Adding area code

[Joe Dempsey]

I have a db which has telephone numbers without the area code. There is no mask in the field and is basically a character field. All 876 numbers are in the same area code. How can I add the area code "870" to the phone numbers.

Thanks for your help,
Joe Dempsey

[davej]

RE: Adding area code

Joe,

You could write something that says 'if left(phonenumber,3)= 875 then phone number = 870+phonenumber'. That will give you the string 870876xxxx.

Dave

[Joe Dempsey]

RE: Adding area code

Dave:

What I was saying is that I have 876 phone numbers. The first three numbers vary. Can you still help?

Thanks!
Joe

[davej]

RE: Adding area code

Joe,

This must be my day for misreading messages. I think I've done that about three or fours times already. Sorry.

Even simplier than my first suggestion. Try this: 'phonenumber="870"+phonenumber'

Dave

[drgarytraub]

RE: Adding area code

Don't forget to make sure the table has that phone number field set high enough to accomodate the addition of the 3 digit area code, i.e, if it is now set to 7, you could set it to 10.

Next, to do this all at once there are several easy ways to do this. You could do an update operation, you could use xbasic, or you could even set the field to a calculated field and then set it back again after you run 're-evaluate field rules". If you need more detail on how to do any of these, just let me know.

Gary Traub

[Joe Dempsey]

RE: Adding area code

Gary:

Thanks!

I need to know. I looked at the update options never came up with the solution.

Thaks!
Joe

[Joe Dempsey]

RE: Adding area code

DAve:

Thanks! Welcome to my world on the day.

Joe

[drgarytraub]

RE: Adding area code

Joe:

If you want to do this with an Update Operation, then do this:

From the control panel, select the operations tab and click the New button.

Scroll the last Operation, i.e. Update records and be sure it is highlighted

Now on the right, slect the table that has the phoen number field that you want to add the area code to.

Now click on the Create using genie button

Click the General tab and then select "Assign a calculated value to a field" and then click Next

Enter the field name of your phone number field

For the expression, assuming your field is called "phone", then enter the following as the calculated expression:

"870"+phone

That should do it.

[drgarytraub]

RE: Adding area code

Another way, using Xbasic, would be as follows:

Create a script by going to the code tab of the control panel and click the New button. Enter the follwoing code:

dim tbl as p
tbl=table.open("Yourtablenamegoeshere")

while .not. tbl.fetch_eof()
tbl.change_begin(.t.)
tbl.phone="870+tbl.phone
tbl.change_end()
tbl.fetch_next()
end while
tbl.close()

Of course, it is always best to make a backup of your data before performing any such operations.

Gary Traub

[Joe Dempsey]

RE: Adding area code

Gary:

Worked like a charm. Thanks!

Joe

PS: This proves again, that the A5 board is the absolute best on the net. Hands down. Perios
JPD