Interpret code that used a field that was a string and now the field is a number

[records333]

I inherited a report and I'm learning about variable. I would like assistance of interpreting and recommendations on how to refine:

Extending code that uses a string fieldglobal stringvar a1cvalue := {table.LAST_VALUE};

if mid ({table.LAST_VALUE},4,1) = "-"
then a1cvalue := mid({table.LAST_VALUE},1,3)
else
if mid ({table.LAST_VALUE},5,1) = "-"
then a1cvalue := mid({table.LAST_VALUE},1,4)
else
if mid ({table.LAST_VALUE},3,1) = "-"
then a1cvalue := mid({table.LAST_VALUE},1,2)
else
if mid ({table.LAST_VALUE},2,1) = "-"
then a1cvalue := mid({table.LAST_VALUE},1,1)
else
a1cvalue := "?Val";


I would like to refine the above using a field that is a number vs. a string.

 

[Charliy]

global stringvar a1cvalue := totext({table.LAST_VALUE});

You mey need to play with the formatting to get it to match wihat the text field looked like.

 

[SkipVought]

Are you absolutely certain that the field is now NUMERIC rather than TEXT?

Just because all the CHARACTERS are numeric digits, does not mean that this value is a NUMBER, that is a value that you need to do math with.

An EmployeeID that is all numeric digits is not a NUMBER. It is an IDENTIFIER that happens to be entirely numeric, but you'll NEVER divide the EmployeeID by 2, would you? An IDENTIFIER and a NUMBER are stored differently in you computer.

So I suspect that this field is STILL a TEXT field and ought to be handled as such even if any VALUE has all numeric characters.

Skip,
[sub]
Just traded in my OLD subtlety...
for a NUance![/sub]