Query excluding certain names

[blubomber]

I am trying to put together a query that will pull data from a table of customer names. But there are some generic first and last names that i want to exclude. I am trying to use the Not Like expression but there are multiple first names i want to weed out and i am not sure i am separating them correctly. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[lespaul]

what's the query you're using that's not quite right?

Leslie

Anything worth doing is a lot more difficult than it's worth - Unknown Induhvidual

Essential reading for anyone working with databases: The Fundamentals of Relational Database Design

 

[blubomber]

Well, i am pulling data from 3 tables in an SQL database. i have created the links to the tables. There are two fields where i am using Not Like in the Criteria line, but there are only two possible options in those fields. For example, there is a status field with either an 'I' for inactive or 'A' for active. So i want all the active cutomers so i use Not Like 'I'. That works. But when i try to apply it to the First Name field, where i want to exclude, for example, all Bob and John first names i am not sure if in need to put the names in "()" separated by commas. Or maybe the Not Like Criteria is incorect.

 

[PaultheS]

Not Like 'Bob' And Not Like 'John' And Not Like...

 

[lespaul]

Not Like '*Bob*' And Not Like '*John*' And Not Like...

 

[gol4]

there are multiple first names i want to weed out

if there a several

make a temp table of names to exclude then do a left join and look for the nulls OR do regular join then a not in based on a select from this query