Troubleshooting VBScript for labeling in ArcMap?

Question

I am trying to add FIPS codes to my county name labels and want to add either one or two zeros to the number unless it is over 100. i'm hoping someone can find the error in my code:

Function FindLabel ([Name], [FIPS])
 if ([FIPS] < 10) then 
 FindLabel = [Name] & vbNewLine & FormatNumber (00,[FIPS]) 
 else
 if (9 < [FIPS] > 100) then
 FindLabel = [Name] & vbNewLine & FormatNumber (0,[FIPS]) 
 else
 FindLabel = [Name] & vbNewLine & [FIPS]
 end if
End Function

• Paul: 9 < x > 100 means x > 9 and x > 100 --- if x is greater than 100, then it is also greater than 9.
• Chelsea Pennick McIver: Good catch. Fixed that but am still getting an error message: "Error 9 on line 4. Expected 'if'."
• Paul: else if should be on 1 line. Not sure if that's a formatting or copy/paste issue.

Answer 1

Unless you need to use vbscript, you can accomplish this in one line of python:

"{0}\n{1:03d}".format([Name], int([FIPS]))

Explanation

The curly braces reference the index position of the parameters passed to .format(). \n is your newline character and the :03d bit in the second one zero pads the input so that the result is of length 3 (assuming the number isn't 3 digits already--in which case the whole number is returned.)

>>> for i in (1,7,33,98,200,123456):
 print("{0} becomes {1:03d}".format(i, i))
1 becomes 001
7 becomes 007
33 becomes 033
98 becomes 098
200 becomes 200
123456 becomes 123456

If you want to use vbscript, here's an amusing approach that abuses Right():

Function FindLabel ([Name], [FIPS])
 if [FIPS] < 1000 then
 FindLabel = [Name] & vbNewLine & Right("00"&[FIPS], 3)
 else
 FindLabel = [Name] & vbNewLine & [FIPS]
 end if
End Function

• Chelsea Pennick McIver: Thanks, Paul. How do I add a space between [Name] and [FIPS]?
• Thomas: Put the space instead of the \n like this. "{0} {1:03d}".format([Name], int([FIPS]))"
• Paul: Well currently there is a newline (\n) between Name and FIPS. You can change that to whatever you want.

Answer 2

I believe the VB should look like this, but Paul's solution more elegant. This takes advantages of VB string formatting to force any number to be four digits (padding with leading zeroes if necessary).

Function FindLabel ([Name], [FIPS])
 FindLabel = [NAME] & vbNewLine & Format$([FIPS],"0000")
End Function

• Paul: FormatNumber function-- you are actually creating a string that is a whole bunch of zeroes.
• Thomas: Ha, yeah OP's code is a real mess. I would use String.Format("{0:00}... anyways. Updated my answer.
• Paul: I can't get either of those to work. =/
• Thomas: Ugh, whoops. I always forget Arc uses VBA and not VB.net. Updated.....again.