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Creating a database
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ILEMAKER PRO HELP 195
Related topics
Copying and pasting field schemas (FileMaker Pro Advanced)
Changing field types
Changing a field type changes the kind of data the field can contain. It also affects how you find and
sort information that uses that field. For example, if you change a date field to a text field, you can
type other information in the field besides a date, but you will no longer be able to sort
chronologically.
Important Changing the field type can permanently and irretrievably erase data.
To change a field type:
1. With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.
2. In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.
3. If your database contains more than one table, select the appropriate table from the Table
list.
4. For Type, select a new field type.
See About choosing a field type.
5. Click Change.
6. Change the field options as needed.
See Setting options for fields.
7. Continue making changes or click OK.
To change a field type in Table View:
1. With the database open in Browse mode, click Table View in the layout bar.
2. Right-click the column heading for the field and choose a new field type from the Field >
Field Type shortcut menu.
The following table describes the effects of changing field types:
When you change This happens
A text field to a number, date,
time, or timestamp field
The first 255 characters that can be converted are moved to the first
line, deleting any remaining characters. Values that can't be used as
dates or times are displayed and indexed as question mark (?). Date
and time fields can't contain text.
A number, date, time, or
timestamp field to a text field
Existing data isn't changed.
A container to another field
type, or remove the option for
global storage
Existing data in the field is deleted.
Any field to a container field or
to a field with global storage
Existing data is deleted.
Any field type to a calculation or
summary field
Existing data is replaced with the results of the formula or summary
you specify.