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Display Item Format Mask Symbols for CHAR Values

The following table shows the symbols most commonly used in CHAR format masks.

Symbol

Description

FM

Fill mode: accept string as typed, do not right justify. Allows end user input string to be shorter than the format mask

X

Any alphabetic, numeric, or special character. End user input string must be exact length specified by format mask.

9

Numeric characters only. End user input string must be exact length specified by format mask.

A

Alphabetic characters only. End user input string must be exact length specified by format mask.

Display item format mask symbols for CHAR values Examples

Example

Format Mask

Result

XXAA

Will accept: --ab, abcd, 11ab; will not accept: --11, ab11, or ab--(must use XX to accept hyphens and other special characters).

XXXX

Will accept any combination of alphabetic, numeric, or special characters: --ab, abcd, 11ab, --11, ab11, or ab--. Will accept 1234 or abcd; will not accept 123 or abc. (To accept input string shorter than mask, use FMXXXX.)

FMXX99

Will accept ab12, ab1, ab followed by two spaces; will not accept 12ab or abcd. (To produce the Oracle Forms Version 3.0 Alpha datatype, use FMAAAAAA.)

 


About display items

Creating a display item

About formatting display item values with format masks

Assigning a format mask to a display item

Display item format mask symbols for NUMBER values

Display item format mask symbols for DATE values

Format Mask property