User manual

2-10 FileMaker Pro User’s Guide
Inserting the current date or other variable into fields
To insert the current date, time, or user name into a field in Browse
mode or Find mode:
1. Click the field.
2. Choose Insert menu > Current Date, Current Time, or Current User
Name.
Important To avoid confusion when using dates, always use four-
digit years. For more information on how FileMaker Pro 5 handles
Year 2000 issues, see www.filemaker.com.
After you insert the date, time, or user name into a field, that value
doesn’t change. To display a value that updates, place a date, time,
or user name symbol on the layout. See “Inserting the page number,
date, or other variable onto a layout” on page 7-11.
Replacing data in fields
You can replace the contents of a field in all records, or in a set of
records, with:
1 a different value (for example, replace the value Green with Blue)
1 a new series of serial numbers (for example, when records have
become disordered)
1 a calculation. You can also modify a field’s existing values by
using a calculation that includes the field (for example, change the
value
Gross Pay to the result of the calculation Gross Pay + 1000).
Before you begin, keep these points in mind:
1 Important You can’t undo replacing field values. Before you begin,
consider making a copy of the file.
1 You can’t replace data in calculation, summary, or global fields.
1 You can’t reserialize calculation, summary, global, or container
fields.
1 You can sort records before you reserialize them. For example, you
can sort suppliers by how frequently you use them, then reserialize
the records.
1 To replace field values in only a few records, go to each record and
change the value by selecting the contents of the field, then entering
the information you want.
To replace field values in the found set:
1. If necessary, find, omit, or sort the records in the database.
See chapter 3, “Finding and sorting information.”
2. In Browse mode, in the current record, select the contents of the
field whose values you want to replace.
3. If you’re replacing data with a constant value (instead of serial
numbers or a calculated value), type the constant value.
4. Choose Records menu > Replace.
5. In the Replace dialog box, select how to replace field values.
To insert the current As specified in Choose
Date in a date, number, or text field Your operating
system settings
Current Date
Time in a time, number, or text field Your operating
system settings
Current Time
User name in a text or number field FileMaker Pro
Application
preferences
Current User
Name
To replace each
field with Select
The value in the
currently selected field
Replace with <value> . FileMaker Pro replaces the
contents of the field for the entire found set of records.