def IsExists(fxfcustid):
 
     #global noduplicates
 
     db = db_connect("triumph","freight","vcpdb")
     cursor = db2.cursor()
 
     #*************************************************************************
     #***   Query to get entries made by the person acessing the system     *** 
     #*************************************************************************
 
     sql = '''select count(*) 
              from triumph.fxf_salescontest_entry
              where fxf_acct_nbr        = %(fxfcustid)s)
                 and (delete_flag is null or
                      delete_flag not in ('Y','y')) ''' % vars()
     try:
        cursor.execute( sql )
        noduplicates = cursor2.fetchall();
     except:
        noduplicates = [('None')]
 
     cursor.close()
     db.close()
     return
 
### later on, it was called by followiging code:
isExists(fxfcustid)
       if noduplicates != 0:
           print mainscreen(empno,'This customer has been entered. Request failed',0,'')         
      else:
        cursor.execute(insertSql % vars())