Force date entry on new record

BeforePost is better place to validate data. You can also use Field1.IsNull to check whether any data assigned or not.

Atul

Hi atul
I tried 'IsNull' before - but it gave me an 'undeclared identifier' error on compiling.
IsNull does not show up in the prompt list of actions after the field full stop - which is why I guess.
(I should explain I'm pretty new to Delphi...)
I'll look at the BeforePost suggestion after I can see it works first.

This is very simple example using TTable; and can you show your code where you get 'undeclared identifier'  error

procedure TForm1.Table1BeforePost(DataSet: TDataSet);
begin
  if Table1.FieldByName('ID').IsNull then
  begin
    MessageDlg('ID can not be blank', mtInformation, [mbOk], 0);
    Abort;
  end;
end;

Hi Atul
I'm doing this in a form, hence "FormNewCont.sDBEdit3.edittext". To get your code to work I changed to the dataset - DataModule1.dtContacts.FieldByName('Wedding_Date').IsNull.
But - even when a date IS added, it still brings up the dialog message (Wedding Date Missing)
(please also see below...)
             // Save Button
procedure TFormNewCont.SaveContBtn2Click(Sender: TObject);
    begin
    if FormNewCont.sDBEdit3.edittext = '' then
    sShowMessage('Last Name missing!', 'Last Name is a required field'+#13+#10'- please add Last Name') ;
    if DataModule1.dtContacts.FieldByName('Wedding_Date').IsNull then
    sShowMessage('Wedding Date missing!', 'Wedding Date is a required field'+#13+#10'- please add a Wedding Date')
    else
    try
    datamodule1.dtContacts.post ;
    dataModule1.dtContacts.Insert;
    SaveContBtn2.Enabled:=False;
    AddAnotherBtn2.Enabled:=True;
    CancelBtn2.Enabled:=True;
    DataModule1.dtContacts.FieldByName('Name_Sal').FocusControl;
    except
    on E:Exception do DataModule1.No25ADOConn.RollbackTrans;
    end;
    end;
I saw that your code Procedure referred to the data set. To get the 'BeforePost' call - I put your code in the DataModule I'm using. But the Abort step excepted with something about trying to roll back before a transaction?
Can I keep this code in the "procedure TFormNewCont.SaveContBtn2Click(Sender: TObject);" area as above - but find a way of losing the 'Wedding Date missing' when a date actually is entered please.
Den

Abort means raising a silent exception; your your code to rollback should be like
if DataModule1.No25ADOConn.InTransaction then
  DataModule1.No25ADOConn.RollbackTrans;
>>but find a way of losing the 'Wedding Date missing' when a date actually is entered please.
I don't have the controls you are using so can not say what's causing the problem.
See the other properties of your DateEdit control like Text, Date, Value, Time

I tried this in the data module:
procedure TDataModule1.dtContactsBeforePost(DataSet: TDataSet);
begin
     if dtContacts.FieldByName('Wedding_Date').IsNull then
  begin
    MessageDlg('Wedding Date can not be blank', mtInformation, [mbOk], 0);
    Abort;
    if DataModule1.No25ADOConn.InTransaction then
  DataModule1.No25ADOConn.RollbackTrans;
end;
end;
Gave EOLException - 'You tried to commit or rollback without first begining a transaction'
(the same happened with or without the 'if DataModule1.No25ADOConn.InTransaction' lines)

The controls I'm using are pretty much the std. Delphi ones with the addition of skins.
I think the reason the message kept appearing even with the date entered was because I was using your Data Module field (Table1.FieldbyName) which will be empty as I haven't posted at this stage.
Is there some way to test the the form field (which will be either empty or filled at this stage) as I have in the existing code for Last Name.
Neither of these brought up the message dialog when the field was empty:
    if FormNewCont.sDBDateEdit2.edittext = '' then
     sShowMessage('Wedding Date missing!', 'Wedding Date is a required field'+#13+#10'- please add Wedding Date');
    if FormNewCont.sDBDateEdit2.CheckValidDate=true then
    sShowMessage('Wedding Date missing!', 'Wedding Date is a required field'+#13+#10'- please add Wedding Date')

Is there some other way of testing the forms sDBDateEdit2 field other than the ".edittext =' ' " or ".CheckValidDate=true" extensions that I've tried?