duplicating records .. error in date

[kleabo]

I am a beginner..

I have a form that I have added a button to duplicated the record. When I use it the following error appears, "The value you entered isn't appropriate for the inpt mask '99/99/00;0;_' specified for this field."
I have 3 date fields in the record, entry date (auto), birthdate and admit date.
The error will not let me close or do anything.
What my objective is .... to duplicate the record and then change entry date and admit date.
Is this possible? Thanks in advance

Kim

 

[DES]

Anything is possible

The problem you have is that one of the three date fields has an input mask on it. You can find the one in particular by looking at the table in design view.

Now whether the problem is the input mask or the data depends on your point of view. I would suggest you probably added the input mask and the data does not conform to the mask provided.

At any rate you will either have to change the mask or change the way the data is going into the field.

 

[kleabo]

I think I am confused ...If I take out the inpt mask, then how do I insure that everyone inputs the date the same?

 

[DES]

Don't change the input mask

Again the choice is yours - if the input mask is required then check on how the data is being put into the field to make sure it matches the input mask.

If it does not you will get the error again

 

[kleabo]

I did have a inpt mask on the birthdate.. and changed it to a short date.
So please disregard my last post.
But this did not help, I still get the error. Any other ideas?

 

[DES]

ok lets try this

if you put in an input mask (which you should) you are telling the field how the data has to be entered. At the same time you may be supplying formating information. So if the field has an input mask of dd/mm/yyyy then all the user has to type in is ddmmyyyy.

If the user types in any other variation of the date then input mask generates the error message.

So by all rights all three field should have the input mask on them. If you are still getting the error then the data is being applied wrong or contains a different format or structure then what you specified in the input mask.

Now if this is still a problem and you have ms. messenger then you can find me there for a more direct chat - cyberpagen@msn.com

or you can email me a sample and I will clean it up for you and send you back an explaination.

Your choice.

 

[kleabo]

DES,

I found it. I also had inpt masks on my form when I removed them it worked properly.
Thank you very much for you help

Kim

 

[kleabo]

Actually, I did need the input mask..
I had to change it from 00/00/00;0;_ to 00/00/0000;0;_ for it to work properly.
Thanks again DES for your time and patientance.
Kim

 

[Rich]

Why are you duplicating Birthdate?

 

[kleabo]

This database is medical files.. and we need the age so.. if I have an entry in 1999 and the member is 33 at that time and we duplicate the record for 2001 the age will change to 36. I have the age autocalculate based on the input date.

I changed the inpt mask to read a full year ex 2002 and the duplication seems to work fine.
The problem I am having now is when the nurses input a new (not duplicate) record they have to type in 06/14/2002 vs 06/14/02 and they are not happy about that.
They want to continue the way they have been and put in the 2 digit year..
It will not duplicate without error that way. Any Ideas

Thanks
Kim

 

[David R]

This is why I hate using input masks with dates..

It makes the date field too stringent. If you change the Format to Short Date then it will look the same as you want it to, without requiring them to input it that way explicitly.

You're adding keystrokes which, IMHO, are unnecessary.

Btw, you could alleviate some of your problem by restructuring your data. Patient information should be in one table and not be changed unless necessary. PatientVisits, on the other hand, should be linked to this table but in their own table; things like AdmitDate, EntryDate, DoctorSeen, LengthOfStay, etc can go here. Include a field of the same type as your PatientID from the main table and you're good to go, no duplication required.

Look up database normalization in the archives or on the Microsoft Knowledge Base if you're not clear on what I mean. I realize this runs afield of your original question but your data structure is inefficient as it stands currently.

 

[kleabo]

I will try

I will do some reading. This database is starting to get large it is over 19,000 records now. It is also starting to slow up. Also our business it projected to double in the next year.
I was not the creator of the database. But I would like to make it better.
I am learning a lot on this forum. I will read more post and see what I can do. Thanks again for the insight and help

Kim

 

[kleabo]

I will try

I will do some reading. This database is starting to get large it is over 19,000 records now. It is also starting to slow up. Also our business it projected to double in the next year.
I was not the creator of the database. But I would like to make it better.
I am learning a lot on this forum. I will read more post and see what I can do. Thanks again for the insight and help

Kim