input mask

[TD]

Hi everyone,

I'm a very new newbie - know nothing

Am I right in thinking that the input mask just acts as a guide to data
input and doesn't force the user to input in the same pattern

I've just been looking at a database where the field has an input mask

00\_00#;0;

The field is text but the entry will always be numeric two numbers followed
by an underscore then by three numbers. The problem is that it will accept 2
numbers after the underscore so that numbers that start with 0 eg 32_065 can
be entered as 32_65 and will sort differently

Is there any way to fix this or do it better?

Thank you

 

[Jerry Whittle]

00\_000;0;"0"

The # makes the third character optional. If, as you say, there's always
three characters after the underscore, changing that # to 0 makes it
mandatory.

 

[TD]

Thank you Jerry,

Are there any "easy read" websites that I could find out more about input
masks and for e.g why a 0 makes it mandatory whereas a # doesn't

Thanks again

 

[Jerry Whittle]

It's easier than that! Open the table in design view. Click on the input
mask row for the field in question. Press the F1 key. Depending on the
version of Access, Help just might take you to information about Input Masks.
If not you may need to search on Input Masks.

Sometimes just clicking on something in Access then pressing F1 works
wonders. Not so much with the newer versions though.

 

[TD]

Thank you again Jerry!
--
TD

It's easier than that! Open the table in design view. Click on the input
mask row for the field in question. Press the F1 key. Depending on the
version of Access, Help just might take you to information about Input Masks.
If not you may need to search on Input Masks.

Sometimes just clicking on something in Access then pressing F1 works
wonders. Not so much with the newer versions though.