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Re: Validating Currency Entries

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On 2018-02-22 03:05:56 +0000, Charles H. Sampson said:
> 
> Is there an easy way to validate a numeric entry that is supposed to be
> currency (dollars)? At a minimum, I mean that the entry should have only
> decimal digits, at most one decimal point, and at most two fractional
> digits. I know how to do this using Filter, Position, and Length, but
> that's a lot of typing for each currency entry and my databases have a
> lot of them.
> 
> A more elaborate test would allow commas, but only in "correct"
> positions. A misplaced comma in a number entry usually indicates a
> typing error. Letting it go unchecked, by just ignoring the commas,
> could be disastrous.
> 
> All my FMP databases are for personal use. I'm having a lot of trouble
> at the moment with the magic keyboard on my iMac, often typing "/"
> instead of ".". Manual verification of results usually uncovers the
> errors -€” I hope -€” but I would like to have them caught at the time of
> the mistake.
> 
> Charlie

The best way is to use a Number field and store it as only a number 
(including the decimal point and negative symbol) - there's no need to 
enter any commas at all and simply makes more data entry work than is 
needed. The correct commas and currency symbol can be added by 
formatting the field.

FileMaker Pro is rather forgiving about entering non-numeric characters 
being typed into Number fields - it simply ignored them, which means 
typing "15/65" would result in the amount 1,565 being stored rather 
than 15.65.

The Validation really only needs to make sure nothing except numbers, a 
decimal point, and a negative symbol are entered ... which is VERY easy 
since there is a Validation option of "Strict Data Type: Numeric Only". 
Any data entered failing that validation can display an error message 
(making sure to not let the user override the error message).


Another method for your particular "/" typo could be to set the 
Auto-enter by Calculation option for the Field to be:

      Substitute ( {insert number fieldname} ; "/" ; "." )

remembering to turn off the "Do not replace existing value" option. 
That way FileMaker Pro will automatically replace your "/" typo with a 
".". The only problem here is if you enter something unlikely such as 
"35/37.52", which would result in "35.37.52" begin stored (FileMaker 
Pro will ignore the second "." and any calculations will use the 
nonsense currency amount "35.3752").

Helpful Harry  :o)

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Thread

Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-02-21 19:05 -0800
  Re: Validating Currency Entries Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-02-22 19:43 +1300
    Re: Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-02-22 16:26 -0800
      Re: Validating Currency Entries Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-02-23 15:19 +1300
        Re: Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-02-24 18:16 -0800
      Re: Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-02-24 18:16 -0800
        Re: Validating Currency Entries Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-02-25 18:09 +1300
          Re: Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-03-03 23:34 -0800
            Re: Validating Currency Entries ursus.kirk@gmail.com - 2018-03-04 13:15 +0100
              Re: Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-03-07 12:50 -0800
                Re: Validating Currency Entries ursus.kirk@gmail.com - 2018-03-08 09:54 +0100
                Re: Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-03-11 18:15 -0700
            Re: Validating Currency Entries Howard Schlossberg <howard@nospam.fmprosolutions.com> - 2018-03-04 10:24 -0800
              Re: Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-03-07 12:50 -0800
  Re: Validating Currency Entries Erik Appeldoorn <ursus.kirk@gmail.com> - 2018-02-22 09:18 +0100
  Re: Validating Currency Entries Martin Τrautmann <t-usenet@gmx.net> - 2018-03-08 13:19 +0000
    Re: Validating Currency Entries csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-03-11 18:15 -0700

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