Proper use of the * character?

[Earl Squirrel]

Folks

How do I find OXF1-30-D-G1, OXF2-42-D-G1, etc, in a list that includes some 20,000 different variations of OXFsomethingGsomething? I have tried OXF*G1, but it doesn't work. What am I doing wrong? I used to be able to perform this find in earlier versions of the program, but I know FM changed somethings in 7.

8.5 Advanced

[Genx]

.... no that should work. The * wildcard represents any number of unknown characters, even 0. Are you sure it's a text field and not a number field?

[Earl Squirrel]

Yes, I have even exported the field to a seprate file to eliminate the chance that corruption it the culprit. I have attached the file so that oters can exam it. I have tried OXF*G1 till I am blue in the face.

Search.fp7.zip

Edited February 19, 2007 by Guest

[Genx]

Hmmm weird, the only thing i can get to work is *G1 but that's not really of any use to you. Guess we'll have to wait for someone else.

[RPCia]

I don't know the why but I can get it to work by searching for

OXF * G1

and putting spaces before and after the *

I hope this is a file issue because I have done reporting before using a similar technique.

EDIT:

I suspected it had something to do with the hyphens and by removing the hyphens the search worked as expected. I even tried replacing the hyphens with underscores and it still did not work.

Edited February 19, 2007 by Guest
Did some Research

[mr_vodka]

Maybe OXF*-*-*-G* ?

Similar Issue

[mr_vodka]

Limited Reference to Dashes

[comment]

I too think it is similar, and the solution is the same: search for OXF G1 (two words).

See also here.

[The Shadow]

Try:

==OXF*G1

That searches the whole field, which works out for your test file.

[comment]

But why go to unindexed search, when an indexed method is available?

[Earl Squirrel]

Folks

Thanks, I will instuct our people to place a space after or before the asterisk. I remember this being talked about earlier when 7 came out, but it clearly has slipped my weak mind.

Thanks again to all.

Vince Dolan

Waymar Industries

[The Shadow]

The search will still be indexed. FileMaker has two indexes on text fields, individual words, and values (up to a newline). The value index will be used here on the prefix, and the end part will be scanned. With a mere 20K records, this appears instant to me.

This technique has the advantage of being more like what was being used pre-7.0, to minimize the work Earth Squirrel needs to do to change this over. Also, searching for G1 as a word like you suggest is going to find "G13", "G14", etc, which I assume was not desired.

[comment]

I will instuct our people to place a space after or before the asterisk.

The asterisk is not required - it's the space that makes the difference.

With a mere 20K records, this appears instant to me.

I tried it with the provided file, and I see a noticeable lag.

Also, searching for G1 as a word like you suggest is going to find "G13", "G14", etc, which I assume was not desired.

Easily fixed by:

OXF =G1