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Masked fields for display only

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    #16
    RE: Masked fields for display only

    Ok, I'm convinced.

    I think what threw me was that the default browse and form never changed. I had to create and save another Named form in order to see the data correctly.

    This is a big departure from Access. I'm used to dragging fields wider in order to see wider data structures.

    I'm trying to convert to A5 because Francie Peake wrote an application for my industry in A5 and I want to merge additional data with what she's already written in a format that makes sense to my employees who will be using her program. I'm not thinking like an A5 person yet. I still think like an Access person.

    There are a lot of things in A5 I really like, but I think there are also a lot of things I'm going to miss from Access.

    Thanks to all for your help.

    Chris

    Comment


      #17
      RE: Masked fields for display only

      OK, maybe I'm not convinced.

      My industry deals with UPC numbers and NDC Numbers ( the RX equivalent of a UPC). I have crews of 30 people out taking inventory by scanning UPC's and NDC's. The bar code scans do NOT include any imbedded dashes. A UPC and an NDC are always 11 characters long.

      When running the data captured by the crew up against commercially supplied and customer supplied databases of 11 character UPC and NDC fields, it is highly impractical for me to INSERT dashes into those databases. The handheld machine captures an 11 digit string at the auditor level and I must run it up against databases of 11 digit strings in order to pull in prices and descriptions. The dashes in the display are just to make it easier to read on the screen. The example provided is an NDC divided into it's mfr #, drug #, and pkg size # (5-4-2 format).

      If I started storing those numbers WITH the imbedded dashes I would have to rework every bit of data coming out of my handhelds to INSERT dashes in a standard NDC or UPC. (in other words, this would negate the value of scanning a bar code that comes out as an 11 digit string - industry standard in all UPC environments.)

      It is imperative that I be able to store various string lengths at the field level, but display with dashes in order to make it easier for PC operators to work with the numbers while looking for errors and making corrections.

      Thanks,
      Chris

      Comment


        #18
        RE: Masked fields for display only

        "It is imperative that I be able to store various string lengths at the field level, but display with dashes in order to make it easier for PC operators to work with the numbers while looking for errors and making corrections."

        If I understand properly it should be simple to do this. Set the field with to 11 chars in both table definition and form definition and scan away.

        Am I correct or have I missed something.

        Bill
        Bill Hanigsberg

        Comment


          #19
          RE: Masked fields for display only

          Sorry,

          I should have written 13 characters in both places.

          Bill
          Bill Hanigsberg

          Comment


            #20
            RE: Masked fields for display only

            Sorry again,

            I just reread your first message and was reminded that you had a reason for avoiding a 13 char field.

            I'll check into this further. I can't help thinking there is a simple solution for this.

            Bill
            Bill Hanigsberg

            Comment


              #21
              RE: Masked fields for display only

              Thanks for any help you can provide. It's been a long day and my daughter is sick. I'm signing off for the night. I'll check back in the A.M.

              Chris

              Comment


                #22
                RE: Masked fields for display only

                Chris, I certainly did not mean to offend.

                Your application sounds like one where it would be inadvisable to store the mask literals in the table field. No argument here. The only point I was trying to make is that for folks who are doing data entry by hand (and that's the vast majority of Alpha Five users) they usually store the mask literals in the field. Hence, there haven't been a lot of folks that have stumbled into the bog in which you are currently mired. I did not say, nor did I mean to imply, that it's always advisable to store mask literals. Obviously, that's not true.

                -- tom

                Comment


                  #23
                  RE: Masked fields for display only

                  Well hello again everybody.

                  I thing nobody owes anybody an apology because this is confusing.

                  I set up a test table, with a single field, character, width=11. I defined a mask with a dash (-) after the fifth character in the field which I also set to require numeric characters. So the mask was "00000-000000"

                  The idea is we want to
                  -display but not store mask characters per field rules.
                  -not increase the field length to include the unstored mask characters.

                  I then created a saved browse and a saved form. In each case I went to the format tab and increased the size to 12 so as to be able to display the 11 stored characters plus the mask (-).

                  Here is where it becomes confusing:
                  -it works for a saved browse;
                  -however it does *not* work for a saved form.
                  -it doesn't work with an embedded browse,
                  -nor does it work with an embedded saved browse layout.

                  So the answer appears to be that if Chris can make do with a browse rather than a form he can have his wish. If he needs forms he cannot.

                  I created a simple report and was able to print the 11 stored characters plus the mask.

                  So what are we to make of this inconsistancy (or have I just confused myself, yet again)?

                  All the best,
                  Bill
                  Bill Hanigsberg

                  Comment


                    #24
                    RE: Masked fields for display only

                    It should be obvious from the above that I checked the box to *not* store mask literals.

                    Bill
                    Bill Hanigsberg

                    Comment


                      #25
                      RE: Masked fields for display only

                      Hello All,

                      I just read this thread, and maybe I'm missing something, but at least as a quick easy fix (if all we are dealing with is a display issue in a form or browse) why not add a field to the table, define it in the field rules as a calculated field. Then make its expression the value of the 'real' field with the dashes. The calc field will evaluate in real time. If data entry needs done into this 'displayed' field, then you'd have to do a little more work.

                      Jim

                      Comment


                        #26
                        RE: Masked fields for display only

                        Jim, that's better than adding enough extra spaces to the field width in order to accommodate the mask literals at 'display' time. I like it.

                        -- tom

                        Comment


                          #27
                          RE: Masked fields for display only

                          Tom,

                          I'm sorry if I came off a little grouchy in that email. Please accept MY apologies. Long day, sick kid, yada, yada, yada....

                          I'm not exactly sure I understand the latter part of this thread, with the calc field and all, but I'm willing to give it a try. I guess I just thought this would be a minor issue because Access handles it so easily. I figured I had just missed a step somewhere. Let me try a few things over the next day or so and then I'll get back to everyone.

                          Thanks to all.....have a Happy New Year....and by the way, I'm a "she", not a "he"...

                          Chris

                          Comment


                            #28
                            RE: Masked fields for display only

                            Hi Jim,

                            I hear what you are saying. I just think there is something a bit odd about having to size a field to accomodate the mask literals which you are *not* storing.

                            Bill
                            Bill Hanigsberg

                            Comment


                              #29
                              RE: Masked fields for display only

                              Chris,
                              I've read this entire thread (a long one); I've had the same problem, and I for one do not like to store the literals in the field.

                              I solved my problem by defining the field width on the form to include the extra spaces, plus, I had to define the FIELD longer in the table structure to accomodate the literals.

                              I never did understand why I had to add the extra spaces to the table structure, but it wouldn't work unless I did it that way.

                              Comment


                                #30
                                RE: Masked fields for display only

                                Wow, if it is that easy, I can live with that solution.

                                Thanks! That will be the first thing I try....

                                Chris

                                Comment

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