ACC: How to Convert Letters to Numbers in Phone Numbers

• Microsoft Access versions 2.0, 7.0, 97

SUMMARY

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article demonstrates how you can convert any letter in a phone number to its corresponding digit on a telephone keypad or rotary dial. For example, you can convert the number "206-ACC-ESS2" to its equivalent "206- 222-3772" so that dialing is easier.

This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to your version of the "Building Applications with Microsoft Access" manual.

NOTE: Visual Basic for Applications is called Access Basic in Microsoft Access version 2.0. For more information about Access Basic, please refer to the "Building Applications" manual.

MORE INFORMATION

The method in this article uses two user-defined functions. The first function translates letters into numbers; the second function applies the translation to an entire phone number. The method works with phone numbers that have different formats (for example, "800-555-GIGO" or "800555GIGO") as well as with phone numbers that have different lengths (for example, "555-GIGO" or "011-01-704-555-GIGO").

To convert letters in a phone number to numbers, follow these steps:

1. Create a module and type the following line in the Declarations section if it is not already there:

         Option Explicit
   

2. Type the following procedure:

         ' Translates a letter to a digit.
         Function XlateDigit(ByVal C As String) As String
           C = UCase(C)
           Select Case C
             Case "A" To "P"
               XlateDigit = Chr$((Asc(C) + 1) \ 3 + 28)
             Case "R" To "Y"
               XlateDigit = Chr$(Asc(C) \ 3 + 28)
             Case "Q", "Z"
               XlateDigit = "0"
             Case Else
               XlateDigit = C
           End Select
         End Function
   
   

3. Type the following procedure:

         ' Applies the translated digit to a phone number.
         Function PhoneLettersToDigits(ByVal PhoneNo As Variant) As Variant
           Dim I as Integer
             If VarType(PhoneNo) = 8 Then  ' A string.
                For I = 1 To Len(PhoneNo)
                  Mid(PhoneNo, I, 1) = XlateDigit(Mid(PhoneNo, I, 1))
                Next I
             End If
           PhoneLettersToDigits = PhoneNo
         End Function
   
   

4. To test these functions, type the following line in the Debug window (or Immediate window in Microsoft Access 2.0), and then press ENTER:

         ? PhoneLettersToDigits("PRO-GRA-MMER")
   

   Note that the following number is displayed:

         776-472-6637
   

REFERENCES

For more information about the Mid() function, search the Help Index for "Mid function," or ask the Microsoft Access 97 Office Assistant.

Keywords          : kbprg PgmHowTo MdlGnrl
Version           : 2.0 7.0 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbhowto