"Format" Question

[Al Reid]

First, I'm using vb2005. I have a string that is read from a barcode reader into a TextBox. The string is 6 characters long and
represents a date (mmddyy). I want to display it to the user in a date format of "mm/dd/yy" For example the barcode contains
"112303" and I want to format it to display "11/23/03"

If I use the microsoft.visua lbasic.strings. format with a format string of "##/##/##" or "00/00/00" I get the format string in the
TextBox. If I use the microsoft.visua lbasic.compatib ility.vb6.forma t it works as I expect.

What Am I missing here? I would prefer not to use the VB6 compatibility.

TIA,

--
Al Reid

[Armin Zingler]

"Al Reid" <ar*****@reidDA SHhome.com> schrieb

First, I'm using vb2005. I have a string that is read from a
barcode reader into a TextBox. The string is 6 characters long and
represents a date (mmddyy). I want to display it to the user in a
date format of "mm/dd/yy" For example the barcode contains "112303"
and I want to format it to display "11/23/03"

If I use the microsoft.visua lbasic.strings. format with a format
string of "##/##/##" or "00/00/00" I get the format string in the
TextBox. If I use the
microsoft.visua lbasic.compatib ility.vb6.forma t it works as I expect.

What Am I missing here? I would prefer not to use the VB6
compatibility.

Convert it to a Date variable first. Internally always work with it. To
convert to a string, use it's ToString method.

dim s as string = "112303"
dim d as date

d = date.parseexact (s, "MMddyy", nothing)
textbox1.text = d.tostring("MM\/dd\/yy")
Armin

[Al Reid]

"Armin Zingler" <az*******@free net.de> wrote in message news:ez******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...

"Al Reid" <ar*****@reidDA SHhome.com> schrieb

First, I'm using vb2005. I have a string that is read from a
barcode reader into a TextBox. The string is 6 characters long and
represents a date (mmddyy). I want to display it to the user in a
date format of "mm/dd/yy" For example the barcode contains "112303"
and I want to format it to display "11/23/03"

If I use the microsoft.visua lbasic.strings. format with a format
string of "##/##/##" or "00/00/00" I get the format string in the
TextBox. If I use the
microsoft.visua lbasic.compatib ility.vb6.forma t it works as I expect.

What Am I missing here? I would prefer not to use the VB6
compatibility.

Convert it to a Date variable first. Internally always work with it. To
convert to a string, use it's ToString method.

dim s as string = "112303"
dim d as date

d = date.parseexact (s, "MMddyy", nothing)
textbox1.text = d.tostring("MM\/dd\/yy")
Armin

Thanks, but that doesn't answer the question about the two variations of the Format function. Do you know the correct format string
required to make the Strings.Format function work properly?

--
Al Reid

[Armin Zingler]

"Al Reid" <ar*****@reidDA SHhome.com> schrieb

Thanks, but that doesn't answer the question about the two
variations of the Format function. Do you know the correct format
string required to make the Strings.Format function work properly?

No. They are just different:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en...gesInVBNET.asp

Armin

[Al Reid]

"Armin Zingler" <az*******@free net.de> wrote in message news:OS******** *****@TK2MSFTNG P14.phx.gbl...

"Al Reid" <ar*****@reidDA SHhome.com> schrieb

Thanks, but that doesn't answer the question about the two
variations of the Format function. Do you know the correct format
string required to make the Strings.Format function work properly?

No. They are just different:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en...gesInVBNET.asp

Armin

Ok, I see. I have to convert the string to a number (CInt in my case) before it will apply the specified numeric format string.

Thanks,

--

Al Reid

[Armin Zingler]

"Al Reid" <ar*****@reidDA SHhome.com> schrieb

Ok, I see. I have to convert the string to a number (CInt in my
case) before it will apply the specified numeric format string.

Why not convert to Date (because it is Date)?
Armin

[Al Reid]

"Armin Zingler" <az*******@free net.de> wrote in message news:OK******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP14.phx.gbl...

"Al Reid" <ar*****@reidDA SHhome.com> schrieb

Ok, I see. I have to convert the string to a number (CInt in my
case) before it will apply the specified numeric format string.

Why not convert to Date (because it is Date)?
Armin

Because I don't want to keep converting it back and forth. The displayed format is what I need in this specific instance. I agree
that I could have just converted it to a date as you previously suggested, BUT I wanted to understand why he Strings.Format function
did not give the expected results. I now know why and I learned something and that was what I was after.

Thanks again!

--
Al Reid

[Armin Zingler]

"Al Reid" <ar*****@reidDA SHhome.com> schrieb

Ok, I see. I have to convert the string to a number (CInt in my
case) before it will apply the specified numeric format string.
Why not convert to Date (because it is Date)?

Because I don't want to keep converting it back and forth.

I don't understand. If you use CInt, you also have to convert twice. First
from "112303" to Integer, then Format to a string. IMO, Integer isn't better
than Date (IMO it's even worse). Tomorrow, you might want to make
calculations with the day (add one week etc). You would have to change your
code again.

The
displayed format is what I need in this specific instance. I agree
that I could have just converted it to a date as you previously
suggested, BUT I wanted to understand why he Strings.Format function
did not give the expected results. I now know why and I learned
something and that was what I was after.

I see, but I still don't understand why you want to use Integer instead of
Date. :-)
Armin

[Phill. W]

"Al Reid" <ar*****@reidDA SHhome.com> wrote in message
news:uh******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...

I have a string that is read from a barcode reader into a TextBox. .. . . I want to display it to the user in a date format of "mm/dd/yy"
For example the barcode contains "112303" and I want to format
it to display "11/23/03"

If I use the microsoft.visua lbasic.strings. format with a format string
of "##/##/##" or "00/00/00" I get the format string in the TextBox.

These formatting characters only work on /numeric/ values.
To "format" something that's /already/ a String, you can use "@",
as in :

Strings.Format( "123456", "@@/@@/@@" )

If you're /sure/ about the order the value will appear in, just slice
and dice it, as in

userDate = "120345"
cleanDate = userDate.substr ing( 0, 2 ) _
& "/" & userDate.substr ing( 2, 2 ) _
& "/" & userDate.substr ing( 4, 2 )

HTH,
Phill W.

[Al Reid]

"Armin Zingler" <az*******@free net.de> wrote in message news:Ox******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP12.phx.gbl...

I don't understand. If you use CInt, you also have to convert twice. First
from "112303" to Integer, then Format to a string. IMO, Integer isn't better
than Date (IMO it's even worse). Tomorrow, you might want to make
calculations with the day (add one week etc). You would have to change your
code again.

The
displayed format is what I need in this specific instance. I agree
that I could have just converted it to a date as you previously
suggested, BUT I wanted to understand why he Strings.Format function
did not give the expected results. I now know why and I learned
something and that was what I was after.

I see, but I still don't understand why you want to use Integer instead of
Date. :-)
Armin

Armin,

I don't want to use the Integer, I want to use a formatted string, BUT to get that with the format function I needed to do this:

Microsoft.Visua lBasic.Strings. Format(CInt(str ingexpression), "00/00/00") in order to get the correct formatting. Sure, I could
have easily followed your advice and never understood why the format function did not work as expected, but instead I took the time
to understand it.

This is not the correct forum to discuss the details of my application and I wouldn't expect you to understand the details of what I
need to do with the decoded barcode data.

BTW, I've been programming for 25 years in many different languages and I am also a MCSD. I know what I need to do for my
application. I am new to VB.Net and now have learned more about the product and that's a good thing<g>. Given what I now Know
about the Strings.Format function, along with other formatting options, I'll choose the implementation that is most suitable for my
specific application.

Again, thanks.