I have a file with one specific standard text field blank. All other fields show correctly. CTRL-I shows a very long (correct index) of what SHOULD be in the field. Define Fields shows the field is indexed. But performing a manual find using * produces no records. There is (and always has been) only the original layout FM created. And yep, text color is set to black.

I tried running Replace Contents = thatField through it but it didn't make any difference. Can I force it to reindex the field? I don't know if the data is gone and the index is wrong - or whether the data won't show because the index is wrong. I just want to understand it. It's not logical.

Stumped in Oregon

ps. I'm not asking whether I should risk keeping a wonky file - really I'm not! I guess what I'm asking is if there are NORMAL reasons something like this might happen, ie, the index being totally wrong and if so, how to fix it. I've just never seen it ... but there is more in heaven and earth than what I know.

I only know what I've seen. But I've seen this twice already myself, and read posts of others seeing this in 7. It seems to be an early sign of corruption. I don't know whether we should be more worried because we're seeing it, or thankful that we're seeing it, whether 7 is more prone to corruption, or just better about showing it. Perhaps it is a weakness in the indexing, which an upgrade will fix.

In one case there were no records, but the data could be seen through a constant relationship. In both cases I did a recover, then imported the data into a previous clone. All was well.

Thank you Fenton. I've only been using FileMaker for 3 years and I realize that not everything that perplexes me is a bug. And I've read about 'forcing a reindex' and I've never had to do that either.

Just wanted to be sure it wasn't a common thing that you all would laugh about and point to a small checkbox (like Do Not Evaluate If All Referenced Fields are Empty). Sometimes the small (obvious) things can trip me up.

If a user performs a find on an unindexed field, and cancels while FileMaker is indexing the field, such 'wonkiness' as this can occur.

Try removing the index from the field, closing Define Database, then re-opening it, adding the index, and closing it again. In some cases you may need to close the whole file after removing/adding the index.

If that fixes it, then I would not automatically assume corruption, just PEBKAC.

PEBKAC, JT?

Ah. A cancelled find must have been what I was thinking of - which might mess with an index. However, it didn't help in this case. I've scrapped the file just in case but now I know there are also normal reasons this might happen. Thank you!