check for certain Characters in a Serial number

[hartmut77]

Hello

I am trying to find a calculation that will bring up a dialog box if the user puts in specific characters into a serial number field. Specifically they may not enter the characters " O","? " or "1" . Trying to find out the best and fastest way to track a user putting in these characters.

Thanks

Dave

[-Queue-]

Users should have no access whatsoever ever to a serial number field. If you want to validate on any other field, you can use not ( PatternCount( field, " O" ) or PatternCount( field, "? " ) or PatternCount( field, "1" ) ) in either a field validation or script. If scripted, remove the 'not' to test for existence.

[hartmut77]

It is actually a vin number and I am trying to prevent the user from putting in those actual characters. So if they put in a "?" they should receive a warning dialog box. That is really what I am trying to do. So I am not sure the formula your gave me works.

Thanks

DAve

[kenneth2k1]

The calc that JT gave should work if you use it in field validation.

By the way, a good way to check if something works is to actually try it

[-Queue-]

The vin number should NOT be your serial field then. A serial field should be completely separate and unrelated to any of the data within the record. And users should never be allowed to modify it. They probably shouldn't even need to ever see it. Just imagine what happens if someone 'accidentally' modified it. If you had any records related to it, that relationship would be broken.

For all other fields, the field/script validation I suggested will work just fine.

[hartmut77]

Thank you for you tips. In this case the Vin number is used to look up car characteristics and they are lookup. The reason I wanted to do this is because Vin numbers entered in may not use certain characters.

I did actually try the calculation and I apologize because I had a typo I couldn't tell it was working at first. But as pointed out above - that qualifies me as a colossal idiot and we all need reminders when we make mistakes as soon as they happen so we can feel a little more uptight about asking questions. Thanks for the help JT and the concerns.