VIFRED provides optional input masking for data entry fields. Input masking allows VIFRED to check a user's entry, character by character as it is being entered, against a specified data input format template. If any character does not match the template requirements, VIFRED beeps and does not put that character into the field. The user must type a valid character to continue.

To specify input masking, you need to use one of the following format templates:

You must also ensure that input masking has been turned on for that field. Do this by setting the Input Masking attribute to y (yes) in the Attributes for Field frame. Turning on input masking affects how the field interacts with the user when the application is executing and the kind of data the user can enter. If input masking is off, VIFRED uses the template to check a user's entry only upon exiting the field. Turning on input masking has no effect on fields that do not contain input templates.