Advice on how to manipulate data

[Tim White]

Hi All,

I'm using a third party database software which handles jobs, orders, etc but also does invoicing.

Now this is where I would like some help, attached below is a sample of the invoice is stored.

SampleInv.jpg

Currently the invoice is printed out in courier font and looks exactly like it does in the InvoiceText field. Now the problem that I want to produce my own invoices from this, but the only place where the Sch No, with the description, quantity and price is stored is in this InvoiceText Field.

To make matters more annoying Schedule number doesn't always start on the same line, sometimes the description runs over two lines and the gap between line numbers doesn't always increase by 1.

What is the best way of getting this data? Once I have got to the data then I need to split it up, probably using Instr (unless anyone else knows of a better way) to then store this in a more manageable & usable way.

I would appreciate any help you may be able to give me!

[TheSmileyCoder]

A few questions:
Is the invoiceText field something you currently hvae available from within Access?

Im unsure what you mean by the part " the gap between line numbers doesn't always increase by 1."
When do it increase by 1, and when do it not?

From the example you have provided, it seems that it would be quite hard to make an algorithm that can determine where to split the schedule number from the description, so it might be that you can at best get a form that makes a suggestion on how to split the field, but still require a user to confirm or deny the split.
Whether this is acceptable, is for you to decide.