{"id":1387,"date":"2018-01-17T07:44:50","date_gmt":"2018-01-17T13:44:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teamdesk.net\/blog\/?p=1387"},"modified":"2018-01-17T07:45:58","modified_gmt":"2018-01-17T13:45:58","slug":"pattern-validation-formatting-phones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teamdesk.net\/blog\/whats-new\/pattern-validation-formatting-phones\/","title":{"rendered":"Pattern validation for text, formatting for phones"},"content":{"rendered":"

We are going to replace Match() function in TeamDesk<\/a> formulas with pattern validation\u00a0for text and phone columns.<\/p>\n

<\/b><\/i><\/u>Mainly, the reason for the change is performance.\u00a0 Match() is slow, that’s why its usage is limited to validation rules only. But even with limited use, we have to execute on database side and in worst case it can slow down other data processing requests. But we can not just drop functionality in use without providing you with an alternative.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These are all bad news for today.<\/p>\n

Now, to good news. After analysis of Match() function’s usage we found out that mostly it is used alone using the scheme:<\/p>\n

Filter<\/strong>: not Match([column], “regular expression”)
\nLocation<\/strong>: column
\nMessage<\/strong>: bad format.<\/p>\n

Moreover, in most cases Match() is used to check for simple fixed-length, fixed-format text.<\/p>\n

So, as a replacement here comes…<\/p>\n

Pattern validation for text columns<\/h2>\n

Here are new options:<\/p>\n

\"Pattern<\/p>\n

Instead of relying on non-trivial regular expression language, we now allow simple “pattern-by-example”, with only a few characters having special meaning:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Character<\/th>\nMeaning<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
0<\/b> or #<\/b><\/td>\nAny digit: 0 to 9<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A<\/b><\/td>\nUppercase latin letter: A, B… to Z<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
a<\/b><\/td>\nLowercase latin letter a, b to z<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Z<\/b> or z<\/b><\/td>\nAny latin letter<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
?<\/b><\/td>\nLatin letter or digit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
*<\/b><\/td>\nAny character<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\\<\/b><\/td>\nSuppresses any special meaning of the character that follows, e.g. \\* means “star”, not “any character”<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
any other<\/td>\nTreated literally<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

If user input does not match the pattern, the message specified in Message property is displayed.<\/p>\n

Here are couple of samples:<\/p>\n