if (left(pn,3)="SKU",PN=substr(PN,4),pn=pn)

[Beltronics]

A stupid question but one that is puzzling me.
I have hundreds of parts that start with the letters SKU, for example
SKU12345. The number of digits after the SKU are not always the same. Some are SKU123, some are SKU123456

I am trying to develop a "one time" operation which "updates" the part number to remove the three letters SKU. I have tried many ways, the last of which was

if (left(pn,3)="SKU",PN=substr(PN,4),pn=pn)

In addition, I need to create a similar equation to take a part number like ECG-123 and change it to ECG123 (removing the dash).

But, don't laugh, I'm not getting anywhere.

[G Gabriel]

Re: if (left(pn,3)="SKU",PN=substr(PN,4),pn=pn)

x="SKU12345"
?substr(x,4,10)
= "12345"

x="ECG-123"
?remspecial(x)
= "ECG123"

There are many other ways to do this in case it does exactly fit what you want.

[Beltronics]

Re: if (left(pn,3)="SKU",PN=substr(PN,4),pn=pn)

So, I would enter,

If(left(PN,3)="SKU",pn=substr(pn,4,10),pn=pn)
Meaning
If the left three digits of PN = SKU then pn=substring pn,4,10 else pn = pn?

I'll have to look at the remspecial function since I have never seen this beforel.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: if (left(pn,3)="SKU",PN=substr(PN,4),pn=pn)

You are developing an expression for an update operation to update the field pn? You fill out the update operation by specifying a field to be updated, the expression to put in the field, and optionally, a condition which determines which records should be updated.

One way is.....
The field is pn.
The expression is If(left(PN,3)="SKU",substr(pn,4,10),pn)
The condition is left blank
The pn field in all records will be updated with either substr(pn,4,10) or the original contents of the pn field.

Another was is .....
The field is pn
The expression is substr(pn,4,10)
The condition is left(PN,3)="SKU"
Only records where left(PN,3)="SKU" will be updated with substr(pn,4,10)
Records where left(PN,3)<>"SKU" will be ignored.

Think of it this way. The if(logical, true result, false result) evaluates the logical and returns one of two results which can themselves be logicals.

If(left(PN,3)="SKU",pn=substr(pn,4,10),pn=pn)

translates to

if the left three characters of the pn field = "SKU"
return the result pn=substr(pn,4,10) which is usually false
if not return pn=pn which is always true.