a query on a string in the middle of a field is the same slow pattern match 
logic.. the advantage comes if you're going to have multiple results, that 
you can throw into a temp table

"this.." uses the index
"..this" does not use the index

the "search(this) > 0" logic has strong potential, it might be more 
functional, if you want locate / locate next.. but bottom line, a search for 
a pattern in the middle of the field is slower cuz it can't use the index.. 
been there, done that, many times


--

Steven Green
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA

http://www.OasisTradingPost.com

Collectibles and Memorabilia
Vintage Lego Sets and Parts
- and Paradox support, too
"Thies Grimm"  wrote in message news:5cd2659f$1@pnews.thedbcommunity.com...

a query shoulb be very fast
something like

db.open(myDataBase)
itemSQL =
   SQL
     SELECT myField
     FROM 'myTable'
     WHERE myField like '%krit%'
   endSQL
itemSQL.executeSQL(db, tc)

Should be very fast

Thies

Am 08.05.2019 um 03:03 schrieb Peter:
> Maybe this?
> search()smallint
> searchEx()longint
>
> These return an integer of the first position of a string found.
>
> var
>     str          string
>     smi,
>     smipattern   smallint
> endVar
>
> str = "3/4 Widget"
>
> for smi from 1 to ary.size()
>      smiPattern = str.search(ary[smiCnt])
>      if smiPattern > 0 then
>         do something here
>      endIf
> endFor
>
> Peter
>
> On 05/07/2019 10:59 AM, Steve L wrote:
>> Peter <peter@removespamwhiteknight.email> wrote:
>>> Something like this?
>>>
>>> for smi from 1 to ary.size()
>>>      if ary[smi] <> pattern then
>>>         do something here
>>>      endIf
>>> endFor
>>>
>>> OTH
>>> Searching the table with a tcursor was too slow?
>>>
>>> Peter
>>>
>>>
>>> On 05/07/2019 07:09 AM, Steve L wrote:
>>>> I have an array of roughly 19000 elements. Is there a way to search the
>> array
>>>> for in-exact matches much like locatePattern(,)does. Using 
>>>> ar.contains(Element)
>>>> = True doesn't help if you don't key exactly as the element is entered.
>> Searching
>>>> the table is too slow with that many records.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks.
>>>>
>>>> Steve
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>> Peter,
>>
>> Thanks. This logic seems to be the same as Contains which is an exact 
>> match.
>> If I have an element, ABC123 3/4 Widget, and am not sure of the part 
>> number,
>> ABC123, but want to search on 3/4 Widget using the <> the logic will not
>> find the element because it's not an exact match.
>>
>> Searching the key field of the table with a Tcursor and locatePattern, 
>> the
>> entire string of each record is examined which, with 19,000 records, is 
>> too
>> slow for data entry.
>>
>> Perhaps there is another way to find records using a pattern match which
>> I am not considering?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>