TextCleanOMatic ( Input ; Type )

goofy but effective character filtering

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Stephen Wonfor - Show more from this author
Iceworm Consulting & Stuff, Inc.

Sample input:

RectangleArea ( 2 , 3 )

Sample output:

Function definition: (Copy & paste into FileMaker's Edit Custom Function window)

/* 
function name is TextCleanOMatic
two parameters are INPUT and TYPE
values for TYPE
a = alpha only
an = alphanumeric
ans = alphanumeric and space
ansd = alphanumeric and space and dash
n = numeric
d = date
e = email
para = ¶
*/

Case(

type = "para";
Let(
notallowed= "¶";
Substitute ( input ; notallowed ; "; " )
);

type = "a";
Let(
allowed= "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
Filter(input; allowed)
);

type = "an";
Let(
allowed= "0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
Filter(input; allowed)
);

type = "ans";
Let(
allowed= " 0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
Filter(input; allowed)
);


type = "ansd";
Let(
allowed= " -0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
Filter(input; allowed)
);

type = "n";
Let(
allowed= "0123456789";
Filter(input; allowed)
);

type = "date";
Let(
allowed= "/0123456789";
Filter(input; allowed)
);

type = "e";
Let(
allowed= "@.-0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
Filter(input; allowed)
);
)

This function grew out of a need to do a lot of filtering of data going from Filemaker into an SQL db. Sometimes only numbers allowed, or numbers and forward slashes, or numbers and letters, or numbers letters and space, etc. It started off as a series of functions then coalesced into a single rather long and not clever but readable single function. The unwieldy name contains the values for the TYPE parameter. However, by poplar request, it has been truncated.

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Note: these functions are not guaranteed or supported by BrianDunning.com. Please contact the individual developer with any questions or problems.

TextCleanOMatic ( Input ; Type )

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