Find based on first word begins with "A"

[ibiubu]

When in find mode, can a search be perfomed that is based on alphabet? For example, find all records where the first word in a field begins with "A"

LR

[CobaltSky]

Yes, it can!

However typically, a search by a single letter returns records for which any word in the field (not just the first) begin with the supplied letter.

One of the most common ways I've seen to search for records where only the first word in a field starts with the character in question is to create a stored calc field with the formula LeftWords(yourField, 1) and search on that.

Generally this process is scripted, so the user enters find criteria in the normal way, and clicks on a button for "Find by first word only" and the rest is handled by a script which transfers the criterion to the (hidden) calc field and performs the find.

[danjacoby]

Even simpler: have the calc field be "Left(yourField, 1)". That way, it only returns the first letter of the first word.

"Once you're idiot-proofed something, someone invents a better idiot."