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For record browsing you can use a search requester to
search for a specific record. The search feature uses a search pattern
that you provide and checks all records for a successful match
with this pattern. If it finds one then this record will be displayed in the
table mask.
To open the search requester select menu item `Table - Search for'.
This will open a window containing
- a string field for entering the search pattern. Use the
characters `*' and `?' as jokers. The character
`*' matches any number of characters (including zero characters)
whereas `?' matches exactly one single character.
- a field `Case sensitive'. If you check it,
search for uses case sensitive string comparison, otherwise
case insensitive string comparison is used.
- a field `All fields'. If checked then all fields of a record
are tested for a successful match with the search pattern. Otherwise
only the attribute which has been the active one
when the search requester has been opened is tested.
In case the active object at the time when opening the search requester
has not been an attribute object, this field is checked and
disabled automatically.
- two radio buttons for the search direction, `Forward' and
`Backward'.
- two radio buttons for specifying from which record the search
should be started. `First/last record' will start the
search from the first or last record depending on the search direction.
`Current record' starts the search from the current record.
- two buttons `Search' and `Cancel' for leaving the window.
After you have entered a search pattern and left the requester
with the `Search' button MUIbase starts searching for
a matching record. The comparison of an attribute field with
the search pattern is always done string based, attribute fields of
non-string types are therefore converted to strings first.
If a matching record is found, it is displayed as the current record
in the table mask. Otherwise an `Search pattern not found'
message appears.
If you search on an attribute that is used as the first attribute for
ordering and your search pattern doesn't start with a joker
(`*' or `?')
then an improved search algorithm (binary search) is used that
makes use of the record order.
This can speed up the search drastically.
Two further menu items allow to search for the next and the
previous occurrence of the search pattern.
Select menu item `Table - Search forward' for browsing to
the next record that matches the search pattern, and
`Table - Search backward' to go to the previous matching record.
Here are some search pattern examples:
- `Lassie' searches for records that have the string
`Lassie' in one of the search attributes.
- `*x*' searches for records that have the letter
`x' in one of the search attributes.
- `???' searches for records that have exactly three
characters in one of the search attributes, e.g. a record
with an entry `UFO'.
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