ACC: How to Convert Letters to Numbers in Phone Numbers

ID: Q132055

The information in this article applies to:

• Microsoft Access versions 2.0, 7.0, 97

SUMMARY

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article shows you how to create two user-defined functions that you can use to convert any letter in a phone number to its corresponding digit on a telephone keypad or rotary dial. For example, you can convert the number "206-ACC-ESS2" to its equivalent "206-222-3772" so that dialing is easier.

This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to your version of the "Building Applications with Microsoft Access" manual.

NOTE: Visual Basic for Applications is called Access Basic in Microsoft Access version 2.0. For more information about Access Basic, please refer to the "Building Applications" manual.

MORE INFORMATION

The method in this article uses two user-defined functions. The first function translates letters into numbers; the second function applies the translation to an entire phone number. The method works with phone numbers that have different formats (for example, "800-555-GIGO" or "800555GIGO") as well as with phone numbers that have different lengths (for example, "555-GIGO" or "011-01-704-555-GIGO").

To convert letters in a phone number to numbers, follow these steps:

1. Create a module and type the following line in the Declarations section

   if it is not already there:

      Option Explicit

      ' Translates a letter to a digit.
      Function XlateDigit(ByVal C As String) As String
        C = UCase(C)
        Select Case C
          Case "A" To "P"
            XlateDigit = Chr$((Asc(C) + 1) \ 3 + 28)
          Case "R" To "Y"
            XlateDigit = Chr$(Asc(C) \ 3 + 28)
          Case "Q", "Z"
            XlateDigit = "0"
          Case Else
            XlateDigit = C
        End Select
      End Function

      ' Applies the translated digit to a phone number.
      Function PhoneLettersToDigits(ByVal PhoneNo As Variant) As Variant
        Dim I as Integer
          If VarType(PhoneNo) = 8 Then  ' A string.
             For I = 1 To Len(PhoneNo)
               Mid(PhoneNo, I, 1) = XlateDigit(Mid(PhoneNo, I, 1))
             Next I
          End If
        PhoneLettersToDigits = PhoneNo
      End Function

   (or Immediate window in Microsoft Access 2.0), and then press ENTER:

      ? PhoneLettersToDigits("PRO-GRA-MMER")

   Note that the following number is displayed:

      776-472-6637

REFERENCES

For more information about the Mid() function, search the Help Index for "Mid function," or ask the Microsoft Access 97 Office Assistant.

Additional query words:

Keywords          : kbprg MdlGnrl 
Version           : 2.0 7.0 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: November 21, 1998