ToText and CStr are equivalent functions.
Description
The ToText function converts Boolean,
Numbers, Currency, Date, Time, and DateTime values to text strings.
Arguments
| |
---|
| x is a Boolean value
that is converted to a String, either "True" or "False".
|
Number and Currency values
| x is a Number or
Currency value to be converted into a text string; it can be a whole or
fractional value.
y is a whole number
indicating the number of decimal places to carry the value in x to (This
argument is optional.).
z is a single
character text string indicating the character to be used to separate thousands
in x. Default is the character specified in your International or Regional
settings control panel. (This argument is optional.)
w is a single
character text string indicating the character to be used as a decimal
separator in x. Default is the character specified in your International or
Regional settings control panel. (This argument is optional.)
|
Number and Currency values
(formatting)
| x is a Number or
Currency value to be converted into a text string; it can be a whole or
fractional value.
y is a text string
used to indicate the format for displaying the value in x. For information on
creating a format string, see
Format Strings.
z is a whole number
indicating the number of decimal places to carry the value in x to. (This
argument is optional.)
w is a single
character text string indicating the character to be used to separate thousands
in x. Default is the character specified in your International or Regional
settings control panel. (This argument is optional.)
q is a single
character text string indicating the character to be used as a decimal
separator in x. The default is the character specified in your International or
Regional settings control panel. (This argument is optional.)
|
| x is a Date value to
be converted into a text string.
|
| x is a Time value to
be converted into a text string.
z is a text string to
be used as a label for A.M. (morning) hours. (This argument is optional.)
w is a text string to
be used as a label for P.M. (evening) hours. (This argument is optional.)
|
| x is a DateTime value
to be converted into a text string.
z is a text string to
be used as a label for A.M. (morning) hours. (This argument is optional.)
w is a text string to
be used as a label for P.M. (evening) hours. (This argument is optional.)
|
Action
The ToText function converts Boolean,
Numbers, Currency, Date, Time, and DateTime values to text strings.
Typical uses
Use this function to convert a Boolean,
Number, Currency, Date, Time, or DateTime value to a text string to appear as
text in your report (form letters, comments, and so on).
Examples
ToText({orders.SHIPPED})
Returns True where the value in
({orders.SHIPPED}) is True.
ToText(123.45)
Returns "123.45".
ToText(12345.6749,2)
Returns "12345.67".
ToText(12345.6750,2)
Returns "12345.68".
ToText(12345.4999,0)
Returns "12345".
ToText(12345.5000,0)
Returns "12346".
ToText({file.AMT} * {file.QUANTITY})
Returns 44,890.20 where Amt = 24.45 and
Quantity = 1836.
ToText is useful when you want to build
a sentence by combining (concatenating) a converted Number or other value with
other text strings:
"The base price of item # " + {file.ITEM NUMBER} + " is $" + ToText({file.BASE PRICE}) + "."
Prints the sentence "The base price of
item A1/4520/B12 is $50.00." where the Item number is A1/4520/B12 and the Base
Price is 50.00, converted to text and formatted with two decimal places.
ToText(CDate(1996, 11, 1), "yy MMM dd, dddd")
Returns 96 Nov 01, Friday.
ToText(DateTime(1995,10,12,3,30,11),"HH:mm, yy MMMM ddd")
Returns 03:30, 95 October Thu.
ToText(Time(12, 10, 10), "HH*mm*ss tt", "amStr", "pmStr")
Returns 12*10*10 pmStr.
Comments
Converting Boolean values:
The ToText function, when used with
Boolean values, is most useful for combining (concatenating) a Boolean value
with other text. Otherwise, a Boolean field can be formatted to appear as True
or False in your report simply by changing the format on the Boolean Tab of the
Format Editor.
Converting numbers and currency values:
If the number of decimal places is
specified, this function does not truncate the number when converted to text,
but rounds it to the number of decimal places specified. For more information
on the rounding procedure, see
Round.
Converting Date, Time, and DateTime
values:
Any character, with the exception of
the Date or Time format characters, can be used within the format string. For
example, you may wish to use a slash to separate the different elements (month,
day, year) of the date, as in "12/30/95", or you may wish to use a colon to
separate the different elements (hours, minutes, seconds) of the time, as in
"12:30:10".
If you wish to use any of the above
characters in the format string, they must appear in quotes. For example:
ToText(CDateTime(1995,10,12,13,20,22), "MM/dd/yy hh 'h' mm 'min' ss 'sec' tt",
'am', 'pm') = "10/12/95 01 h 20 min 22 sec pm"
Passing optional arguments:
Many arguments for the ToText
function have been specified as optional. However, you can only leave an
argument blank if all the arguments that follow it are left blank as well. In
other words, you cannot leave the y and z arguments blank and provide an
argument for w. It is possible, however, to leave one, two, or all of the
optional arguments blank, as long as no arguments are supplied after the blank
arguments. The following combinations are possible when supplying arguments to
the ToText function:
Using the "t" or "tt" format
characters in a time format string provides default strings for indicating a.m.
(morning) and p.m. (evening) hours. "t" produces just a single character, "a"
or "p", while "tt" produces the entire string, "am" or "pm". You can pass your
own custom strings for indicating am/pm strings. (See the arguments for
converting Time and DateTime values with ToText in the Arguments section
above.) If you do pass your own am/pm strings, the "t" and "tt" format
characters will have the same effect on them (producing single character vs.
multiple character strings).