ralated fields neither exclusively text or number

[ia80tax]

Have used filemaker 6 for about 4 years

have been relating different files by existing parcel numbers that are continuously imported from another system. Have used these numbers which have had leading zeros and alpha characters in some cases in filemaker 6 with no problem. I am now upgrading to FM 9 and neither 'text' nor 'number' is working in all cases

Why did it work in 6 and not 9 and more important is there a easy way to work around this. Yes I know I have broke ever convention that experts ever recommended

The bulk of my data is stored permanntly in a private vendors much larger system and I import that weekly to filemaker to add other information and utilize layout capabilities.

Has worked well but I am now wishing I stayed with 6

Changing my parcel number would not be my first choice

[Raybaudi]

text fields on both sides must work.

Edited July 29, 2008 by Guest
bold for comment

[comment]

If it has leading zeros and alpha characters, then without a doubt it is text. What issues are you having with it in version 9?

[ia80tax]

It was not treating the blank spaces after the characters consistently not sure if one file to the next has a different default number of spaces in a text file. When I import my data I have to use excel as an intermediate step as my vendor system uses the small white squares which I am unable to get filemaker to read. Excell does so I go there first, save that with the parcel field only called 'text' not general to retain the leading zeros. I assume what I am importing has whatever excell defaults to as number of spaces.

Frankly I am getting so confused and as that was a couple of weeks back I wish I could give you the definitive what it was doing. I have switched it back to 'text' now as the number obviously can not be made to work unless I remake the parcel numbers or make entirely new serial number which I am considering but that has some other problems with that.

It maybe that the swich back an forth between text and numbewr has made my file inconsistant

If I am rambling its because I am an idiot forgive me If this does not spur any clues I will work on the definative what it does in text the next couple of days

Thanks for the help. I am in a rural area and of the very few I know of that use filemaker they use it much less intensively than me so they are of no help

[comment]

I don't think Excel has a "default number of spaces" - in fact, I don't think there should be spaces anywhere in your data (except where intended). Try using the Trim() function to clean up your data.