Microsoft KB Archive/120567

= ACC: How to Replace the Default Input Mask Error Message =

Article ID: 120567

Article Last Modified on 1/19/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q120567



Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.



SUMMARY
This article shows you how to substitute your own custom message for the generic error message that occurs when you violate an input mask. The generic error message for input mask violation is:

The value you entered isn't appropriate for the input mask '!\(999") "000\-0000;;_' specified for this field.

This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to your version of the "Building Applications with Microsoft Access" manual.

NOTE: Visual Basic for Applications is called Access Basic in Microsoft Access version 2.0. For more information about Access Basic, please refer to the "Building Applications" manual.



MORE INFORMATION
You can trap input mask violations and substitute your custom error message for the generic error message in the form's Error event. The following sample Visual Basic code demonstrates this method:

In Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97: Private Sub Form_Error (DataErr As Integer, Response As Integer) Const INPUTMASK_VIOLATION = 2279 If DataErr = INPUTMASK_VIOLATION Then MsgBox "There was an input mask violation!" Response = acDataErrContinue End If  End Sub In Microsoft Access 2.0: Sub Form_Error (DataErr As Integer, Response As Integer) Const INPUTMASK_VIOLATION = 2279 If DataErr = INPUTMASK_VIOLATION Then MsgBox "There was an input mask violation!" Response = DATA_ERRCONTINUE End If  End Sub Setting the Response parameter to acDataErrContinue (or DATA_ERRCONTINUE in version 2.0) lets you ignore the error and continue without displaying the default error message. You can then supply a custom error message in place of the default.

If you have multiple controls on your form with different input masks, you can use Screen.ActiveControl.Name to get the name of the control causing the error. The following sample code demonstrates this method for a form with phone number, social security number, and ZIP code fields:

In Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97: Private Sub Form_Error (DataErr As Integer, Response As Integer) Const INPUTMASK_VIOLATION = 2279 Dim Msg As String If DataErr = INPUTMASK_VIOLATION Then Select Case Screen.ActiveControl.Name Case "Phone" Beep MsgBox "The phone number you entered is invalid!" Case "SSN" Beep MsgBox "The SSN you entered is invalid!" Case "Zip" Beep MsgBox "The ZIP code you entered is invalid!" Case Else Beep Msg = "An input mask violation occurred in control " Msg = Msg & Screen.ActiveControl.Name & "!" End Select Response = acDataErrContinue End If  End Sub In Microsoft Access 2.0: Sub Form_Error (DataErr As Integer, Response As Integer) Const INPUTMASK_VIOLATION = 2279 Dim Msg As String If DataErr = INPUTMASK_VIOLATION Then Select Case Screen.ActiveControl.Name Case "Phone" Beep MsgBox "The phone number you entered is invalid!" Case "SSN" Beep MsgBox "The SSN you entered is invalid!" Case "Zip" Beep MsgBox "The ZIP code you entered is invalid!" Case Else Beep Msg = "An input mask violation occurred in control " Msg = Msg & Screen.ActiveControl.Name & "!" End Select Response = DATA_ERRCONTINUE End If  End Sub

