CStr and
ToText are equivalent functions.
Description
The CStr function converts Numbers, Currency, Date, Time, and DateTime values to text strings.
Arguments
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| x is a Boolean value that is converted to a String, either "True" or "False".
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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.)
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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.)
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| x is a Date value to be converted into a text string.
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| 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.)
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| 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.)
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Action
The CStr function converts Numbers, Currency, Date, Time, and DateTime values to text strings.
Typical uses
Use this function to convert a 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
CStr ({Orders.Shipped})Returns "True" if the value of {Orders.Shipped} is True.
CStr(123.45)
Returns "123.45".
CStr(12345.6749,2)
Returns "12345.67".
CStr(12345.6750,2)
Returns "12345.68".
CStr(12345.4999,0)
Returns "12345".
CStr(12345.5000,0)
Returns "12346".
CStr({file.AMT} * {file.QUANTITY})Returns "44,890.20" where Amt = 24.45 and Quantity = 1836.
CStr 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 $" + CStr({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.
CStr(CDate(1996, 11, 1), "yy MMM dd, dddd")
Returns "96 Nov 01, Friday".
CStr(CDateTime(1995,10,12,3,30,11),"HH:mm, yy MMMM ddd")
Returns "03:30, 95 October Thu".
CStr(CTime(12, 10, 10), "HH*mm*ss tt", "amStr", "pmStr")
Returns "12*10*10 pmStr".
Comments
Converting Boolean values:
The CStr 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: CStr(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 CStr 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 CStr 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 CStr 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).