Validate first Character of Field.

zulq

Hello,
Trying to validate the first character of the No. in the Employee table. No. is of type code. Now I want to make sure that only No. starting with A or B are accepted. I've being trying to use
Code:
copystr
to get the first character and thus if its not equal to A or B returns an error but it doesn't work.
Any ideas welcome please! Brick wall Brick wall Brick wall
_________________
Few years ago we were not existing and few years to come we would be in the grave! So what will benefit us in the grave?

Saint-Sage

I am not sure what you are doing wrong, but I have used COPYSTR alot to grab the first character of a code type.

in the OnValidate of the Account No. field you should be able to do...

IF ((COPYSTR("Account No.",1,1) <> 'A') AND (COPYSTR("Account No.",1,1) <> 'B'))  THEN BEGIN
  ERROR('All valid account numbers must begin with A or B.');
END;

kine

if not ("Account No."[1] in ['A','B']) then
  Error(TextXXX);

matteo_montanari

kine wrote:

if not ("Account No."[1] in ['A','B']) then
  Error(TextXXX);

IF "Account No." is blank, it will raise an error.

if "Account No." <> '' then
  if not ("Account No."[1] in ['A','B']) then
    Error(TextXXX);

Eto

kine

Yes, I know, I just posted the hint how to test the character, without all consequences... you know... 8)

kolaboy

if "Account No." <> '' then
if not ("Account No."[1] in ) then
Error(TextXXX);

This is currently working with first Characters with A or B. But after typing the first Character with A Or B, it allows other letters to follow.

What i want in addition to this is to let it accept only the Letters A or B as first letters then followed by four digit Numbers. It should not allow anyother letter apart from A or B and it should not be repeated. Only A and four digit nos or B and Four digit nos.
The Nos. too should not exceed four digits. What modification can one do on the above code?
Any idea on this.

kine

This is more complex, and you can use something like:

Procedure TestFormat(MyCode:Code[100];MyFormat:Code[100]);
begin
  for i:=1 to STRLEN(MyCode) do begin
    case MyFormat[i] of
    'A'..'Z': if MyCode[i] <> MyFormat[i] then
                  Error('Character must be %1 on position %2',MyFormat[i],i);
    '0': if not (MyCode[i] in ['0'..'9']) then
                  Error('Character must be number on position %1',i);
    end;
  end;
end;

this will test any given code (text) with given format string like 'A00000' or 'B00000' where 0 is for any number and other characters must be same. You can extend it and make possible to have A or B when format character is 'A' etc...

David_Cox

Seen this somewhere else same reply
Different approch here same result as above!

i is a variable integer

IF "Account No." <> '' THEN 
   IF (STRLEN("Account No.") <> 5) OR 
      NOT(EVALUATE(i,COPYSTR("Account No.",2))OR 
      NOT("Account No."[1] in ['A','B']) THEN    
   ERROR(TextXXX);