Conference iosg::all-in-1_v30

404.0. "Wish: Please provide a new validation qualifier" by HOTAIR::MADDOX (DIGITAL Alien) Thu Apr 02 1992 21:33

I would like to see a new field qualifier to address the following need:

Allow a field to be blank only under certain conditions.  I.e., use /VALID to
test the validity of the field's being blank.

Since noone had any good suggestions (I know I can use the /POST field
qualifier, but I then also have to use a /POST form qualifier in case the
user never even got to the field in question, then I have to do a /FORM .
/BEGIN=field, etc.), I thought I would put in a request for a much needed
enhancement.

I would prefer that the /VALID qualifier be dispatched even if the field is
blank and a /OPTIONAL qualifier is present, but since there may be lots of 
code out there where the /VALID doesn't test for a blank, this would be such
a great idea.  As a compromise, how about a new qualifier such as /TEST_BLANK,
or /BLANK_VALID, or /SEMI_OPTIONAL, or something even more clever which would
inply either that the /VALID qualifier is dispatched or this new qualifier 
could have its own arguemnt which dispatches a function when the field is 
blank.  If the later, the qualifier might be /ON_BLANK='blah..blah..blah'.

Could I have this in my copy of 3.0 please?  (I know, April 1 was yesterday.)

Thanks,

Joe