Microsoft Access databases provide a wealth of
tools and utilities to help control design layouts and data integrity. Working
with the latter, you can reduce and even dismiss any programming at all to
control data entry to a field in a table or via a form using the Access Input
Mask feature.
Take a quick look at this useful Microsoft Access tutorial (using
version 2010) on how to set up an input mask.
tools and utilities to help control design layouts and data integrity. Working
with the latter, you can reduce and even dismiss any programming at all to
control data entry to a field in a table or via a form using the Access Input
Mask feature.
Take a quick look at this useful Microsoft Access tutorial (using
version 2010) on how to set up an input mask.
Very easy to create indeed and the video
covers the pre-set options which to be honest is based on the US style
conventions for storing telephone numbers and zip codes!
Microsoft Access Tutorial: How to
use Input Masks
From one of my earlier posts, I’ve already mentioned about the key to knowing
the input mask feature is to understand the code that sits behind this tool.
This is particularly more important to know and master if you are going to not
just build custom code solutions but clearly for the non US based systems,
makes it more relevant.
So you can now avoid and forget zip codes and build your own post code or scrap
social security numbers for national insurance numbers.
The easiest way to start is to use the input mask wizard tool for the selected
field in the properties section of the design view for a table (or form) and
then you can modify the code it generates or even build expressions via the
wizard tool.
Remember to save changes should you need to add more than one field’s
properties (other way, you will be prompted to in any case) and that we are
only talking about text and date/time data type fields as numeric values do not
apply.
As I’ve already said, the default input masks options does not always meet your
needs and you may need to edit them. In the wizard, simply click the Edit List
button provided on the first screen of the Input Mask Wizard and start editing.
Microsoft Access Tutorial
Here are the valid characters that you may include in an input mask:
0: User must enter a numeric digit (0 through 9)
9: User may enter a numeric digit (0 through 9)
#: User may enter a numeric digit, space, +, or –
L: User must enter a letter
?: User may enter a letter
A: User must enter a letter or numeric digit
a: User may enter a letter or numeric digit
&: User must enter a character or a space
C: User may enter characters or spaces
In the list above, note the use of the words; “must” and “may“. Some Microsoft
Access database input mask characters are optional, allowing the user to enter
data in a field but also allowing them to leave it blank.
The characters “.“ “,” “:” “;” “–” and
“/” may be included as placeholders and separators where required. In addition
to these, you may also include some special directives in your input masks
which can include:
!: Input provided by the user is entered from left to right instead of the
normal right to left format.
>: All characters after this symbol are converted to uppercase regardless of
how the user inputs them.
<: All characters after this symbol are converted to lowercase regardless of
how the user inputs them.
\: The character immediately following the slash will be displayed in the mask
as written.
“”: Characters included in quotation marks will be displayed in the mask as
written.
Need to learn more about Microsoft Access? Check out my eBook bundle offer.
Tags: access database table design, how to create input masks, input mask
wizard, microsoft access tutorial, ms
access input masks.
covers the pre-set options which to be honest is based on the US style
conventions for storing telephone numbers and zip codes!
Microsoft Access Tutorial: How to
use Input Masks
From one of my earlier posts, I’ve already mentioned about the key to knowing
the input mask feature is to understand the code that sits behind this tool.
This is particularly more important to know and master if you are going to not
just build custom code solutions but clearly for the non US based systems,
makes it more relevant.
So you can now avoid and forget zip codes and build your own post code or scrap
social security numbers for national insurance numbers.
The easiest way to start is to use the input mask wizard tool for the selected
field in the properties section of the design view for a table (or form) and
then you can modify the code it generates or even build expressions via the
wizard tool.
Remember to save changes should you need to add more than one field’s
properties (other way, you will be prompted to in any case) and that we are
only talking about text and date/time data type fields as numeric values do not
apply.
As I’ve already said, the default input masks options does not always meet your
needs and you may need to edit them. In the wizard, simply click the Edit List
button provided on the first screen of the Input Mask Wizard and start editing.
Microsoft Access Tutorial
Here are the valid characters that you may include in an input mask:
0: User must enter a numeric digit (0 through 9)
9: User may enter a numeric digit (0 through 9)
#: User may enter a numeric digit, space, +, or –
L: User must enter a letter
?: User may enter a letter
A: User must enter a letter or numeric digit
a: User may enter a letter or numeric digit
&: User must enter a character or a space
C: User may enter characters or spaces
In the list above, note the use of the words; “must” and “may“. Some Microsoft
Access database input mask characters are optional, allowing the user to enter
data in a field but also allowing them to leave it blank.
The characters “.“ “,” “:” “;” “–” and
“/” may be included as placeholders and separators where required. In addition
to these, you may also include some special directives in your input masks
which can include:
!: Input provided by the user is entered from left to right instead of the
normal right to left format.
>: All characters after this symbol are converted to uppercase regardless of
how the user inputs them.
<: All characters after this symbol are converted to lowercase regardless of
how the user inputs them.
\: The character immediately following the slash will be displayed in the mask
as written.
“”: Characters included in quotation marks will be displayed in the mask as
written.
Need to learn more about Microsoft Access? Check out my eBook bundle offer.
Tags: access database table design, how to create input masks, input mask
wizard, microsoft access tutorial, ms
access input masks.
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