This will seem trivial to most of you pros, but here goes: how I can select all companies beginning with the letter A (or whatever). Suppose I have two companies in the file (ACME Co., Easy as PI). If I use A* in the Find Request, both records are found, not just ACME. Ditto with "A*". I've also experimented with @ and other symbols; nothing works right (either all of the records are found or none). How can I use * (or something else) to mean all the following letters and words in the field?

The easiest way would be to use the "clairvoyance" technique (a must have).

Left (CompanyName, 1)

http://www.filemakerpros.com/Clairvoyance.zip

more tip files:

http://www.databasepros.com/resources.html

Then use a global field, to put your "letter to find." With a relationship to the calculation field above. The results could be shown either with Go To Related Record, or in a Portal (based on the relationship).

The find:

The Shadow does know! Thanks, that does the trick. As for the Clairvoyance method, I will consider using that for Browse mode.