Hello to all,

I have been using FM Pro for years, first on mac platform, now on Windows.
Current version 8.5 developer.

I really feel stupid to ask this, but....
I can't figure out, although I used to know, how to do a find replace and
get it to work by first finding fields that are "empty".

Ex: I have a text field I added to my database after the database was
populated. So this field was initially blank. Now, I've filled in a few
records with text for that field, but can't seem to find a way to have FM8.5
developer find the balance of "empties" for this field and replace it with
the text I choose. I do know, at least I think I do, that FM may have
changed their search conventions, but I can't get the Find/Replace to find
the empty fields.

I've tried "", =, ? "space", * etc etc etc.

HELP, PLEASE, and don't tell anyone I asked.

Regards,
Rich

In article <ct3dh.2507$hI.1475 (AT) newssvr11 (DOT) news.prodigy.net>, "rbnomer"
<rich4shelleys (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net> wrote:

Typing an = by itself into a field will find records that have the
field empty.

It depends on what you're trying to set the field's data to be and how
many records there are as to which way is the easiest to do.

Always make a backup before playing with large numbers of records.

One way would be to not bother with Finding the empty records at all.
Show all the records and then click in the Text field, and then you can
CAREFULLY use the Replace command in the Records menu to replace the
data in ALL the records with either a static value or a calculated
value.

To replace the data for just the records where the field is empty, you
can use a Replace using a Calculation of:

If (IsEmpty(TextField),
{static value or calcaultion for empty records},
TextField)



Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

What have you been doing with Filemaker all these years?

You don't use Find/Replace, but rather a standard find (View drop down
menu), with = as your criterion. Then you Replace Field Contents
(Records drop down menu) with whatever you want. Don't use the
Find/Replace in the Edit drop down.

G

rbnomer wrote: