changing existing data

[Eel]

Hi

I'm a novice with Filemaker and I've been having some problems with an existing database containing data.

I have an existing film database with a field called 'Characteristics' that contains check boxes with a number of options such as:

colour

black & white

tinted

sound

silent

negative

postitive

etc.

But I really want to have two separate fields, one called 'Sound' and one called 'Colour' and copy or display only some of the values in the 'Characteristics' field so that the field 'Colour' would display only the values 'colour' or 'black and white' or 'tinted'

and the field 'Sound' would indicates if a film is either:

'sound' or 'silent'

So basically I want to split some of the data into two fields and exclude other options that aren't relevant.

I'm not sure if this can be done with a calculation or a script or some other way, but I just can't work it out.

Sorry if this is a stupid question or I haven't explained it well enough, but can anyone help at all?

Many thanks

Eel

[MatthewS]

You could use a pattern count in calculation fields to look for the words.

If(PatternCount(Current Field , "colour")>0, "colour" , *Repeat Patern count for other words related or use ""*)

But the best way I can think of, would be to do this then export it to another file and import it back into a couple of text fields then use radio buttons on these fields in the layouts for new records.

[Eel]

Thanks very much for this advice. It was really helpful.

I have used patterncount and exported and imported the results to turn it into editable text and this all worked well.

I haven't quite got the hang of doing the calculations yet.

I can get it to give me an either or result e.g. either silent or sound, but when there are three possible options that I'd like returned in one field e.g. colour or black&white or tinted, I haven't quite worked this out yet.

But I'm getting there.

thanks again for your help

Eel