Parameter Field in Record Selection 1

[varakal]

I have a parameter field. Lets say it is CountryName. When I enter a CountryName, it should match that countryname from the database. We can do that with
{Country.CountryName} = {?CountryName} in record selection.

Example, if we give {?CountryName} as USA, then it diplays the rows only with Country Name as USA.

But if I donot enter any thing for the CountryName parameter field, then it should display the records with ALL country names.
How to do this?

 

[bdreed35]

It is better if you make the default value for the parameter as "ALL".

You can then put something like this in your records selection formula:

(if {?CountryName} <> "ALL" then
    {Country.CountryName} = {?CountryName}
else if {?CountryName} = "ALL" then
    TRUE)

~Brian

 

[varakal]

ya. I got this idea.. but what if we have a country name called 'ALL'. Then it will diplay the records with country name only as 'ALL' ??

 

[bdreed35]

You could change the default value to "All COUNTRIES" or something that would never match another countty name. You can try using a blank value but I never find that very meaningful to the user.

~Brian

 

[varakal]

At first, thanks a lot for you reply.
The solution seems to be fine for this particular problem.

But lets say if that field is not at all a country name and it just a descriptive text field.. then what could be the possible solution?

 

[cisscott]

Are you saying now, that you want to be able to search for a country name in a descriptive text field?

 

[varakal]

No. I am saying that I want to search for a text string in some other field (column).