I have a contact card where I have a entry field in the background to allow data entry for a phone number and then when the person clicks off it a formated (calc) field displays the phone number.

ex- they enter: 2034574594 the field displays: (203) 457-4594

It works great in the app - no problems ever. BUT when I IWP the dbase I can not enter in this field.

Is there a way around this? Does it happen with all calculated fields? or just the way I set up mine?

Any advise would be helpful.

ONE last thing - Is there a way to turn off the inactivity button for the host? I leave my computer on at work, host my dbase from there and try to connect but since my work computer has been inactive on the doc for more than 60 minutes, it doesn't allow external log ons. Any way around this?

Does it happen with all calculated fields?

First off isn't formatting of entries made in calc'fields but autoenter calc's with the update feature unchecked.

I made a small test with this calc' typed into the autoenter calc':

Replace ( Replace ( Replace ( Filter(Self;"0123456789") ; 1 ; 0 ; "(" ) ; 5 ; 0 ; ") ") ; 10 ; 0 ; "-" )

...and I can't copy your problem, because when you commit the record is the formatting done, not before ... this is where the native interface differs quite a lot from the IWP'ed ... everything needs to get committed.

If you need formatting right after you've left the field is CWP required with a homebrewed interface utilizing some javascripting...

I've just noticed that you are not on fm9 yet, so the portability of the code makes no sence, so you need to substitute the "Self" with the actual fieldname...

http://www.filemaker.com/help/FunctionsRef-317.html

--sd

Here is my field Definition:

"(" & Left(Main Number ~ Operator;3) & ") " & Middle(Main Number ~ Operator;4;3) & "-" & Right(Main Number ~ Operator;4)

This looks up the value in Main - Operator field and formats it.

I have both fields overlapping - only the one field modifiable.

But when I access it through the web - I can not enter into either field.

Is there a quick fix? or do I just make the field a text field and not worry about the formating?

Any suggestions.

And you are correct, I am still using 8 and I am OX tiger.

That explains it! You have the calc'field covering the other, it's about time to change it into a single autoenter textfield.

I have included both mine and your calc, working in each their field.

--sd

format.zip

Thank you very much - I will check it out.

Also - since you seem to be the source of great knowledge :

When I use IWP and a person signs in - they go to the layout (data card) and on one layout it allows a person to just click on the field and modify it, and on other layouts they have to click the edit button, then tab all the way to the field they want to change. If they pass the field, whoops, gotta start tabbing all over again.

Do you know why this is?

Doesn't shift tab go in the opposite direction?

--sd

I never knew that!! amazing! just those little simple things!

But why can I just curser over and edit and other layouts I have to Tab to edit? Any clue?

Also - I tried your descrips and didn't get them to work. I'll keep trying.