question on range query

[wvdb]

I recently needed to split up a large group of records into 3 smaller groups due to a problem I ran into when emailing over 1000 users. I figured I would split the record set alphabetically using the last name field, so I wrote 3 scripts to constrain the record set using the range operator like

A…H

I wanted every name starting with A to H for the first group. I got some strange results and believe it is related to spaces in the field. For example using the A to H range I would get results like these

John A.

Sara B.

It’s like it treated the middle initial as a separate search. Is this how it functions? It also did the same using email addresses the @ symbol acted as a space and it treated both halves as separate words matching from either.

To fix I added a customer number field as a key and split by the number, but I would like to known if there is a way to only use the first letter in a text field. I thought about the left function but was unsure how to place it in the script. Most of my experience is with SQL not filemaker.

Thanks

[bcooney]

I've never had a problem emailing 1000+ from FM. However, I loop thru the found set with the Send Mail step and have never tried adding 1000+ To: addresses to one email. I bet it's your ISP that's blocking what looks like (is?, lol) spam.

[wvdb]

It's not the ISP. The program just dies with an unknown error. When it is restarted it has to check the data becuase of an unexpected shutdown.

[Lee Smith]

I don't think that v9 is compatible with Windows 2000?

Lee