I am doing the following search where I only want specific records that contain an employee's initials in multiple combo boxes, but only where the project is not completed as follows:

STA1 = search spec is "JAD"
STA2 = search spec is "JAD"
STA3 = search spec is "JAD"
DATE COMPLETED = search spec is "=" (empty)

If I set the search option to Meet All Restrictions, obviously, it won't return any records.

If I set the search option to Meet Any Restrictions, it returns all records with any one of the criteria above, resulting in too many unwanted hits.

Is there another way around this ?  I am trying to use this saved spec in my reports.

Thanks,

Louis

BTW, I almost forgot, you could also use @IsBlank() within the programmed retrieve like this:

{ ( STA1 = "JAD" or STA2 = "JAD" or STA3 = "JAD" ) and @IsBlank(DATE COMPLETED) } 

It definately needs to be the Field name, not the LE name.

Your statement, "the STA fields are unlabeled combo boxes and have field names of STA1, STA2, STA3 and are bound to the same name respectively", is a little confusing. The "Bound To" name is the Field name.

Make sure to use the name that appears in the Property Viewer on the "Bound To" line, but without the leading exclaimation mark (!).

I have found that if ANY of the field names are incorrect, the ENTIRE statement will not find any matching records, even if logically it should. One misspelled field name ruins the entire statement. For example, the following statement will find many Tools category records and one record with check number 20101.

{ Category = "Tools" or Check No = "20101" }

But, if Category is misspelled as Catagory, Sesame finds no matching records. It should still find the check numbered 20101, but it doesn't.

So, be very careful that your spelling matches the Bound To name for the LE you want to search on. If that does not solve it for you, I'm not sure what else it would be without looking at the application.

Quote:

Thank you, Mark, for this explanation. I was wondering why it did that. Now it makes sense.

I know this type of syntax works. I just ran a test on one of my apps with this spec:

{ (Category = "PW" or Category = "Auto" or Check No = "20101") and (Not @IsBlank(Check Date)) } 

That does retrieve records for me. Though it did not, until I put the "(Not...)" portion around the @IsBlank function.

Are you sure that you have records that meet the criteria you are asking for in the spec? Retrieve a record using just one of the basic specs, and verify that you are asking for something that is actually in the database. Or build a test spec for any record that you can pull up, being sure to tailor it to find that record, and see if you can make it find that record.

Have you tried......

From:
{ ( STA1 = "JAD" or STA2 = "JAD" or STA3 = "JAD" ) and @IsBlank(DATE COMPLETED) } 

To:
{ (( STA1 = "JAD") or (STA2 = "JAD") or (STA3 = "JAD" )) and @IsBlank(DATE COMPLETED) } 

Hello Louis,

Start with something simple like

{(STA1 = "JAD")}

See if it retrieves records. If it does then move on to

{( STA1 = "JAD" or STA2 = "JAD")}

and so on and so on. Let us know when it stops working.

-Ray

Hello Louis,

Try changing the field name to Date_Completed in SDesigner in Manage Fields. Let me know if it works after that.

-Ray