Edit Mask settings are used to restrict what data can be entered into the Form Field when it is in edit mode (i.e. when the online user is typing a value in the field on your EPConnect website).
Edit Masks are useful for helping users to enter values correctly in your online forms, so that the data pulled back into EventPro is properly formatted.
Figure 648: Defining Edit Mask
Edit Mask
An Edit Mask is a combination of specially designated characters that specify what type of data can or must be entered, and in what pattern.
The instructions below provide a brief overview and some examples. For more detailed information, see the topic Edit Mask under the User Field Definition Process.
Date/Time: You can define an Edit Mask for Date, Time and Date/Time fields, using the Standard and Custom Date-Time specifiers described in the topic Display Format under User Field Definition Setup.
Text: A Text-type user field Edit Mask is created from combining the Metacharacters, Special Characters, and Literal Characters described in the table below:
Character |
Description |
Metacharacters: Used to represent a range of symbols. |
|
0 |
Digit must be entered (0 to 9). Plus (+) and minus (–) signs not allowed. |
9 |
Digit (0 to 9) or space can be entered. Plus (+) and minus (–) signs are not allowed. |
# |
Digit (0 to 9) or space can be entered. Plus (+) and minus (–) signs are allowed. |
L |
Letter (A to Z) must be entered. |
l |
Letter (A to Z) can be entered. |
A |
Letter or digit must be entered. |
a |
Letter or digit can be entered. |
C |
Any character or a space must be entered. |
c |
Any character or a space can be entered. |
Special Characters: Used to control the case of the input string, and represent delimiters. |
|
> |
Converts all characters that follow to uppercase. |
< |
Converts all characters that follow to lowercase. |
\ |
Metacharacters or special characters immediately following \ will be displayed literally. For example, \A is displayed as just the letter A, instead of being used to represent a required alphanumeric character. |
Literal Characters |
|
- ( ) . / Letters and Numbers that are not metacharacters (e.g. not A, a, L, l, C, C, 0, 9) |
These are literal characters. They will be inserted automatically into the field as determined by the edit mask. When entering a value in the field, the User will not have to enter these characters; the cursor will skip over them. |
The examples below demonstrate just a few ways of combining Metacharacters, Special Characters, and Literal Characters to control the values that can be entered in a Text user field.
Each example below provides:
•The Edit Mask (combination of characters that you enter in the Edit Mask field of the Form Field in EPConnect Setup)
•How the field appears online before a value is entered
•How the field appears online after a sample value has been entered
Phone Number with Area Code
(000) 000-0000
Phone Number with Letters Allowed
000.AAA.AAAA
Canadian Postal Code
L0L 0L0
Set-Length Number with Hyphens
000-00-0000
ISBN 13
000-0-00000-000-0
ISBN 10
0-0000-00000
IP Address
099.099.099.099
Numbers with Optional +/- Sign
#999
Letter & Number Combination
AAA\AB\C-000123
Edit Mask Error Text
If the online user enters a value incorrectly in the field, and attempts to continue with the online form, EPConnect will display a warning.
In this Edit Mask Error Text field, enter the text of that warning.
Edit Mask Examples in EPConnect
Figure 649: EPConnect Fields with Edit Masks
Figure 650: EPConnect Fields with Values Entered
Figure 651: Edit Mask Error in EPConnect
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