Clairvoyance (partially) not working for me

Panorama 6 included ‘linked’ Clairvoyance, which could fill in matches from another field or even a field in another open database. It was great. That isn’t implemented yet, although I trust it remains on the list to do eventually, after Server. A hook for the unimplemented LINK remains, waiting patiently, in the Field Blueprint, along with the, I believe still unimplemented, DUPLICATES. Last I recall you were still debating which precise rules to enforce for the latter. Those other Panorama 6 features regarding duplicates that are now implemented in Panorama X are working well.

I wondered if anyone would bring that up. Guess I should have proactively mentioned it, but I didn’t want to muddy the waters with that extra information.

Understood. Here’s something you can try - I’ve gone into more detail than may be necessary because I don’t know your skill levels.

Create a new procedure by choosing View->New Procedure ... from the menu bar. You will see this:

Click on the Properties icon in the top-right corner to close that panel and copy or type this into the empty window:

message listchoices(fieldname)
clipboard = listchoices(fieldname)

replacing “fieldname” with the name of your problem field. If that name contains spaces or punctuation, enclose it in chevrons (« and ») which you will generate by Option-Backslash and Shift-Option-Backslash respectively.

Click on the Run icon in the top-left corner and you will get a message listing all of the unique values in the field, like this:

39%20am

If the list runs off the screen and you can’t read it all, open a Word or TextEdit document and key in CMD-V to paste the contents of the clipboard.

Then read Jim’s last post again and you should be able to work out what’s happening.

If none of that works, make a copy of your file, delete all of the fields with personal content in them and ask me to look at it.

It would be better to use displaydata listchoices(fieldname). That will let you look at all the data, and give you the option of copying it to the clipboard. I would paste it into Numbers, sort it, and look for similar items there.

There are numerous ways to do it Bruce - I was trying to keep it as simple as possible - Anita is not a programmer…

Displaydata is better to use than Message when you are looking at a lot of information.

The best advice was already in Dave’s first answer: You can do all the analyzing of the data in the data sheet by a Group Up. If the field has e.g. the name Category, Group Up the Category field, Propagate the Category field and Count the grouped items in a different field. So you can easily see all unique entries. With a right click on a summary record you can expand that summary to the data level, where you can edit those values that are similar only, but not identical.

Thanks all. I have not tried the latest suggestions. I am an experienced copy-editor & proof-reader, so I did a visual check comparing every entry in Category 2 (my ‘Categories’ category) containing ‘Home’ and found that all the ‘Home, Misc’ entries were identical. But was still having the same problem with CV sometimes working, sometimes not. In frustration I then changed all those entries to ‘Home’ and still found that CV would sometimes fill the entry as soon as I typed h, and then it would decide not to. There were no other instances of ‘Home’ in any of the entries under Category 2 in the database. The same with my category ‘Food, Household’. No other instances of the word ‘food’ in Category 2. CV would not work with it. I tried replacing it with ‘Food Etc’ and still no go. - Could there be something I’m not doing right in the Field Properties dialogue? But CV seems to be working for me in the other categories in that database. When I find a few more free hours I will try the suggestions you-all have made. Thanks for all help.

Yes please do send me the email address and I’ll send a copy, edited.

That’s why I included the clipboard statement.

Since that is not necessary with Displaydata, and it avoids changing the clipboard if you do not need it, that is another reason for using it instead of Message. A better tool is available, and people should learn how and when to use it.

I yield to a superior force. I particularly liked the example in the Help wizard:

displaydata WarAndPeace

I sent you a couple of personal messages (which won’t appear on the forum). These will probably turn up in your inbox. Don’t fret - I don’t have your email address - if you click on a contributor’s icon, a box opens and you click on the Message button.

I’ve not seen your personal messages. Does this message go directly to you or to the forum?

No, it should go into your inbox as normal mail. I’ve sent another one.

It went to the forum.

  1. You find personal messages with a click on your avatar in the upper right corner of the forum. Or …
  2. … you should enable “Mailing List Mode” in the Email tab of your forum preferences (also there in the upper right corner). Then you’ll get all forum posts as well as personal messages sent to your your email address.

Thanks Kurt - I’m more confused than Anita! I’ve only ever sent messages, not received them.

There are also options to get email only when it involves you. You don’t have to choose “Mailing List Mode”, which sends you an email every time anything happens, if you don’t want to.

Let’s forget about the high-tech stuff. Anita, just send your modified (and compressed) file to me at audax@wideband.net.au.

michael

Did you send the file? I haven’t seen it.