Sorting problem

[Al Sallam]

I am an MS/SQL developer and I was requested by my college to take a look at a FM database. I have not done anything with FM and I am trying to learn it as I go. The problem that I am having is that My primary key in one of my table sorts the data ascending then it starts to go out of order here is an example:

08GW108

08GW109

08GW11

08GW111

08GW112

08GW113

08GW115

08GW116

08GW118

08GW119

08GW12

08GW124

08GW13

08GW136

08GW137

08GW138

08GW15

08GW17

Notice that it goes in order before this point then it gets jumbled up. How can I keep it in numeric order even though data type is (text).

My second question, does anyone know a good book to start with?

thanks

[BrentHedden]

This is the BIG problem with trying to sort text information this way. The same problem exists in Windows when you sort by the filename.

Honestly, there is no way to sort it the way you would like to when you keep the field as a text field.

The only thing that comes up off the top of my head is to change the field to a number field. Please do this on a copy of the file! It should preserve the 'GW' letters, and you'll be able to sort by numerical order then.

Else, supposing that these keys are created automatically upon record creation, you should be able to view them as 'unsorted' (use the Unsort Record script command), and then they'll line up as you want. This is due because the "unsort" command actually shows them in order of ascending record creation.

[Al Sallam]

Since this key is created automatically, If I changed it to Numeric will it still keep the GW for the new ones?

[BrentHedden]

I'm presuming so. If my memory is correct, if you change said field to a number type, you can still type in letters or other characters. It just won't index on these "strange" characters (which means any finds performed on said field will be reallllllly slow.

It's easy enough to test for it, but do so on a copy of the file.

[Al Sallam]

Thanks