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Get to know the input mask characters to create proper input

masks (Access 2000/2002/2003)



Input masks are used to format and control the type of data that

a user can enter. The masks are built with literal characters,

such as hyphens and parentheses, as well as with special symbols

that restrict the type of characters (letters and numbers) that

can be entered. Access provides several common input masks for

items such as phone numbers and Social Security numbers. These

predefined input masks save you the trouble of creating them. But

if you need to create your own mask, you'll need to know which

characters to use. The list below outlines these characters and

their meanings:



0       Digit only (entry required)

9       Digit only (entry not required)

#       Digit, + or - sign, or space (entry not required)

L       Letter (entry required)

?       Letter (entry not required)

A       Letter or digit (entry required)

a       Letter or digit (entry not required)

&       Any character or space (entry required)

C       Any character or space (entry not required)

,:;-/  Decimal point, thousands, date and time separators

<       Converting characters to the right to lowercase

>       Converting characters to the right to uppercase

!       Filling the mask from left to right

        (include it anywhere)

\        Displaying the character that follows as a literal

        character in the entry



You can use these characters to create very simple masks, like:

000, which dictates the field must contain three numbers.

However, you can also create very complex masks, like:

>L????L?000L9. This mask says the field should consist of a

required letter, up to four optional letters, one required

letter, one optional letter, three required digits, one required

letter, and one optional digit (all letters are uppercase).



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