<< What is "Downall View Typecasting?" >>
This: CREATE VIEW ViewWithNote (IDCol, VarcharColNote) AS + SELECT -1, 'Nothing' FROM Dummy WHERE LIMIT = 0 + UNION + SELECT IDCol, (VarcharCol) FROM RealTable The result is that VarcharCol is now cast to type NOTE in the pseudo-table ViewWithNote and can be used like a note field -- including display in BROWSE and use in export (whereas the original VARCHAR field could not be viewed or exported). This is just one specific application of the technique which allows you to convert some types of columns into other types (mostly text to text) using a no-rows dummy SELECT in a UNION view. It joins Byerly Form Parameters (using the CAPTION part of the EDIT USING command to pass parameters into a form), McGrath Autonumbering (a looping technique to calculate autonumber values), and someone's (yours or Bill's) WHILE 1 = 1 THEN cursor looping technique as regular parts of my tool kit. -- Larry
