in ENTER or CHANGE mode.

[smrogers]

Re: Character formatting using an event

Continued thanks for your attention to this Tom.

It still isn't working, and can't figure out why. I've attached a small, sample database using the exact code I'm using in my live database. The table has three fields, and the simple form has the exact code I used in my live database (sans the CHANGE or ENTER checking) attached to the CanDepart event. Still no go - when you type everything into the field in lowercase, and then move on to the next field, nothing changes.

If you have a chance, please give this a lookover and let me know what I'm doing wrong. Thanks again.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Character formatting using an event

Shawn,

Selwyn's code was this:

this.text = upper(this.text)

You only used part of it, like this:

upper(this.text)

You missed the point when I suggest you use "all" of Selwyn's code in my previous post?

What Selwyn's code does is boost the characters to upper case letters and then assign the changed characters to the text property of the current object. Your code was incomplete. It failed to assign anything to the text property of the current object. Does this make sense? (Don't be embarrassed to ask further questions. This is fundamental. Let's answer all your questions, ok?)

-- tom

[smrogers]

Re: Character formatting using an event

As Homer Simpson would say, "Doh!"

If I understand correctly, this.text literally represents the text in the object, and by saying this.text = upper(this.text), you are saying "the text in this object is equal to upper(this.text)" i.e., it's = to this format, or whatever... correct?

I get it now. Thanks as always Tom.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Character formatting using an event

Shawn, it will serve you well if you abandon notions of equality in this context. The equals sign is an "operator". It assigns whatever is on the right hand side to whatever is on the left hand side.

In other contexts the equals sign is used to compare two values, as in

if A = B then
    do something
else
    do something else
end if

In your form each object you place in the layout has it's own collection of properties. Some describe the color, position, font, etc. Others describe the "content" entered by the user. For a text box object like you're using, the TEXT property always holds the string of characters entered by the user. To change it with a script you reference the TEXT property like so:

:form_name:object_name.text

using a period or dot to separate the property from its object; and colons to separate the objects from each other.

We use THIS in your script because it's convenient. THIS is a relative alias for the object name.

If we want to write a script that assigns the character string "BOO" to the object we write

:form_name:object_name.text = "BOO"

I recommend you spend some time in the Xbasic reference manual reading up on Objects and Object Addresses. It will pay dividends for you.