FMP 6 Cut Paste Data - Formats in Browse Mode

[ssaucedo]

If I am in browse mode and I am cutting and pasting data into a field, however the formatting, i.e. font, font size and color are coming over different since the data is being cut and pasted from various sources how can I reformat the data to display uniformly in browse mode? Ideally I would like my data to default to one font/format whether I type the data or cut and paste. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Lee Smith]

Use the key combination of [color:red]Command+ [color:red]Option + [color:red]V.

Lee

[ssaucedo]

Did not get the result I was hoping for....Is there a global default override somewhere to force all data entered to format to one specific font chosen?

[Lee Smith]

That's strange, there are only two ways that you can past from the clipboard. That is with the Formatting being retained (Cmd V), or with formatting being striped, (Cmd Opt V).

So, I'm not sure what the problem is.

If it isn't formatted the way you thought it should be, then check out what you have assigned as attributes to the field in Layout Mode.

HTH

Lee

p.s.

If you are correcting a previous paste in the field (i.e you selected the contents and deleted), then you need to exit the field and then reenter the field before pasting again.

Edited October 25, 2006 by Guest
p.s.

[ssaucedo]

Oh ok got it. Thanks that will help for future data entry.

However, what if you need to deal with this after the fact. Say someone was doing the data entry for you and they cut and pasted data from various sources and now you have fields with every sort of formatting imaginable. How can one reformat without going to each individual field/record and going, format, font, format size etc...

[Lee Smith]

In the newer version (7, 8, 8.5), you can use the new Text Functions. Unfortunately, in version 6 you have to replace the field with itself.

You can use either a Script or the Replace in the menu to do this, a warning of caution though, you can not undo this.

I usually use the Menu Option (Main Menu >> Records >> Replace Contents ([color:blue]Cmd + [color:blue]=))

You need to first put your cursor in the field to be changed, hit [color:blue]Cmd =, then click on [color:blue]Specify (Replace with Calculated Result), then enter the Field that you are changing. Hit [color:blue]Okay, and the [color:blue]Replace.

(i.e put the cursor in the field to be change your [color:blue]FieldName field, and then replace with your [color:blue] FieldName field).

HTH

Lee

Edited October 25, 2006 by Guest
added

[ssaucedo]

Will this only change the formatting and not the existing data? How does FMP know what font/size etc to format the selected field to?

[Lee Smith]

Calculations strip the formatting in the earlier version. This means that it will revert the data to the Field Formats attributes you have assigned the field.

You should make a test file, make a few records, use something like Times, or Palatino as your font choice, size at 12.

Then in the records do all kinds of stupid formatting, like change the size, make some of it bold, some italic, some underlined. Then test the method I posted and see what it does.

Lee

[ssaucedo]

ok well it worked great thanks for all the help!