Match regex is a great addition to 4Dv11, but what I really need is a function that takes a string value, a data type and tells me if it’s valid or not.
I’m no regex expert, just compiled some online examples into one function. This is only a starting point, but it completes my needs for the time being. There is a whole forum section devoted to this online.
` ----------------------------------------------------
` User name (OS):
` Date and time: 11/02/10, 15:29:39
` ----------------------------------------------------
` Method: UTIL_ValidateDataByType
` Description
` We want to have a method that will validate data by it's type
`
` Parameters
` ----------------------------------------------------
`$0 returns true or false based on validity
`$1 text data to validate cast as String
`$2 longint type of data expected
`$3 boolean show alerts (optional) assumed false
C_BOOLEAN($0;$vb_Return;$3;$vb_ShowAlerts)
C_TEXT($1;$vt_Data;$vt_Pattern)
C_LONGINT($2;$vl_DataType;$vl_ParameterCount)
` count the parameters
$vl_ParameterCount:=Count parameters
` assume we'll fail
$vb_Return:=False
` assume we don't want to see alerts
$vb_ShowAlerts:=False
If ($vl_ParameterCount>=2)
` lets check them
$vt_Data:=$1
$vl_DataType:=$2
If ($vl_ParameterCount>=3)
$vb_ShowAlerts:=$3
End if
Case of
: ($vl_DataType=Is Alpha Field ) | ($vl_DataType=Is Text )
` we passed in a string didn't we?
$vb_Return:=True
: ($vl_DataType=Is Boolean )
$vt_Data:=Lowercase($vt_Data)
Case of
: (($vt_Data="true") | ($vt_Data="false"))
` expecting "true" or "false"
$vb_Return:=True
: ($vb_ShowAlerts)
ALERT("Expecting 'True' or 'False' not "+$vt_Data)
End case
: ($vl_DataType=Is Integer ) | ($vl_DataType=Is LongInt )
` integer only, no size restriction
$vt_Pattern:="[-+]?\\b\\d+\\b"
Case of
: (Match regex($vt_Pattern;$vt_Data))
$vb_Return:=True
: ($vb_ShowAlerts)
ALERT("Expecting signed integer not "+$vt_Data)
End case
: (($vl_DataType=Is Real ) | ($vl_DataType=Is Float ))
`decimal
$vt_Pattern:="[-+]?((\\b[0-9]+)?\\.)?[0-9]+\\b"
Case of
: (Match regex($vt_Pattern;$vt_Data))
$vb_Return:=True
: ($vb_ShowAlerts)
ALERT("Expecting decimal value not "+$vt_Data)
End case
: ($vl_DataType=Is Date )
` Date d/m/yy and dd/mm/yyyy 1/1/00 through 31/12/99 and 01/01/1900 through 31/12/2099
` ie europeon or american style dates accepted, deliminated with '-' ' ' '/' OR '.'
$vt_Pattern:="\\b(0?[1-9]|[12][0-9]|3[01])[- /.](0?[1-9]|1[012])[- /.](19|20)?[0-9]{2}\\b"
Case of
: (Match regex($vt_Pattern;$vt_Data;1))
$vb_Return:=True
: ($vb_ShowAlerts)
ALERT("Expecting d/m/yy or dd/mm/yyyy not "+$vt_Data)
End case
: ($vl_DataType=Is Time )
` Time in 24 hours format with optional seconds
$vt_Pattern:="^(([0-1]?[0-9])|([2][0-3])):([0-5]?[0-9])(:([0-5]?[0-9]))?$"
Case of
: (Match regex($vt_Pattern;$vt_Data))
$vb_Return:=True
: ($vb_ShowAlerts)
ALERT("Expecting HH:MM or HH:MM:SS in 24hr format not "+$vt_Data)
End case
Else
` not checking blobs, pictures, subtables. just move on
$vb_Return:=True
End case
Else
$vb_Return:=False
End if
$0:=$vb_Return
Cowboy Coder 