----- Original Message ----- From: "Walker, Buddy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, October 24, 2002 7:32 PM Subject: RE: Extra character after null -0-
> I have seen users put in -0- on forms. Also if data was loaded from a file and the file had -0- in it to represent a null value but the RBase null was set to ' ' when loaded, R:Base sees this as just text and loads the -0- Ain't users great, Buddy? How about 0-- and --0 as well? Naw, not possible you say. Don't you believe it! Seriously, as a user <g>, this a great advertisement for NOT NULL in the constraints and a default value being set. However, if anybody does have text versions of -0- as null with null set to nothing then I'm fairly sure R:Base will realise this is you change null back to the default then to nothing again. The only exceptions will be where there is a "hidden" space. You should also be able to type -0- as a null when that is the setting for null - but, again, watch out for spaces. Another thing that could be done is to write a command file that updates the table/columns with nulls where the values are outside the permitted range. Generally, the author will know what is allowable in a column so if it's, say a value between 1 and 100, you can update everything that is outside that range with your preferred default - 999, perhaps. Then you can ask the users to correct the "errors" or accept the default - they'll love that. Dates are particularly susceptible to mis-keying so that always keeps users busy and out of your hair! Back in the last century - and not in R:Base - I often used to come across dates in the 91st century (or is that the 92nd? - well you know what I mean!) so delivery lead time was never going to be a problem. That particular piece of software's rules allowed any date in the future so 31/12/9199 was just fine. Now, though, 31/12/0202 would happily fail that test. Fun here, ain't it?? Regards, Alastair. ================================================ TO SEE MESSAGE POSTING GUIDELINES: Send a plain text email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message body, put just two words: INTRO rbase-l ================================================ TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send a plain text email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In the message body, put just two words: UNSUBSCRIBE rbase-l ================================================ TO SEARCH ARCHIVES: http://www.mail-archive.com/rbase-l%40sonetmail.com/
