Doing a find using the star symbol

[oilman]

Hi all

trying to script a find using the star (*) symbol. My company use this to denote a inactive welder. We currently do the find manually.

The script reads like this:

Enter Find mode

Insert calculated result[select,"inactive" ,""*""]

preform find

This insert the star (*) symbol into the inactive field but does not insert the quotation marks that is need for FM to recognize the star (*) symbol and the message "No records are found" appears.

When the find is done manually, the symbol button is push and the literal text symbol is chosen and this inserts the quotation into the inactive field and the star (*) symbol is added. This works perfectly. How do you get the quotation marks to appear with the star (*) symbol.

Thanks in advance

Lionel

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hi,

Check that the field "inactive" is on the layout.

[oilman]

Hi Ugo

The find is preform on the form itself so all the the field are on the layout.

This is off the subject but this year is the bicentennial of the Louisana purchase from France.

This might be the second greatest thing that has happen to the United States with the American revolution the first

Thanks

Lionel

[kenneth2k1]

If possible, I would suggest changing the symbol you use to designate an inactive welder. If the field is named "Inactive," you could just populate it with an "X" and search on that. Or make a value list.

The reason that I would change is because in find mode, the symbol (*) will find unknown characters, or any characters in a field. Interesting when I tested you script:

Enter Find Mode

Set Field (Or Insert Calculated Result) [inactive, ""*""]

Pause

Perform Find

It will put a 0 in the field if the field is formatted as text.

In general, you don't want to use characters that are in the programming set. So I would suggest using another symbol.

Ken

[oilman]

Hi all

Just discover something about FM6. FM6 sees the star (*) symbol as an "X" in a script find. Change the star symbol in some of my records to an X and preform the script find and FM found the record with the X.

Thanks

Lionel

[Ugo DI LUCA]

This might be the second greatest thing that has happen to the United States with the American revolution the first

waiting for the chargers at SuperBowl

Agreed though that this was a very good choice. Greetings to all of you.

[Fenton]

Well, apart from the obvious tips that you shouldn't use the asterisk as data in a field (you will have the same problem however with "@" in email addresses), I believe you're missing some quote marks. You need another set.

Set Field (Or Insert Calculated Result) [inactive, """*"""]

In Find mode you want to see: "*" as the result, with the quote marks.

[Ugo DI LUCA]

huh ?

Why would we need 3 quotes here. This would lead to "*" to appear in the field ?

I don't get it ?

Sure agree about the * symbol being confusing though.

[Fenton]

"*" is what he wants in the field. He's trying to find records with an asterisk (*) in the field, as part of the data. Yes, confusing and not a good idea; but as I said, you run into the same problem with @ in email addresses.

He's not trying to use * as a wild run.

[Lee Smith]

Another way to say this is. * and @ are operators, and FileMaker will not find an operator (AFAIK ) unless it is in quotes which then tell FileMaker that it text instead. However, in order to include it in a script, the quotes must be in quotes, or it would be like puttin the operator in the field without the quotes. Clear as mud huh.

Lee

[kenneth2k1]

Yeah Fenton is right. If he wanted to do it that way, you would need three sets.

I don't think Ugo gets it because he would have you doing a find dynamically through a self-relating portal (A very good technique, by the way)

* and @ are operators, and FileMaker will not find an operator (AFAIK ) unless it is in quotes which then tell FileMaker that it text instead.

True. This is called a literal text search.

Chargers in the SuperBowl? Just wait til this coming season, baby!

I'll add another thing I think was important to the birth of this country:

In 1778 when Charles Gravier finally formed a military alliance with America. The British naval blockade was eliminated and France agreed to give up it's Canadian territories.

The French hook us up again.

Now tell those ppl in France to stop defacing memorials at Normandy

[Lee Smith]

[color:"blue"] > Chargers in the SuperBowl? Just wait til this coming season, baby!

Yeah, this year they will have to buy a plane ticket to watch my Raiders play the 49ers (or Buckeners) in the Super Bowl.

[Ugo DI LUCA]

kenneth2k1 said:

I don't think Ugo gets it because he would have you doing a find dynamically through a self-relating portal

Yeah !

I'm currently stuck with a Selfjoin from my Foots to my Brain !

OK, so three quotes would lead to " * " .... but I still don't get why we would need quotes to appear !!?

Chargers in the SuperBowl? Just wait til this coming season, baby!

Surely another American Dream.

Now tell those ppl in France to stop defacing memorials at Normandy

They surely don't speak French...

[BobWeaver]

.... but I still don't get why we would need quotes to appear !!?

Because if you put an asterisk in a find request, it acts as a wildcard character and will match anything. By putting it in quotes, it will search for an actual asterisk.

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Yes Bob,

I was out of town

I just dropped the test after posting and should have modified my post. Obvious.

[oilman]

Hi all

Tried the script with three quotation marks and two quotation marks and neither one works properly. Will change the star to a X. FM sees the Star symbol as an X. Change some of the star symbols to an X and ran the script using the star symbol and FM found the X records.

Thanks for the Help.

Lionel

[Lee Smith]

This is the script for finding *

Enter Find Mode []

Insert Calculated Result [select,

[Lee Smith]

I should have mentioned

Replace [color:"red"] Text with the name of [color:"red"] your field in the calculation.

Lee

[oilman]

Hi Lee

did you try it because i have tried it and it does not wokk. The star symbol is input into the field called inactive as "*" , but when the found set is shown it show randon records. The find has not pattern. Will Change the symbol to an X.

Thank

Lionel

[Lee Smith]

Yes, I tested it in a file and it works.

I'm betting that you have your curley quotes on. A quick check of this would be to replace each quote mark in the calculation:

Insert Calculated Result [select,

[Lee Smith]

Select the script step Perform Find and Uncheck "Restore Find request"

Click okay and REPLACE the Find

Lee

[oilman]

Hi Lee

Thanks, works perfertly.

When you said curley quotes do you mean smart quotes

thanks again

Lionel

[Lee Smith]

[color:"blue"]> When you said curley quotes do you mean smart quotes

Yes.

Was that the problem?

Lee

[oilman]

Hi Lee

Sure was

Thanks

Lionel

[kenneth2k1]

I still would not suggest using characters in the "program set" like "*", "<>", "@" and others.

[oilman]

Hi Kenneth21

I am thinking about changing the star symbol to an "X" . The star symbol is left over from a old program that we purchase to do our welders qualification until we develop our on in FM.

Thanks

Lionel