How do I keep the leading zeros on an export from FM 4.1? The field name is called "mail_code", it is a text field not a numeric field and there isn't any calculations going on.

Basically this is what the data is in the "mail_code" field:

0234

0061

0432

0003

0893

etc...

what I get:

234

61

432

3

893

HELP!!

Josh

I'd suggest double-checking the it isn't a number field. How are you exporting -- tab delimited or something else?

I am positive it isn't a date or number field. I have tried exporting CSV, TAB, CSV, DBF and MER. I have also tried all of the character formats, Windows, DOS, Mac and Lotus.

I am positive it isn't a date or number field.

Yes I am "Positive" and yes I did go over to the actual machine t check. Why would I lie to ya?

What software are you using to open and look at the exported file? In other words, are you sure that it isn't the target application that is stripping the leading zeroes?

quote:

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Originally posted by BobWeaver:

What software are you using to open and look at the exported file? In other words, are you sure that it isn't the target application that is stripping the leading zeroes?

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Bob has a good point. For example, the standard behaviour of Excel 97, is to strip off leading zeroes, if you "drag" the file into Excel. If you import it with the File->Open command in Excel, you must change the default data type value of the column containing the values. I don't remember what it is called, sorry...

/Daniel