Trimming data as imported into filemaker

[BeckhamTX]

I am amking a database for a user to replace an older non filemaker database.

One table has about 60 fields, and when i import data from the old DB, it comes in with extra spaces at the end of each field (for example: the first name field in the old db contains 15 characters, so John would import as

JohnXXXXXXXXXXXXX - where X are spaces). This is not good, especially in cases where letters and other layouts are created using merge fields.

I know I can set up a second field and use the trim function to remove the spaces, but with 60 + fields, I was wondering if there was some way you can trim while importing so i dont end up having to create a secoind, trimmed field for each existing field.

[Lee Smith]

Take a look at this posts, it covers what you need to do. If you need further clarification, then let us know.

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=90614

HTH

lee

[ESpringer]

BeckhamTX,

Lee's recommendation for previous thread was a good one. However, if you have FM7 (hard to tell since you haven't yet specified a profile), you can:

Use the Auto-Enter Calc with Replace Existing Contents (De-select "Do Not Replace"), so that no matter what data is input, the field will modify the contents to match the calc. So, define Field1 as text with option: Auto-Enter Calc [Replace]: Trim(Field1), etc.

If you define fields this way, the import will give you the option of performing auto-enter functions on import.

[BeckhamTX]

OK, I read those postings, sounds good, but I had also gone in and done some more "playing" in my database trying to see what I could find.

What I did for one field was "Replace Field Contents".

For example, for the field FName, I went to replace field contents and specified trim(FName).

It seems to have worked fine for the field I tried it on. I am going to try it on the other fields and see how it works on them.

[BeckhamTX]

ESpringer,

thankx for the info, I didnt mean to post the same thing over after your post, but by the time I finnished typing my last post, and verifying it actually worked, yours had already posted.

Thankx for the help.