DOCUMENT:Q119691 25-APR-2000 [foxpro] TITLE :How to Format Telephone Numbers with PICTURE Mask PRODUCT :Microsoft FoxPro PROD/VER:MACINTOSH:2.5b,2.5c; MS-DOS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6; WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6,3.0 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== 2.5x 2.6x 3.00 | 2.5x 2.60 2.60a | 2.5x 2.60a WINDOWS | MS-DOS | MACINTOSH kbtool kbprg ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0 - Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6 - Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6 - Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, versions 2.5b, 2.5c ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= The format of the data entry @ ... GET edit region for a telephone number can be controlled programmatically with a mask defined using the PICTURE clause, or it can be controlled in the Screen Builder or Form Designer by specifying the picture in the Format edit region of the Field dialog box. The examples shown below illustrate both methods. MORE INFORMATION ================ The @ ... GET ... PICTURE clause provides the means of specifying a mask to control the format of data entered in a GET object in a window. The following paragraphs show examples of parameters of the clause that create a mask to control the format of a GET for entering a telephone number. These parameters provide all the customary nondata formatting characters (such as parentheses and dashes), but allow FoxPro to store only the numeric information so that the number is saved in just ten characters, either as a character field or as a numeric field. The parameters can be included either in a hard-coded "@ n.n GET PICTURE ..." (without the quotation marks) command or they can be included in the Format box in the Field dialog box of FoxPro's Screen Builder. FoxPro 2.x for Windows Examples ------------------------------- For example, if the telephone number is to appear on the screen as follows (these numbers are for example purposes only) (213)123-1234 the PICTURE clause should appear as follows: PICTURE "@R (999)999-9999" The string to enter in the Format box in the Field dialog box is: @R (999)999-9999 Likewise, if the telephone number is to appear as follows 213/123-1234 the mask should appear as follows: @R 999/999-9999 Visual FoxPro for Windows Examples ---------------------------------- For example, if the telephone number is to appear on the screen as follows (these numbers are for example purposes only) (213)123-1234 Set the Format property to "R" (without quotation marks) and the InputMask property to the following: (999)999-9999 Likewise, if the telephone number is to appear as follows 213/123-1234 the Format property should be "R" (without quotation marks) and the InputMask should appear as follows: 999/999-9999 Notes ----- - The "@" symbol defines the characters following it as belonging to the PICTURE clause. - The capital letter "R" and the space character following the "R" display a format mask in an @ ... GET editing region. These mask characters are not stored in the field when the @ ... GET editing region is exited. - The mask characters shown in the above examples, other than the digit 9, are not stored in the table. These characters are skipped over when keys are pressed during data entry. - The nines (9) in the mask allow only digits to be entered in character fields; in numeric fields, they allow digits and signs to be entered. Since a telephone number consists of digits but is seldom used in arithmetic operations, the database field holding the number should be defined as a character field. Only digits in the range from zero through nine are accepted in the edit region. REFERENCES ========== For additional PICTURE code options, see pages L3-33, L3-34, and L3-35 of the "Language Reference" for FoxPro for MS-DOS and Windows, or see page 47 of the "Language Reference" for FoxPro for Macintosh. Also refer to the online Help topic for the @ ... GET command. Additional query words: VFoxWin FoxMac FoxDos FoxWin 2.50 2.50a 2.60a number format picture mask phone ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbFoxPro250bMac kbFoxPro250cMac kbFoxPro250DOS kbFoxPro250aDOS kbFoxPro250bDOS kbFoxPro260DOS kbFoxPro260 kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbFoxPro250b kbVFP300 Version : MACINTOSH:2.5b,2.5c; MS-DOS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6; WINDOWS:2.5,2.5a,2.5b,2.6,3.0 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.