Text field validation mask

I have a couple of text fields in which I want to display a date/time in the format
12 May 2022 14:50.
The available format styles don’t support this and it’s no problem to do it manually.
To help the user get the format right I applied a validation mask to the field

>AAA #### ##:##

and that worked beautifully. The problem is that with that mask keys like the back space and delete don’t work, the computer just beeps at me, so the user can’t correct any mistakes.
I have other mask with just a numeric test (###) and they have no problem.
Anyone got any ideas - this is API2.

Thanks
Jack

The validation mask didn’t come out right on the initial post.
" ## >AAA #### ##:## " with a backslash before the colon.

I guess your Validation mask is: ## >AAA #### ##\:##

The thing is that the validation mask is working and it doesn’t allow back space and delete because that will alter the validation and no longer be valid.
For example:
You enter 01may20221234 the validation mask writes 01 MAY 2022 12:34
If you move the cursor position to 2022 and try to remove the last 2 to enter 3 01 MAY 202 123:4 is no longer valid. That’s why it beeps at you, the operation is not allowed by the validation mask.

If you select the last 2 in 2022 and press 3 it will work. If you select more than 1 digit and try to change it, then it will beep at you because the validation will not allow to change 2 digits to only 1.

I hope this make sense.

Thanks for that. Makes perfect sense. I guessed the problem was with the validation mask but couldn’t figure out why.
It works fine if you realise you’ve made a mistake as you type and correct it immediately. If you type the full entry and then try and correct it, it doesn’t.
If you select individual digits, as you suggested, you can correct it but that’s not really particularly user friendly. I’ll manage it manually, I think.

Thanks for the feedback.
Jack

And pastin text with the wrong format beeps and is rejected;
If you fill the field with wrong data by code, it is uneasy to edit it too. *
(I think)

  • In that case, you better type the correct values or cut/paste elsewhere and edit there.