need help with an Input mask for a text field

[Jon123]

I have an input mask for a text field !9999\-99999;0;_
this work great for entering numbers
1234-12345

I want to change it to allow a a - followed by a number so it would
look like this
1234-12345-1 0r 1234-12345-2

the part I'm having trouble with is I dont want the users to see the extra fields when entering data. 99% of the time it will always be 4 digits - 5 digits
so is there a way to have the field mask allow the extra -1 without showing
it when you click that field?
now it looks like this ____-_____ if I change the mask to this !9999\-99999\-9;0;_

then it look like this ____-_____-_ I just dont want to see the last part

 

[wazz]

if users aren't adding the extra number, maybe you could leave the extra mask off and add the extra number through code after the physical entry (before/after update; on exit; etc.)??

 

[Jon123]

how would I add a -1 -2 -3 etc etc to a part number?
jon

 

[Dennisk]

Concatenation is the name of game

PartNumber = partnumber & "1"

& is the concatenation symbol

 

[Jon123]

ok I think this will work but how do I get it to increase the number?
to give you some details here when the user enters the part number there is code to catch if it is already entered or is it new so once they enter a number 1111-11111 that number is in the parts lookup table and there is no need to have the same part in the lookup table more than once. But when the parts are added to the chamber we have found that we need to allow the same part the be used in a chamber because there are some chambers that have the same part used more than once. So again user enters a part in the lookup table 1111-11111 now we configure the chamber and select the parts and when you select 1111-11111 the 1st time it goes in ok the second time it wont allow it because its already entered so if I change the code to ask and allow it I need to asign it a location or number the -1 -2 will work great but how do I know where its at to index by 1.
1111-11111-1
1111-11111-2
1111-11111-3
or
2222-22222-1
thanks for the help
jon

 

[wazz]

would a quantity field work?

chamber   part         qty
n         1111-11111   2