How to insert number strings and keep data type numeric?

[zencalc]

The report I'm creating has a header I need to define with formulas and parameters. My problem is how to keep a number, for example, 00, or 00401, to display exactly as I type them in? Another example, I have a 15-digit number field that only has 9 digits, so the field should be NNNNNNNNNbbbbbb, where "b" represents blank spaces. It has to be kept as a number data type. If I use a formula and put it in quotations, it keeps the correct digits and/or spacing, but then of course the data type beomes string. Any help here would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Brian

 

[dgillz]

You should not be typing anything into crystal unless it is a formula field or a parameter field at execution time.

In the case of a formula, enclsing the number with quotes will allow it to be treated as a string.

In the case of a parameter field, make sure the data type is set to string.

If there is another case I missed, please let me know.

Software Sales, Training, Implementation and Support for Exact Macola, eSynergy, and Crystal Reports

http://www.trianglepartners.com

dgilsdorf@trianglepartners.com

 

[zencalc]

Let me clarify a little more... This report is exported to a csv format and then sent as part of our government-mandated HIPAA-compliance. There are 3-4 header and footer record lines sandwiched around (alot of)member data. I could just manually key a header, but that some of the data in the header relies on date and time, and some of the footer data relies on the report data itself. So, let me ask this question then... if I create a formula field, and enter "00", when I export to CSV is it a number or a string? IF a string, I need some way to get 00, or the other examples I gave to keep numeric format. Is there a way to perhaps fix the number of digit in a field, and fill with zeros if not full? Thanks.
Brian

 

[synapsevampire]

You can explicitly convert numerics to strings and control the number of characters using something like:

totext(23,"000&quot

Which would return 023

Replace 23 with your field/formula name.

-k