Way to add a calculated number of X's to a form input? - ms-access

Question

I have certain product codes with varying number of letters/digits e.g. 53HD6J, HH88WBD3 (varies between 5 to 10 letters/digits). In order for our barcode to scan these correctly there has to be 13 letters/digits. I don't want to make the user to input -XXXX after each code but rather have Access calculate the difference between 13 and the length of the code and fill the remaining with a X's. Is this possible either by vba or and expression?
I currently am using about 6 IIFs in one formula to fill remaining blanks with X's but hoping there is an easier way.
I have a form to enter in the batch number (product code). Once that form is submitted it links to a report that is printed. On the report are those batch numbers (53HD6J, HH88WBD3). The spot I want to have this feature is in a text box right next to the codes where Access determines the length of the codes and computes the remaining X's to add. This is in barcode font so this text box is where the 53HD6JXXXXXXX would go. Hope that clears it up!
So I have that part figured out. My problem now is my barcode font reads the text no matter what and translates it still so barcode shows up when the batch number is blank (I have four spots for batch codes to be inputted). So what I had before was =IIf([Text31]="",""&[Text31]&"","") which seemed to work. Hopefully I can continue this with the new formula. If that's unclear let me know.
**(The "" & & "" is so the barcode can be scanned).
My formula was wrong right above with the IIf. I figured it out! Forgot I had used ' Like "*" '. Thanks!

Answer 1

You can do what you want with String() and Left().
Here is an example from the Access Immediate window:
product_code = "53HD6J"
? product_code & String(13, "X")
53HD6JXXXXXXXXXXXXX
? Left(product_code & String(13, "X"), 13)
53HD6JXXXXXXX
Based on the update to your question, I think you can use that approach for the Control Source of a text box where you want to display the "expanded" product code.
Pretend your report has a text box named txtProduct_code where the raw product code, such as 53HD6J, is displayed. And there is a second text box where you want to display that value with the required number of X characters (53HD6JXXXXXXX).
Use this as the Control Source property of that second text box:
= Left([txtProduct_code] & String(13, "X"), 13)
Alternatively, you could make it a field expression in the report's Record Source query.
SELECT
product_code,
Left(product_code & String(13, "X"), 13) AS expanded_product_code
FROM YourTable;