Replace function not working in Crystal Reports

Question

when i provide string stknummer = "*VU-NR:-93.10xxxxxxxx_2-12-2011*" to this function:

whileprintingrecords;

shared stringvar tstnummer;
shared stringvar stknummer;

local stringvar tst;
local stringvar stk;
local stringvar bc;

tst := tstnummer;
stk := stknummer;

//why is this not evaluated?
tst := Replace (tstnummer,":" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"." ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"=" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"/" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"\" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"?" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"#" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"." ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"*" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"|" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,"<" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer,">" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tstnummer," " ,"-" );

//and this neither?
stk := Replace (stknummer,":" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"." ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"=" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"/" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"\" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"?" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"#" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"." ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"*" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"|" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,"<" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer,">" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stknummer," " ,"-" );


//select file output format
if {?barcode_type} = true
then (if trim(stk) ="" 
     then  
        bc:= "*" + tst + "_" + totext(dateValue({@signdate})) + "*"
     else
        (
        bc:= "*" + stk + "_" + totext(dateValue({@signdate})) + "*");;)
else bc := "*" + tst + "_" + totext(dateValue({@signdate})) + "*"

The result is that no replacements are made (i.e. the : is still there)

when i put Replace(stk, ":", "_") in the bottom function like:

//select file output format
if {?barcode_type} = true
then (if trim(stk) ="" 
     then  
        bc:= "*" + tst + "_" + totext(dateValue({@signdate})) + "*"
     else
        (
        bc:= "*" + Replace (stk, ":", "_") + "_" + totext(dateValue({@signdate})) + "*");;)
else bc := "*" + tst + "_" + totext(dateValue({@signdate})) + "*"

The replacement is done correctly.

Why are the replacements not done in the first example?

I good put all replacements in the function but that not all too elegant....

THanks

Solution

Oh, you're going to be mad about this one :)

The Replace() function is being evaluated... but each time you're overwriting the variables stk and tst with only a single replacement of the original strings, tstnummer and stknummer. When all the Replaces() are done, you're simply left with a string with no white space character. Need to change to this...

...
tst := Replace (tst,":" ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tst,"." ,"_" );
tst := Replace (tst,"=" ,"_" );
...
stk := Replace (stk,":" ,"_" );
stk := Replace (stk,"." ,"_" );