A numeric keypad for payment amount entry in C#

• Download pricenumerickeypadi.zip - 4.9 KB

Introduction

For end users, it is much easier if they could just enter the digits from a numeric keypad and the currency format automatically applies, instead of entering a decimal point and digits!

Background

In many PoS software applications (or similar environments) a payment screen requires a "payment amount entry". Payment values (currency) almost always include a decimal point. So, if we don't handle the decimal point and leave it to the user it could (it will !) become a point of failure, when user enters more than one decimal point or simply adds the decimal point where it changes the total amount (A $10.25 payments becomes $102.50) So, you either have to check the value, or catch it at keypress level. A better method is to manage it at the entry point!

Using the code

On a Windows form add buttons and build your "Price numeric keypad":

I have used a TableLayoutPanel of 4x4.

Add a Textbox under the keypad grid, where the output will be placed.

I have introduced a public string, which decides what role our keypad will be playing:

public string numberRole = "MONEY" ;

"Money" role will set the satge for a payment value where a two digits decimal will be applied. For instance if the amount is 10.25, we will have the followings:

step 1: 0.01

step 2: 0.10

step 3: 1.02

step 4: 10.25

"DIGITS" role will simply turn our keypad into a numeric, without decimal point.

I also control the number of decimal points and also decimal digits(preset is 2).

private void MakeAmount(string amountTxt)

Is the key player in this code.

private void MakeAmount(string amountTxt)
    {
        decimal meanWhile;
        txtValue.Text = txtValue.Text + amountTxt;
        if (txtValue.Text.Length == 1)
        {
            txtValue.Text = "0.0" + txtValue.Text;
        }
        if (txtValue.Text.Length > 4)
        {
            meanWhile = Convert.ToDecimal(txtValue.Text) * 10;
            txtValue.Text = meanWhile.ToString("G29");
        }
    }

As you can see depends on what we have, the decimal points gets moved.

For every digit we have the same process:

Except for zero, which we need to check a few things, all other Click events are similar:

private void num2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { if (numberRole == "DIGITS") { txtValue.Text = txtValue.Text + "2" ; } else MakeAmount(num2.Text); }

And for zero:

private void num0_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
       {
           decimal meanWhile;
           if (numberRole == "DIGITS")
           {
               txtValue.Text = txtValue.Text + "0";
           }
           else
           {
               txtValue.Text = txtValue.Text + "0";
               if (txtValue.Text.Length == 1)
               {
                   txtValue.Text = "0.0" + txtValue.Text;
               }
               if (txtValue.Text.Length >= 4)
               {
                   meanWhile = Convert.ToDecimal(txtValue.Text) * 10;
                   txtValue.Text = meanWhile.ToString("G29");
               }
               if (Convert.ToDecimal(txtValue.Text) < 1)
               {
                   txtValue.Text = txtValue.Text + "0";
               }
               if (txtValue.Text.IndexOf(".") < 0)
               {
                   txtValue.Text = txtValue.Text + ".00";
               }
               if (Convert.ToDecimal(txtValue.Text) > 1 && (txtValue.Text.Length - txtValue.Text.IndexOf(".") - 1 == 1))
               {
                   txtValue.Text = txtValue.Text + "0";
               }
           }
       }

This is how you call your price numeric keypad:

numberpad showNumber = new numberpad(); showNumber.numberRole = "MONEY";

As you can see this calls for a "Money" format.

And if you need a numeric keypad, call your function with "DIGITS":

numberpad showNumber = new numberpad(); showNumber.numberRole = "DIGITS";