Like almost anything dealing with names, there are multiple exceptions. As
Walt has mentioned, any rule you make will mess up someone's name. So if you
use Replace, which is the best way to solve your present problem, you will
then need to examine every name to make sure that a 'von' hasn't become a
'Von' when it wasn't supposed to be, etc. Murphy says that person will
probably be your largest contributor and very picky about their name.
Also, the Replace will only handle current records. If new names in all caps
are entered later, the process will need to be repeated every time you do a
mailing. Best answer (after correcting the current problem) is to make sure
data entry people don't use all caps. That's a process solution, not an
ebase solution.
If that's not possible, and you know FileMaker scripting, write a script
that will set each element of the current name to Title Case using the same
function used in the Replace, then format a button to run that script and
place it on the Data Entry 1 layout. Make clicking on the button part of the
data entry process. Also make checking the name afterwards part of that same
process.
The worst method that works is to periodically edit new names manually
yourself.
Gary
> Subject: RE: Capital Letters
> From: "Bob LeLievre" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 17:34:29 -0400
> X-Message-Number: 11
>
> The REPLACE command is a general Filemaker command.
>
> Try this:
>
> - Backup first. You will be doing a mass overwrite of data, and you could
> screw up and overwrite the wrong field.
>
> - You need to be on a layout that has the field you want to change. To
> fix
> the various name fields, use the DATA ENTRY 1 layout
>
> - Click on FIND ALL if you want all records updated.
>
> - To fix the first name in the name1 line, Click on the FNAME field in the
> NAME 1 line. This is the field that will get replaced with new data.
>
> - For Filemaker 5, in the top menu line, click on RECORDS, then click on
> REPLACE. A REPLACE dialog box should pop up. Click on REPLACE WITH
> CALCULATED RESULT. A SPECIFY CALCULATION box will pop up. In the list of
> functions in the upper right corner, scroll down until you find the
> PROPER(text) choice. Double-click on it.
>
> Proper(text)
>
> should get filled in the white box in the middle. The word 'text' should
> be
> highlighted in blue. Then scroll down the list of field names in the
> upper
> left corner until you find
> FIRST NAME 1. Double-click on it.
>
> Proper(FIRST NAME 1)
>
> should now be showing in the white box in the middle. Click on OK, then
> click on REPLACE.
>
> What you are really doing here is replacing the value of a field with a
> calculation done on that same field. Do this with the other name fields.
> Make sure you are replacing the right field. The REPLACE dialog box tells
> you what field is being replaced.
>
> The REPLACE command is pathetically slow, so it may take a while if you
> have
> thousands of records.
>
> For Filemaker 4, the REPLACE command is found by clicking on MODE in the
> Filemaker menu line.
>
> Let me know how it works. Good luck.
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> Bob LeLievre
> LeLievre Information Services
> List Management Services for Non-Profits
> voice: 617-474-9131
> email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> website: www.lelievre.net
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ben [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Thursday, June 14, 2001 5:06 PM
> To: TechRocks Support
> Subject: [support] RE: Capital Letters
>
>
> I am fairly new to ebase so could you tell me more about the REPLACE
> command and how to use the PROPER() function?
>
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