Masked Input
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Masked input is a predefined format that the user must follow when entering information.  DMS has three fields where masked input can be used:


  1. Order Number
  2. Part Number
  3. Job Identification


Numeric entries, such as time per piece, can also have a numeric mask.  For numeric masks, enter the number of digits you want to appear after the decimal point.  Valid entries are from 0 to 5.


Masks for the above fields are setup in Terms and Settings. 


For text entries, the following are special characters that can be used in a text mask:


Character

Meaning of Mask

!

If a ! character appears in the mask, optional characters are represented in the returned string as leading blanks. If a ! character is not present, optional characters are represented in the returned string as trailing blanks.        

>

If a > character appears in the mask, all characters that follow are in uppercase until the end of the mask or until a < character is encountered.        

<

If a < character appears in the mask, all characters that follow are in lowercase until the end of the mask or until a > character is encountered.        

<>

If these two characters appear together in a mask, no case checking is done and the data is formatted with the case present in the Value parameter.        

\

The character that follows a \ character is a literal character. Use this character to use any of the mask special characters as a literal.

L

The L character requires an alphabetic character only in this position (A-Z, a-z).

l

The l character permits only an alphabetic character in this position, but doesn't require it.        

A

The A character requires an alphanumeric character only in this position (A-Z, a-z, 0-9).        

a

The a character permits an alphanumeric character in this position, but doesn't require it.

C

The C character requires an arbitrary character in this position.        

c

The c character permits an arbitrary character in this position, but doesn't require it.        

0

The 0 (zero) character requires a numeric character only in this position.        

9

The 9 character permits a numeric character in this position, but doesn't require it.

#

The # character permits a numeric character or a plus or minus sign in this position, but doesn't require it.

:

The : character is used to separate hours, minutes, and seconds in times. If the character that separates hours, minutes, and seconds is different in the regional settings of the Control Panel, that character is substituted in the returned string.