Re: Converting a string

If you don't want to use binary or store the literal "CHR(XX)" in the
database, you can write yourself a simple app that will convert your string
to a BASE64 encoded string.
You can then store it as a test string but it will be converted to it's
binary equivelent upon conversion and then can be converted to a string
using the System.Encoding.ASCII encoder.

On 9/5/07, Knowlton, Gerald F. <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Thank you both Len and Hugh. Good solutions.
>
> While waiting for replies to the post, I did some experimation and
> discover that if I did the following, it would solve my problem
>
> Remembering that ScaleCommand is equal to a Oracle string
>
> ScaleCommand = " chr(27) & ""P"" & chr(13) & chr(10)"
>
> Then declare another variable
>
> X = string
>
> We can do the following
>
> X = ScaleCommand.Replace("Chr(27)", chr(27))
> X = X.Replace("Chr(13)",chr(13)
>
> And so forth for each unprintable.
>
> The result will be what is needed.
>
> I am now going to look at patterns for a simpler solution. For purposes
> of the people who will come after me, Hugh solution might just throw
> them for a loop although it is better then the one I presently have
> developed.
>
> Thank you once again Gentlemen for coming through for me.
>
>
> Best regards,
>
>
> Jerry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion forum for developers using Windows Forms to build apps
> and controls [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
> Hugh Brown
> Sent: Wednesday, September 05, 2007 10:18 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [DOTNET-WINFORMS] Converting a string
>
> Encode the entire command string in the database as hexadecimal. Then
> this:
>    Chr(27) P  Chr(13) Chr(10)
> becomes:
>    1B 50 0D 0A
> and everything is representable in simple ASCII.
>
> "Knowlton, Gerald F." <[email protected]> wrote: Good morning
> everyone.
>
>      Here is the problem that I have. I have this application which
> will control weighing scales through a commport. There are many
> different scales at this facility so I can't hard code into the
> application the parameters of the currently attached scale.
>
> So in an Oracle (we use Oracle here) table, I have the commands for the
> many different type of scales we have and there is no problem for us to
> automatically identify the type of scale. Thus we have the ability to be
> able to get from the database, the commands needed to tare, standardize,
> weigh and etc functions.
>
> The problem is that for the most part, each command (but not all)
> require some type of unprintable character(s) in the command string.
> Most are the ESC key - ASCII 27. So in the database, we have the
> following command  "CHR(27) & ""P"" & CHR(13) & CHR(10)" for one type of
> scale. This command  will cause the scale to transmit the value on the
> scale's display back to the application.
>
> So if I hard code the command into the application such as:
>
> Public Sub SendWeighCommand()
>        Dim ScaleCommand as string = chr(27) & "P" & chr(13) & chr(10)
>        Dim Weight as string
>      Weight = ReadScale(ScaleCommand)
> End sub
>
> Public function ReadScale(Command) as Double
>
>        'Return scale value
>
> End function
>
> This will work us fine because the chr(27),10 and 13 get translated into
> unprintable characters. They look something like a square.
>
> But since I am getting the command string from the Oracle database,
> everything is enclosed in quotes and the chr 27, 10 , and 13 do not
> convert to the unprintable characters.
>
> Public Sub SendWeighCommand()
>        Dim ScaleCommand as string =
>        Dim Weight as string
>      Weight = ReadScale(ScaleCommand)
> End sub
>
> Public function ReadScale(Command) as Double
>
>        'Return scale value
>
> End function
>
> Hence the ScaleCommand would pass the following string " chr(27) & ""P""
> & chr(13) & chr(10)" instead of the "P" along with the unprintable
> characters.
>
> I thought I could use the CallByName function so the string would
> translate but it appears that this is not so.
>
> Are there any other solutions to this problem of getting the translation
> of an Oracle string value?
>
> Please embarrass me with a really simple solution!!!
>
> Best regards,
>
>
> Jerry Knowlton
>