Limit to 255 characters

[LuckyMe]

I have a custom message to be displayed if a validation failed. The message is look liked below:

1. Only authorized user may edit data

2. Unlock CWC before editing

3. Select Labor Code from List

4. Estimate is in Approved/Hold status

5. Labor Code & Org Code has been used on other CWC

The length of the above message is 188 (chars)

I understand that I can have up to 255 chars in my custom message, however it just displays only (when validation failed)

1. Only authorized user may edit data

2. Unlock CWC before editing

3. Select Labor Code from List

4. Estimate is in Approved/Hold status

5. Labor Code & Org Code has been used on

That

[falkaholic]

What OS are you running?

[LuckyMe]

I am run on Windows 2000 FMP 5.5

Thank you

[LuckyMe]

I just found that the custom message is NOT "chop off" in the MAC, but the Windows 2000.

Both MAC and PC access to the network serving files. MAC runs FMP 5.0, and Windows run FMP 5.5

Is it compatable issue here? Please help.

Thank you

[Anatoli]

That will probably have something to do with different sizes of system font.

[LuckyMe]

Thank you for your information, but I am not quite sure what do you mean by "system font".

I tried to look at the FMP Help, it says "Display a custom message if an entered value doesn't meet the validation requirements Display custom message if validation fails, then type a message (up to 255 characters)....."

I may miss something, but it does not mention any restriction here for custom message.

Thank you.

[falkaholic]

Try adding a line break right before the text that is chopped off.

It might be because it is too long width-wise. If you see the text that was chopped off below, then you know its not the number of charactors but the actull desplay of it.

[LuckyMe]

Thank you for your info. I will give it a try. Meantime, why does it not happen on MAC?

Thank you

[The Bridge]

My guess is that the problem lies in the fixed size of the dialog box that appears; that is, the number of lines in your custom message are more than the dialog can actually display, even though you have fewer than 255 characters.

The only options I can see in this situation are:

1. Shorten your custom message, i.e. fewer lines

2. Create a User Message field, either a calculation or a global field set by a validation script, which will display your error message directly on the layout.

[LuckyMe]

Thank you for your information. I will try it out, but I think this FMP's bug because like I mentioned before I workd s fine under MAC.

Thanks again.

[Kurt Knippel]

Unlikely to be a bug, because MacOS uses different fonts, different sizes and a different rendering engine than does Windows. This will result in a different look for resultant text and thus may cause what you are seeing. Not a bug and not fixable in any way by any party, except for yourself, by modifying the text to fit (either both platforms or a special message for each platform).

[LuckyMe]

Hi

I understand what you explained to me and I agree with you, but I still think it is a bug regardles what cause because it is not display all 255 chars as it mentioned in the user guide or online help.

It is NOT work they way it said.

Thank you

[Anatoli]

Did you try to use small system font on Windows? Do that first and then complain against FM if it doesn't help.

FileMaker Inc. is not lying usually in specs. Yes, there are bugs in FM, but not of such character.

The best will be using special layout for long messages or plugin for custom dialog boxes like http://www.24u.cz

[ldebondt]

Guess Windows doesn't allow for text wrap in this situation. Have you tried to use a "carriage return" to put cut-off text on next line of error message???

[The Bridge]

I'd only concede that it's a FileMaker bug if the following did not fit in your Windows dialog box:

1. Only authorized user may edit data, 2. Unlock CWC before editing, 3. Select Labor Code from List, 4. Estimate is in Approved/Hold status, 5. Labor Code & Org Code has been used on other CWC

Not as nicely formatted as with carriage returns between each item, but I believe it is those carriage returns (i.e. too many lines for the dialog to hold, not characters) that are causing Windows to choke on the custom message.

[LuckyMe]

Peter,

Thank you very much for your solution, we did try your way before I posted this topic, and it works fine eventhough it is not look nice and clear to the users.

Why does it work in MAC, but PC? I think Filemaker should maker the dialog window (to show custom message) in PC bigger like in MAC.

Thank you