Separating a Two-Line Field into Two Fields

    This procedure will separate a two-line text field in your 
database into two separate fields to allow for better functionality 
when using Search/Update or Mail Merge.

    For example, your database may contain a two-line address field 
with the street address on one line and a suite number on the second 
line.  To separate this two-line field, do the following:

    1) Make sure that you have a backup of your database.

    2) Redesign and add three new fields to your database:  Two 
       single-line fields, ADDR1 and ADDR2, and a two-line AUXILIARY
       field to contain a copy of your original two-line ADDRESS.

    3) Use Mass Update to copy your ADDRESS field to the AUXILIARY 
       field.

    To do this leave your Retrieve Spec blank, and complete your
Update Spec as shown below:

           ADDRESS:     #1
         AUXILIARY:     #3 = #1

    4) You will now use macros to make two passes through your
       database.  First to delete the second line in the ADDRESS 
       field, and on the next pass to delete the first line in the 
       AUXILIARY field.

    Following is an example of three separate yet "nested" macros, 
each of which are linked together in order to do one specific 
operation 1000 times.  The first macro calls the second macro 10 
times.  The second macro calls the third macro 10 times.  The third 
macro calls the fourth on 10 times, and the fourth macro does 1 
operation.  Hence we have 10 (to the third) x 1 or 1000 operations
that are performed.


<begdef><alta><altb><altb><altb><altb><altb><altb><altb><altb><altb>
<altb><enddef>
*
<begdef><altb><altc><altc><altc><altc><altc><altc><altc><altc><altc>
<altc><enddef>
*
<begdef><altc><altx><altx><altx><altx><altx><altx><altx><altx><altx>
<altx><enddef>
*
<begdef><altx><dn><capsf4><f10><enddef>


    To create these macros choose Write from the Main Menu and then 
Type/Edit and type in the above macros.  To save, press CTRL F8 and 
name the file TWOLINE.MAC.



Q & A Application Note         Rev. 6/92           #2107   Page 1 of 2


             Separating a Two-Line Field into Two Fields

    Before using the macros you must press SHFT F2, type G to Get
Macros and then enter the filename TWOLINE.MAC.

    To invoke the macros for the first pass through your database in 
order to delete the second line of the original ADDRESS field, go into 
Search/Update and press F10 at the Retrieve Spec.  Position the cursor 
at the start of the ADDRESS field and press ALT A.

        Note: If your database has less than 1000 records, after the 
macros have reached the last record in your file you 
will notice a flashing, "No more forms" message.


    These same macros can be used during the second pass to delete the 
first line of the AUXILIARY field provided one change is made.

    Change the ALT X macro to read:

    <begdef><altx><capsf4><f10><enddef>

    5) Mass Update again to copy the remnants of your original ADDRESS 
field to ADDR1 and those of AUXILIARY to ADDR2.


    To do this leave your Retrieve Spec blank, and complete your 
Update Spec as shown below:

            ADDRESS:    #1
              ADDR1:    #2 = #1
              ADDR2:    #3 = #4
          AUXILIARY:    #4

    Press F10.






















Q & A Application Note         Rev. 6/92           #2107   Page 2 of 2