ACC: Input Mask Character (!) Does Not Work as Expected

   !\(999") "000\-0000;;_
				

   Input Mask                     Result
   -------------------------------------------
   !\(999") "999\-9999;;_         ( ) 555-0248
   \(999") "999\-9999;;_          (555) 024-8
				

MORE INFORMATION

If you type the number 5550248 into the following input mask created by the Input Mask Wizard

   !\(999") "000\-0000;;_
				

you receive the following error message:

In Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97:

In Microsoft Access 2.0:

You receive the error message because the first three digits of the number above are entered and validated into the area code part (999") of the input mask; then, when you type the rest of the digits and attempt to commit the data, the last 3 required digits of the phone number input mask are blank.

You can work around this behavior by using a more generic input mask, together with a validation rule. If you use the following example input mask and validation rule, you can type digits anywhere in the input mask even though the digits still fill from left to right when you type them:

   Input Mask: !\(999") "999\-9999;;_
   Validation Rule: Like "#######" Or Like "##########"
   Validation Text: You must enter a 7- or 10-digit phone number
				

NOTE: The input mask does not contain any required digits; the required digits are handled by the validation rule.