When to use integer, when to use string?

[deko]

I've heard it said that you only want to use a number (e.g. integer, long, etc.)
if you are going to do calculations or some kind of math with it. Is this true?
For example, I run a validate routine that checks an address entry - if
something's missing in the entry, the code does different things based on what
is missing, indicated my a 2 or a 3 - integer values. Should I use string data
types here? Does it matter?

Public Sub Validate()
Dim fail As Integer
On Error GoTo HandleErr
fail = 1
If IsNull(Me!Addre ssDescription) Then fail = 2
If (IsNull(Me!Addr essDescription) Or Me!AddressDescr iption = "Main") And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss1) And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss2) And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss3) And _
IsNull(Me!City) And _
IsNull(Me!State ) And _
IsNull(Me!Zipco de) And _
IsNull(Me!Count ry) _
Then fail = 3
Exit_Here:
Exit Sub
HandleErr:
Select Case Err.Number
Case Else
modHandler.LogE rr (Me.Form.Name)
Resume Exit_Here
End Select
End Sub

[MGFoster]

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Usually, numeric values process faster than strings.

In your code you have Fail = x. The question would be what are you
going to do with the final Fail value? Display to a user? What sense
will a number mean to a user? Use in a lookup of an error message?
Makes sense 'cuz of faster processing of numeric values - hopefully,
to find the error string for the error number (Fail value).

HTH,

MGFoster:::mgf0 0 <at> earthlink <decimal-point> net
Oakland, CA (USA)

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deko wrote:

I've heard it said that you only want to use a number (e.g. integer, long, etc.)
if you are going to do calculations or some kind of math with it. Is this true?
For example, I run a validate routine that checks an address entry - if
something's missing in the entry, the code does different things based on what
is missing, indicated my a 2 or a 3 - integer values. Should I use string data
types here? Does it matter?

Public Sub Validate()
Dim fail As Integer
On Error GoTo HandleErr
fail = 1
If IsNull(Me!Addre ssDescription) Then fail = 2
If (IsNull(Me!Addr essDescription) Or Me!AddressDescr iption = "Main") And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss1) And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss2) And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss3) And _
IsNull(Me!City) And _
IsNull(Me!State ) And _
IsNull(Me!Zipco de) And _
IsNull(Me!Count ry) _
Then fail = 3
Exit_Here:
Exit Sub
HandleErr:
Select Case Err.Number
Case Else
modHandler.LogE rr (Me.Form.Name)
Resume Exit_Here
End Select
End Sub

[Mike Storr]

Add on top of that lower memory overhead, smaller storage requirements and
the fact that most of the functions you'll come across and constants use
them in some way. Using strings primarily would require a whole lot of
conversions to accomplish most tasks.

Mike Storr
www.veraccess.com

"MGFoster" <[e-mail] > wrote in message
news:jn******** ***********@new sread1.news.pas .earthlink.net. ..

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Usually, numeric values process faster than strings.

In your code you have Fail = x. The question would be what are you
going to do with the final Fail value? Display to a user? What sense
will a number mean to a user? Use in a lookup of an error message?
Makes sense 'cuz of faster processing of numeric values - hopefully,
to find the error string for the error number (Fail value).

HTH,

MGFoster:::mgf0 0 <at> earthlink <decimal-point> net
Oakland, CA (USA)

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iQA/AwUBQBGCTYechKq OuFEgEQKutACgwZ C8x4rrgvR6iOIky I6XG1r8hXcAnAwR
CalVNm+9YyHBEAe 793Wn+3As
=80Fw
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deko wrote:

I've heard it said that you only want to use a number (e.g. integer, long, etc.) if you are going to do calculations or some kind of math with it. Is this true? For example, I run a validate routine that checks an address entry - if
something's missing in the entry, the code does different things based on what is missing, indicated my a 2 or a 3 - integer values. Should I use string data types here? Does it matter?

Public Sub Validate()
Dim fail As Integer
On Error GoTo HandleErr
fail = 1
If IsNull(Me!Addre ssDescription) Then fail = 2
If (IsNull(Me!Addr essDescription) Or Me!AddressDescr iption = "Main") And _ IsNull(Me!Addre ss1) And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss2) And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss3) And _
IsNull(Me!City) And _
IsNull(Me!State ) And _
IsNull(Me!Zipco de) And _
IsNull(Me!Count ry) _
Then fail = 3
Exit_Here:
Exit Sub
HandleErr:
Select Case Err.Number
Case Else
modHandler.LogE rr (Me.Form.Name)
Resume Exit_Here
End Select
End Sub

[Salad]

deko wrote:

I've heard it said that you only want to use a number (e.g. integer, long, etc.)
if you are going to do calculations or some kind of math with it. Is this true?
For example, I run a validate routine that checks an address entry - if
something's missing in the entry, the code does different things based on what
is missing, indicated my a 2 or a 3 - integer values. Should I use string data
types here? Does it matter?

Public Sub Validate()
Dim fail As Integer
On Error GoTo HandleErr
fail = 1
If IsNull(Me!Addre ssDescription) Then fail = 2
If (IsNull(Me!Addr essDescription) Or Me!AddressDescr iption = "Main") And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss1) And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss2) And _
IsNull(Me!Addre ss3) And _
IsNull(Me!City) And _
IsNull(Me!State ) And _
IsNull(Me!Zipco de) And _
IsNull(Me!Count ry) _
Then fail = 3
Exit_Here:
Exit Sub
HandleErr:
Select Case Err.Number
Case Else
modHandler.LogE rr (Me.Form.Name)
Resume Exit_Here
End Select
End Sub

Are you referring to your flag FAIL? I so, I doubt it matters much more than am
gnat on a summer day.

Do you add phone numbers? No. Make it text
Do you add social security numbers? No. Make it text
Do you add zip codes? No. Make it text

Do you add the dollar amounts in a checkbook. Make it a number, usually currency.

However, as a flag? Who cares. Use common sense to determine the type of storage
value for a flag.

[deko]

great... that's what I was curious about.

I find myself needing to pass a variable to other subs to indicates count,
yes/no, or some other condition... I will start using byte data type instead of
string.

[Pink Panther]

Why don't you use constants and enums rather than

if this then
fail = 2
else
fail = 3
end if

'whatever else you want to return

'put in a class mode
Option Compare Database

Public Enum CustomersDataEr ror
cdeCouldNotOpen Connection
cdeCouldNotOpen Recordset
cdeNoRecords
cdeCouldNotFind Record
End Enum

Public Event CustomersError( error As CustomersDataEr ror)
Public Function GetCustomerName (ByRef CustomerId As Long) As String

Dim rs As ADODB.Recordset

Set rs = New ADODB.Recordset

rs.Open "Customers" , CurrentProject. Connection

rs.Filter = "Customerid = " & CustomerId

If rs.EOF Then
RaiseEvent CustomersError( CustomersDataEr ror.cdeNoRecord s)
End If
End Function

Not a perfect example but enums are easier to use and remember than
number like 2, 3 etc and less error prone to spelling mistakes like
string and will be picked up by the compiler if you are going out of
bounds. The are also displayed in the Intellisense to make matters
even sweeter.

Hit F2 in the code window and check out all the enums and how they are
used.

eg

Property Mode As ConnectModeEnum
Member of ADODB.Connectio n

Const adModeRead = 1
Member of ADODB.ConnectMo deEnum

Enums can be very useful to make your code more readible and logically
organised IMO (anyone else got a differing opinion?)

Peter

"deko" <dj****@hotmail .com> wrote in message news:<JZ******* ***********@new ssvr27.news.pro digy.com>...

great... that's what I was curious about.

I find myself needing to pass a variable to other subs to indicates count,
yes/no, or some other condition... I will start using byte data type instead of
string.