Substr Function

[DKinsley]

I have a script that "walks" through all the records in an Access database table to find the largest file ID number. This script has been working correctly. Now I need to add a prefix to all the ID numbers. This requires me to modify my script so it ignores the one character prefix (prefix is either a "T" or a "Y"). I was trying to use the Substr function to accomplish this.

This is the original script that works:

while(!oDB.isEOF()){
 if(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value > nMaxID)
  nMaxID = Number(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value);
 oDB.next();
}

Below is how I tried to modify the script above to ignore the prefix but I get an error that says Substr is not defined. What have I got wrong?

while(!oDB.isEOF()){
 if(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value > nMaxID)
  nMaxID = Number(Substr(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value,2,12);
 oDB.next();
}

[Magus069]

Hi there,

If I'm right, the substr function does not have a capital S...

while(!oDB.isEOF()){ 

     if(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value > nMaxID) 

          nMaxID = Number(substr(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value,2,12); 

     oDB.next(); 

} 

[DKinsley]

Unfortunately, with the lower case "s" I am still getting the substr undefined error.

[jasotastic81]

substr is a method in JavaScript. Should you use xfa.record.DataConnection.FileName.value.substr(2,12) ?

[DKinsley]

substr appears to be a Formcalc method only - not JavaScript. Your suggestion stopped the error but it does not appear to be doing what i expected. Are you sure it can alos be used in JavaScript?

[jasotastic81]

Here's the method working using JavaScript.

Maybe the problem is with how the method works. The first parameter is the starting location of the substring, and the second is the number of characters to take. So, from your example, you start with character 2 and take 12 characters. If you only want to ignore the first character, try substr(1,12). That starts at the first character in the string. (Keep in mind that characters in the string are numbered starting from 0.)

[Magus069]

Yes it can be used in JavaScript... Just one last thing, make sure that your value is a String before using substr.. so try using value.toString().substr(2,5)

[DKinsley]

Does substr have to be used in the calculate event? I have all my script in the exit event.

[jasotastic81]

No, that's just where I put mine for that example.

[radzmar]

I'm just quessing because I cannot create a similar scenario at my end right now, but you should try to store the records value in a variable before you apply the substr() method.

while(!oDB.isEOF()){  
if(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value > nMaxID) 
var vValue = xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value;

nMaxID = Number(vValue, 2,12);  
oDB.next(); 
}

[DKinsley]

radzmar,

Your script does not have substr in it? Is it missing?

The script is going out to the database and looking for the largest number. The numbers start with either "T" or "Y" so I need to have the script ignore the first text character and only look at the remaining numeric digits. I would thing the substr would need to be run before the value is saved in a variable. 

[DKinsley]

This is now working. Thank you to all the responders for helping me solve this issue.

This works:

while(!oDB.isEOF()){
 if(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value > nMaxID)
  nMaxID = Number(xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value.substr(1,12));
  Test.rawValue = nMaxID;
 oDB.next();
}

Thank you!

[DKinsley]

I am mistaken. The script above is still not working correctly.

radzmar: your script does not include "substr" - is it missing or can I use Number(vValue, 2, 5) the same way as substr ?

[radzmar]

Yes, the code got a bit flawed by copy and paste at  my mobile I'm afraid :-O

[DKinsley]

Thanks for your help. When you can, please post what your script should look like.

Thank you

[radzmar]

Here'e the complete script I was thinking of.

while (!oDB.isEOF()) {   
  if (xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value > nMaxID) {
       var vValue = xfa.record.DataConnection1.FileName.value;
       nMaxID = Number(vValue.substr(1,12));
  }
  oDB.next();
} 

[DKinsley]

Thank you. I will give it a try. My concern is that the vValue will not find the largest number in the database column when each value starts with text ("T" or "F"). Example T1012 or F1013