Multiple find criteria in a single field and "omit" alternatives?

[carlosnorvik]

Hi:

Is there any alternative way (fewer steps) to execute the following find procedures:

1) Multiple criteria in a single field:

Example: I want to find the following order #'s on a database: 8302715/830271/8303731

As far as I understand, the way to do it (Windows) is "Ctrl+F 8302715 Ctrl+N 830271 Ctrl+N 8303731 Enter"

In the program I used before (Approach) It can be done as follows: "Ctrl+F 8302715, 8302717, 8303731 Enter" (entering the different find criterias at once, separated by a comma)

2) Find records corresponding to certain criteria in a field, omitting fields corresponding to another criteria in a different field.

Finding sales in 2010, omiting sales to John, Mary and Thomas

As far as I understand, the way to do it (Windows) is "Ctrl+F 2010 Ctrl+N John (Omit) Ctrl+N Mary (Omit) Ctrl+N Thomas (Omit) Enter" (2010 = Year field, names = client field)

In Approach it was simpler: "Ctrl+F 2010 // <>John&<> Mary &<> Thomas" (2010 = Year field, names = client field, all client names eneterd at once), it can even be used across multiple fields to find more 'omit' conditions.

In both cases (doing it the way I am) it is more complicated and time consuming to do in Filemaker (plus if the search has to be modified it has to be done again?).

I really hope there is a faster way to do it , any help will be highly appreciated, since both cases correspond to finds I have to do very often.

I attach a file of how I did it in Approach (it shows a more complicated find than indicated above)

Thanks

Carlos

PD

If something similar was posted before, I apologize, but I did not find it,

[mr_vodka]

not natively, but you could use a global text field to enter your search criteria and then have a script that could parse and interpret that into finding the way that you want.

[carlosnorvik]

Hi Mr. Vodka:

Thanks, I guess that would work for a search that looks always in the same fields

But it won't if the fields used for the find change every time.

Unfortunately, that is what I tought would be the answer.

Should be in the list of requested improvements.

Best regards

Carlos

[carlosnorvik]

Just out of curiosity I built a database from a template in Access, wow, does it ever have a horrible find procedure, it made me feel very glad I switched to Filemaker and not to Access.

I made the switch to Filemaker because it was similar in many ways to Approach (could even copy/paste many formulas), so development time was not too bad (I still have a few not very important files to switch).

After using FM for about 3 years, I only miss 2 things:

a) Find procedures (far superior in Approach)

The ability to sort records based on any field (I had all my databases showing the newest record first and oldest last). I do the same now on FM but based on a button activated script.

Otherwise, I am very happy with it.

Carlos