Allowing multi-element user defined custom data

We are creating a phonebook application which allows users to add custom
data to each entry, in the form of a (name):(value) pair. The users should
be able to add names of custom data types to a look-up table, and then be
able to add data values of that "type" to any entry in the phonebook. The
data will be saved as nvarchar.
However, we now realize some of this custom data will have to be made up
of several data elements in itself. For example: If the users want to add
the data type "address at in-law's", this custom data will be more than just
(name):(long string value), it will have to be (name):((street)(city)(state)(zipcode)).
We have several ideas on how to do this but they all seem cumbersome, and
they complicate the design a lot. Has anyone created a system like this before?
Is there a tried and true way of doing this?Hi
Have you thought of using XML for this?
John
"Ido Kalir" wrote:
> We are creating a phonebook application which allows users to add custom
> data to each entry, in the form of a (name):(value) pair. The users should
> be able to add names of custom data types to a look-up table, and then be
> able to add data values of that "type" to any entry in the phonebook. The
> data will be saved as nvarchar.
> However, we now realize some of this custom data will have to be made up
> of several data elements in itself. For example: If the users want to add
> the data type "address at in-law's", this custom data will be more than just
> (name):(long string value), it will have to be (name):((street)(city)(state)(zipcode)).
> We have several ideas on how to do this but they all seem cumbersome, and
> they complicate the design a lot. Has anyone created a system like this before?
> Is there a tried and true way of doing this?
>

alignment when value from custom code

I have a textbox in my heading that gets its value from custom code. The
horizontal alignment property is set to RIGHT and I notice that the value is
getting truncated in my report. There is another textbox that has a similar
problem. These text boxes are somewhat free standing in the report (not
within tables etc). Can anyone tell me if this is expected behavior and if
so ... how can I fix the alignment so it doesnt truncate my client name?
Thanks
the expression in the textbox in the heading is nothing unusual ...
=code.GetClient(ReportItems!tbClientName.value)Have you tried adjusting the padding of the control? Usually, when padding
is set to 0pt I'll see this behavior.
-Tim
"MJT" <MJT@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:BF351039-B112-473E-8DE0-B38F1643F25C@.microsoft.com...
>I have a textbox in my heading that gets its value from custom code. The
> horizontal alignment property is set to RIGHT and I notice that the value
> is
> getting truncated in my report. There is another textbox that has a
> similar
> problem. These text boxes are somewhat free standing in the report (not
> within tables etc). Can anyone tell me if this is expected behavior and
> if
> so ... how can I fix the alignment so it doesnt truncate my client name?
> Thanks
> the expression in the textbox in the heading is nothing unusual ...
> =code.GetClient(ReportItems!tbClientName.value)
>|||Havent messed with the padding ... it is 2pt all the way around.
"Tim Dot NoSpam" wrote:
> Have you tried adjusting the padding of the control? Usually, when padding
> is set to 0pt I'll see this behavior.
> -Tim
> "MJT" <MJT@.discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:BF351039-B112-473E-8DE0-B38F1643F25C@.microsoft.com...
> >I have a textbox in my heading that gets its value from custom code. The
> > horizontal alignment property is set to RIGHT and I notice that the value
> > is
> > getting truncated in my report. There is another textbox that has a
> > similar
> > problem. These text boxes are somewhat free standing in the report (not
> > within tables etc). Can anyone tell me if this is expected behavior and
> > if
> > so ... how can I fix the alignment so it doesnt truncate my client name?
> > Thanks
> >
> > the expression in the textbox in the heading is nothing unusual ...
> > =code.GetClient(ReportItems!tbClientName.value)
> >
>
>