Limiting Input Length Question

[TomJoyce]

I have found just one method for limiting input length in SB+ fields: setting a negative value (eg -10) in Length of Field.  There is just one problem with this: it automatically exits the field when the length is reached.  Is there any way to prevent this from happening, akin to the INPUT x,10_ syntax in uniVerse and uniData?

Tom Joyce

[precisonline]

As far as I know there is no feature in SB+ that is analogous to the _ feature on the U2 BASIC INPUT statement.  Usually this is handled via validation; let the user enter what they're going to enter and then bark at them if it's too long.  Not quite as elegant, but any given user usually won't hit it more than a couple of times.

[Tom Pellitieri]

A global solution would be to change the Autoextend Field Length option to "N" in User Security.  This would affect all fields in all screens.  They would then need to use the Extend Field Length key (default appears to be Shift+End) to enter a longer value.

Of course, this is an "all or nothing" solution.  Also, the system just ignores anything beyond the field length, so someone might not notice that it's missing during data entry.

--Tom

[davisd]

Negative length is supposed to move to the next field after the length is met, although there is at least one circumstance where it doesn't - if you are using it in a field in an mv grid, and you type all zeros, it doesn't auto-return out.

In addition to the other ideas, you can also clip the length of @VALUE in the validation process for the field.

[precisonline]

Really good ideas on this question!  Adding to what Tom said, if you disable the Auto-Extend Field Length system wide then you could data stack that extend length key in the Process Before on the prompts that you do want extended.  Something like this paragraph:

DATA "@12"

..and maybe call it "EXTEND.LENGTH" in /PD.P, then you could use EXTEND.LENGTH in any PB where the field should be extended. 

Probably more work than it's worth but definitely an interesting idea.  It does beg the question, tho.  Why isn't there a key that lets us disable the auto-extend field length?  I realize that with the new Xploding Architecture any changes to the fundamentals of SB+ are probably not going to happen, but I still wonder..

[rhettler]

@USER.KEYS<1,6>=0 should turn auto extend length off
@USER.KEYS<1,6>=1 should turn auto extend length on

[precisonline]

...and that can be done on any prompt - like on a Process Before or Default process?

[rhettler]

Yes.  Probably need to save off the user's personal setting into a work variable in the process before, set the flag as desired and then reset the variable to the user's original setting in the process after.

[precisonline]

Awesome, thanks!