search and move contents of several fields

[Jenny Swingle]

I am trying to reorganize data extracted from our web-site so that we can incorporate it in our customer database. I was able to bring the data into a html text editor (bbedit light) and make some of the changes needed. The problem I'm having is that the listings don't all include the same amount of information. Some include a local phone, fax, e-mail and website, some listings only contain a local phone. I haven't been able to figure out how to force all the listings to contain the same number of fields, in the same position. So, when I import the data into a new alpha table, the fax number may be in field 6, or 7, or 8, or 9, or not included at all.
Is there a way I can search several fields for different character strings, and if the string is found in any of the fields, copy (or move) the contents of the field to the appropriate location?
Phone number entries include "Local" in the field, Fax numbers the word "fax", e-mail addresses all contain an @, etc.

P.S.
I am a self-taught beginner, and am having a hard time figuring out how to construct expressions, is there a how-to site out there somewhere that explains them in detail?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Robert Fishell]

RE: search and move contents of several fields

Jenny:

You need to look at the "SubStr", "AT", and "ATC" function under Help.

Assuming you have a seperate field created for phone, fax and email and another field that contains all of this information, you should be able to create an update for each field that you want to enter data in.

The update reads the data for the field that has everything and places it in the particular field that you are updating. You can do all of your fields from the same saved update.

You will need to play with the syntax of the expression until you get it to work since you have a lot of different information in one place, but it can be done. Once you get the first piece to work the rest will be easy.

Hope this helps a little.

Bob

[Jim Chapman]

RE: search and move contents of several fields

Hi Jenny,

Dealing with an ascii dump can be a nightmare if the data is just strung together without any defined order or sequence.

>>I was able to bring the data into a html text editor >Is there a way I can search several fields for different character strings, and if the string is found in any of the fields, copy (or move) the contents of the field to the appropriate location?

[Doug Chanley]

RE: search and move contents of several fields

Jenny,

If you have certain charactors that are present like "local", "fax", & "@"
that will enable you to tell what data is avaliable & where it is in the file
take a look at these methods, they should be of help to you for what you are
trying to do.


file.open()
file_pointer.bytes_get()
file.pointer.read()
occurs()
RAT()
ATC()
AT()

[Robert Adler]

RE: search and move contents of several fields

jenny:

extract the data in a comma delimited ascii format. this will create a .Asc file. Make sure the extract contains the field names in the first record(this just makes the remaining steps easier).
import the file into A5V4. Each record will then contain a field for each field you exported from the web. It is a simple matter to pass the file and post(replaceing), data in the dbf you are going to update, if the field is not blank.

bob