Input mask-best practices

[Jon]

Not a burning issue, but just curious. What is the "general" recommended best
practice for phone number input masks? Store with or without the ( ) -
characters? I know that exporting a table that doens't store the extra
characters will export without them (of course!). But, is there any advantage,
generally speaking, to either store them or not?

I've always stored them for my use, but now I'm making a DB for someone else,
and was wondering what would give the most flexibility. Not that it really
matters, for this very simple DB, but like I said, just curious.

Thanks,Jon

 

[Tom Lake]

Not a burning issue, but just curious. What is the "general" recommended
best
practice for phone number input masks? Store with or without the ( ) -
characters? I know that exporting a table that doens't store the extra
characters will export without them (of course!). But, is there any
advantage,
generally speaking, to either store them or not?

I've always stored them for my use, but now I'm making a DB for someone
else,
and was wondering what would give the most flexibility. Not that it really
matters, for this very simple DB, but like I said, just curious.

I'd leave them out since they take up space and add nothing to
functionality.
I discourage my users from looking at tables directly and all my forms show
the (xxx)xxx-xxxx format so it doesn't make any difference to the users
what format is stored internally.

Tom Lake

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Actually, I think you'll find most of us recommend not using input masks at
all.

They're too inflexible.

 

[Jon]

Ok, makes sense, Thanks guys.

Jon

 

[Bill Mosca]

I've been developing Access databases for about 10 yrs and have mixed
feelings over input masks. I usually use phone masks and social security
masks so people understand not to enter the superfluous characters.

But the best thing to do is ask your users what THEY want. After all, they
are the ones who have to use your application.