Becky,

You can use the string functions like substr() to pull the string apart into it's components:

lcFirstPart = left( this.Value, 5 )
lcSecondPart = substr( this.Value, 6, 3 )
lcThirdPart = substr( this.Value, 10, 4 )
...

>I need to compare a string of characters typed into
>a text box.
>
>Say for example Q7428-452-6587-1234
>
>I need to check alpa and numeric characters in a specific
>order. I want the form to check for this string before it
>will run the form.