Mask on Variable Field on Form?

[gkpurcey]

Hi,

I am using a type-in field connected to a variable of type "C" on a form to capture phone number info (and other info of course). When the user selects continue, I am using Xbasic to store the info into the appropriate database fields.

Since the phone numbers need to be stored with only the numeric information, I found the remspecial() function to work exactly as I need. The user can type in any format, and only the number gets stored with other characters stripped out. So, the "(987) 654-3211" typed in by the user gets stored as "9876543211".

However, it would be nice if I could provide the user a formatted entry field that would be easier for entry. I don't want to put the database fields themselves on the form for a number of reasons (I know this is the easiest way to use a mask), mainly because I am entering the data into several separate tables, and don't want them all in data entry mode when the form is open.

So I am wondering if anyone knows of a way to "mask" the type-in field so that it adds the "(" ")" and "-" characters in the right spots as you type it in?

Thanks in advance...

[Tom Henkel]

Re: Mask on Variable Field on Form?

We had a similar issue, and what we did was to create 3 separate numeric type-in fields. You could do something in the x-basic dialog to surround the first field with parens, and then put a dash between the 2nd and 3rd fields.

We didn't find any cleaner solution.

Please see attached data entry dialog box.

This is the code that tests the fields.

if a_dlg_button="changep1"
	a_dlg_button = ""
	if vPhone1 <>""
		if isnumber(vPHONE1)
			if ERR_TEXT = "Area Code MUST be Numeric"
				ERR_TEXT = ""
			end if
			if len(trim(vPhone1))=3
				sys_send_keys("{TAB}")
			end if
		  else
		  vphone1 = ""
		  ERR_TEXT = "Area Code MUST be Numeric"
		  ui_dlg_ctl_goto(agency+" Customer Information","vPhone1")
		end if	  	
	end if
end if
if a_dlg_button="changep2"
	a_dlg_button = ""
	if vPhone2 <>""
		if isnumber(vPHONE2)
			if ERR_TEXT = "Telephone Exchange MUST be Numeric"
				ERR_TEXT = ""
			end if
			if len(trim(vPhone2))=3
				sys_send_keys("{TAB}")
			end if
		  else
		  vphone2 = ""
		  ERR_TEXT = "Telephone Exchange MUST be Numeric"
		  ui_dlg_ctl_goto(agency+" Customer Information","vPhone2")
		end if	  	
	end if
end if
if a_dlg_button="changep3"
	a_dlg_button = ""
	if vPhone3 <>""
		if isnumber(vPHONE3)
			if ERR_TEXT = "Telephone Number MUST be Numeric"
				ERR_TEXT = ""
			end if
			if len(trim(vPhone3))=4
				sys_send_keys("{TAB}")
			end if
		  else
		  vphone3 = ""
		  ERR_TEXT = "Telephone Number MUST be Numeric"
		  ui_dlg_ctl_goto(agency+" Customer Information","vPhone3")
		end if	  	
	end if
end if

I hope that this helps a little.

Tom

[gkpurcey]

Re: Mask on Variable Field on Form?

Thanks Tom,

I hadn't considered using three separate fields. If I can't come up with something more elegant, that might be the way to go.