>>Today's Quiz. I want to maximize the number of choices I can assign to a group of records so I choose to use the alphabet through a three character field. How do I programatically increment the next assigned alphabetic character (i.e. AAA, AAB, AAC. .. AAZ then ABA, ABB, etc.)
>>
>>do I do this with ascii character (chr()) assignments or is there an easier way?
>>
>>Thanks in advance,
>>
>>Bill
>
>Suppose you have sort it in order, that means lastkey is largest!
>
>

>lcSelect = Select()
>Select MyTable
>Go Bottom
>lcLastKey = Alltrim(MyTable.MyKey)  && e.g. [BFZZ] -> [BFZ'A] --> [BGAA]
>NextKey = CalNextKey(lcLastKey)
>
>
>* CalNextKey.prg or Function CalNextKey
>Lparameter lcLastKey
>For iX = Len(lcLastKey) to 2 Step -1 && will problem if [ZZZ]
>If SubStr(lcLastKey, iX, 1) = [Z] && From Right to Left
>  * up the lcLastKey Till non-Z is found!
>  lcLastKey = left(lcLastKey, iX-2) + chr(asc(Substr(lcLastKey, iX-1,1))+1) + [A] + SubStr(lcLastKey, iX+1)
>Else
>  * normal case
>  lcNewKey = left(lcLastKey, iX-1) + chr(asc(Substr(lcLastKey, iX,1))+1) + ;
>             Substr(lcLastKey, iX+1)
>  Exit  && leave loop
>Endif
>EndFor
>
>If Left(lcNewKey, 1) > [Z]  && Independent of Hardware Platform
>  messagebox('OverFlow Error!!',16,'Calculate Next ID')
>  Return .F.
>else
>  Return lcNewKey
>ENDIF
>
>NOTE this is sth like calculation Sum with Logic Gate!
>

>
>Just Type the code, pls test if any error.
Oh Find error on adding tail. Sorry! ~~'.'~~