So I want to make a value list which is the first four letters of a customer's last name.  Why?  because I want the guys to type those four letters to find a customer code.  The customer table will have a customerID but this will be used to type first character and match then type second character and match for filtering the list of customers to choose from in portal.  

 

If I have a value list of the four characters for all the customers then I can put a portal filter on the Dashboard portal to customers which could be like this I think

 

PatternCount( characters typed ; four character value list )  or similar, right?  Thank you.

If I have a value list of the four characters for all the customers then I can put a portal filter on the Dashboard portal to customers which could be like this I think

PatternCount( characters typed ; four character value list )  or similar, right?  Thank you.

 

If you want to have a portal filter, you can simply use

Left ( PortalTO::nameLast ; 4 ) = charactersTyped

To make this work for any length of charactersTyped, use

Left ( PortalTO::nameLast ; Length ( charactersTyped ) ) = charactersTyped

No need for any value lists (because each record is matched individually against the input field), or – since you know you're examining the first four/n letters – PatternCount().

FileMaker text functions are very powerful, and eos has the right solution. Do a google search for "filemaker text functions" and you'll get the list of everything that's available.

Do a google search for "filemaker text functions" and you'll get the list of everything that's available.

 

Why not use the documentation instead?

 

http://fmhelp.filemaker.com/fmphelp_13/en/html/func_ref3.33.48.html#1029735

Why not use the documentation instead?

 

http://fmhelp.filemaker.com/fmphelp_13/en/html/func_ref3.33.48.html#1029735

 

Google's easier.  Seriously.  I can do a search for "filemaker (something something something)."  Top hit 99% of the top is the relevant documentation.  And the rest of the hints are good information, typically including posts in this forum.

I will play with these ideas.  Thank you.

FileMaker text functions are very powerful, and eos has the right solution

 

Then why did you vote down the post with that very solution?

Then why did you vote down the post with that very solution?

 

My bad.  Clicked the wrong button.