I am trying to write a script that will show all records that begin with ''a', all that begin with 'b', all that begin with 'c' etc. Each letter of the alphabet would have its own separate script (or all of them combined into one, if possible)

This searches cell 'Name' of every record for instances where the leading character is 'A' or 'a':

Sort [Restore,No dialog]

Show All Records

Go to Record/Request/Page [First]

Allow User Abort [On]

Loop

if ["Left(Name,1)="A""]

#Show this record The problem is here, I am looping through each record, and it determines the appropriate records alright, but how do I get it to display all of those records and only those records.

End If

Go to Record/Request/Page [Exit after last,Next]

End Loop

Go to Layout ["Table"]

If anyone can help me with this, I would really appreciate it. I know my way around FileMaker, but I am hardly accomplished. Most of my scripts rely heavily on my knowledge of AppleScript, to give you an idea. I am using FileMaker 6 on MacOS 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard)

Why don't you use Perform Find?

I have no idea how I could use Perform Find to show all of the records I want to display. I can see how I could use it to show all records that contain the letter a (in any position), but I want to display all records where the text in the cell I named "Name" begins with the letter 'a' or the letter 'b' etc.

How would I go about that, given that I am using FM6 ?

Automatic message

This topic has been moved from "FileMaker Product Family → FileMaker Legacy → FileMaker.fp5" to "Database Schema & Business Logic → Managing Scripts".

perform find - enter the letter a, b or whatever into the criteria field and the script will just find records starting with that letter. no looping needed

given that I am using FM6 ?

Slightly off-topic: you are wasting your time learning version 6. There was a BIG change starting with version 7 and you will have a lot of unlearning to do when you upgrade.