Tip June 1998
Batch Modify
The powerful Batch Modify command in DB/TextWorks® or CS/TextWorks allows you to make a variety of changes in all records or just a subset of your textbase records. For example, you can place the same text in a whole batch of records to flag some future action, or you can correct a spelling mistake that has been made in a number of records.
A global change which is often overlooked is the capability to remove a character, or string of characters, from a field in all of the records in a set. For example ISBNs (international standard book numbers) may have been entered inconsistently in your library catalogue, some with spaces or hyphens, some without. You decide to standardise by removing all spaces from existing records. Here's how to do it:
- Click Find All Records, then answer NO at the "Do you wish to view...?" prompt.
- Select Records>Batch Modify
- Highlight the ISBN field name in the0Field to Modify list
- Choose Substitute Text from the Operation list
- Matching will be automatically selected from the Affects list
- In Find What: type a single space
- Leave the Replace With: box blank – if you are not sure whether the box is blank, place your cursor in it and hit your Back Space key
- Click OK, then Yes to confirm the operation.
You can also perform the same procedure to remove hyphens from the ISBN field: place a hyphen in the Find What: box (instead of the spacebar used in Step Six above).
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