using "" within a input text box

i have an input text box called search. The problem is i need the user to enter...

"horror films" AND dvds

and perform an action if they do. So ideally i would write...

if (_root.search==""horror films" AND dvds") but this doesnt work as the "" are reserved for actually quoting the value, so it messes things up.

is there a way around this?

thanks

If you are using MX or MX2004, you can give you input box a unique instance name such as search_txt. Then in your if statement you could have if (_root.search_txt.text.toLowerCase()=="horror films and dvds")

One problem you may run into and that is letting the user type their own criteria. If your search criteria is based on specific data, a combobox may be better.

thanks for the reply.

not sure if i explained myself correctly.

i have given the input box an isnstance name of search.

its working fine if i use the code...

if (_root.search=="horror films AND dvds")

and the user was to enter: horror films AND dvds

but i need it to work if the user was to enter : "horror films" AND dvds

so the extra "'s are actually part of the input the user would enter. i just dont know how to alter the if statement.

There are two ways to work around this:

1. Use single quotes for delimiting pattern string (and double quotes inside it):

if (_root.search=='"horror films" AND dvds')

2. Use a backslash in front of the interior quotes (this is called 'escaping' the quotes):

if (_root.search=="\"horror films\" AND dvds")

- Jim

if "searsh" is instance name then
if(_root.search.text=="\""+"horrors films"+"\""+" AND dvd"){...

if "search" is var then
if(_root.search=="\""+"horrors films"+"\""+" AND dvd"){....

Ups, it seams I am late.:)

thanks lads.

worked a treat!