Comma is invalid when using dataformat

Question

Here is my code to output a query to a spreadsheet.

<cfscript> 
  //Use an absolute path for the files. ---> 
  theDir=GetDirectoryFromPath(GetCurrentTemplatePath()); 
  theFile=theDir & "getTestInv.xls"; 
  //Create an empty ColdFusion spreadsheet object. ---> 
  theSheet = SpreadsheetNew("invoicesData"); 
  //Populate the object with a query. ---> 
  SpreadsheetAddRows(theSheet,getTestInv);
</cfscript>

<cfset format = StructNew()>
<cfset format.dataformat = "#,###0.00">
<cfset SpreadsheetFormatColumn(theSheet,format,10)

<cfspreadsheet action="write" filename="#theFile#" name="theSheet" sheetname="getTestInv" overwrite=true>

The error I am getting is:

Invalid CFML construct found on line 125 at column 32.
ColdFusion was looking at the following text:

,

The CFML compiler was processing:

An expression beginning with /", on line 125, column 30.This message is usually caused by a problem in the expressions structure.
A cfset tag beginning on line 125, column 4.
A cfset tag beginning on line 125, column 4.

125: <cfset format.dataformat = "#,###0.00">

For some reason, it doesn't like the comma, even though it is valid according to the documentation. If I take the comma out, it works, but I need it for the thousands grouping.

Anyone encountered this?

Answer 1

In ColdFusion, the # is a reserved character. To escape it, you'll have to double them up to escape them:

<cfset format.dataformat = "##,######0.00">

Silly that they didn't account for this either in the documentation or followed ColdFusion's formatting rules using 9s instead of #s.

Here is my full working standalone test code:

<cfset myQuery = QueryNew('number')>
<cfset newRow = QueryAddRow(MyQuery, 2)> 
<cfset temp = QuerySetCell(myQuery, "number", "349348394", 1)> 
<cfset temp = QuerySetCell(myQuery, "number", "10000000", 2)> 

<cfscript> 
  //Use an absolute path for the files. ---> 
  theDir=GetDirectoryFromPath(GetCurrentTemplatePath()); 
  theFile=theDir & "getTestInv.xls"; 
  //Create an empty ColdFusion spreadsheet object. ---> 
  theSheet = SpreadsheetNew("invoicesData"); 
  //Populate the object with a query. ---> 
  SpreadsheetAddRows(theSheet,myQuery,1,1);
</cfscript>


<cfset format = StructNew()>
<cfset format.dataformat = "##,######0.00">
<cfset SpreadsheetFormatColumn(theSheet,format,1)>

<cfspreadsheet action="write" filename="#theFile#" name="theSheet" sheetname="theSheet" overwrite=true>