If.. then copy value from another field

[ranger29]

I think this should be a simple calculation, but I can't get it to work.

For field3, I need to copy the value from field1 if the value in field2 is 1.

Details:
I have a time series table, each record is a year (field is [year], values are 1972, 1973, 1974, etc.).  This is a country's timeline, during which some years it is at peace.

I have a field [firstyearpeace] that is a number field with values of either 1 or [blank]. If it is a 1, that means that year is the first year of an era of peace.  

I have another number field [peacestartcalyr] that I want to be the calendar year of the first era of peace.

I think this should be an If.. Then calculation (or perhaps a Case calculation? I'm using 12 Pro Advanced).

In the calculation formula for [peacestartcalyr] I have:

If ( firstyearpeace = 1 ; GetField ( year ) ; )

When I click "OK", nothing happens.  I already have the  [firstyearpeace] and [year] fields populated.  What am I doing wrong?  Syntax? Should I be using Case?  If so, what syntax for that?  I don't get an error when I hit OK from the Specify Calculation dialog box.  If the value in the  [firstyearpeace]  is blank, I want it to leave  [peacestartcalyr] blank.

 

[bruceR]

Case( firstyearpeace = 1 ; year )

[ranger29]

Thank you so much Bruce.   At first I couldn't get it to work, then I remembered some (all?) calculations are only performed after something is freshly entered in a field (in this case, entering "1" in [firstyearpeace].  In my situation the appropriate [firstyearpeace] fields were already populated with 1s, which is why it didn't work the first time.  My workaround: I did a Find for all those with a 1, removed it via Replace Field Contents, put the 1 back,  Replaced Field Contents again, and then all my peacestartcalyer fields happily populated with the correct year.  Is there a setting somewhere to make the calculation happen automatically when fields are already populated -  something like "Relookup Field Contents" for Calculations?

[bruceR]

You're leaving something out.

 

None of that should be necessary.

 

Did you define the field as a calculation field or as an auto-enter calc. Sounds like you defined it as an auto-enter calc. 

 

It would be good to post a copy of your file, or a clone, or simplified example.

[Aussie John]

Might be a "storage options" thing if it is a calculation - change to - do not store - will give you instant refresh