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Submitted by Jon on 2011/01/14 10:43

I want to copy all of the values from one column to another. Ecco has an easy and useful feature called "Merge folder values." I don't think IQ has anything like that, but I imagine it could be implemented using an auto assign equation. My question is how?

Thanks.

Jon

Comments

You could first try a copy/paste, depending on own many items you have : 1- have all your items appear in a grid , with both columns. 2- copy the content of one columns from top to bottom, choosing the "Selected grid rows and columns" option. 3- select the second column from top to bottom, and paste, choosing the option "paste each line into separate items, creating items if necessary". That's it. But, depending on how your data is set (carriage returns in cells), it might not work and will create extra items, etc. The other more sophisticated way is, as you said, to use an auto-assign or a formula. it's a actually probably simpler and quicker. 1- Open the field management dialog 2- in the equation section of the second field (field 2 : where you want your values to be copied, add an equation like : = field 1 Field 1 being the other field. 3- Now, click on the refresh button right beside the equation text box. That,s it. Maybe try it on fake field or in a sample DB to get how it works.

Thank you Armando. The first option was the one I tried, but it did not work. Perhaps it is due to the type of fields - they are both date fields. The steps I took were the same as yours, but only the first cell was copied. I followed your second set of instruction, and it did not work. Thinking that there might be something special about date fields, I also tried text fields with the same results. "A field rule [ feildname ] references field, but this field does not exist."

Jon

what equation did you use, and where did you put it ? It shouldn't be in the auto-assign rules text box, but in the row equation text box. (It should work.) Edit : the copy/paste should work too... I just tried it with various field types and it works in all cases. Maybe you don't have multiple selection ON ? (Grid->Select mode-> multi column)

It shouldn't be in the auto-assign rules text box, but in the row equation text box.
(It should work.)

Oops. I was writing it in auto assign.

the copy/paste should work too... I just tried it with various field types and it works in all cases. Maybe you don't have multiple selection ON ? (Grid->Select mode-> multi column)

Not for me. I did it exactly as you describe. The interesting thing is that I can accomplish this using a sample or new database. It will not work on the date columns of the database I imported from Ecco.

Jon

[quote=Jon]I did it exactly as you describe. The interesting thing is that I can accomplish this using a sample or new database. It will not work on the date columns of the database I imported from Ecco.

Jon

[/quote] Hmmmm... Maybe is a field set as read-only ?

Nope.

Strange. I'd really like to understand what's going on as I never saw that happen. Maybe there's something corrupted with that field -- other then then the "read only" feature, I don't know what could prevent data to be written in the field. - Can you type in it ? - Does copy/paste work for other fields ? - Did you try a repair ?

[quote=Armando] Can you type in it ? - Does copy/paste work for other fields ? - Did you try a repair ?[/quote]

1. Yes. It is a date field and I can type or use the drop-down.

2. Yes, and it will work for this field as well, but you must copy/paste one item at a time.

3. I think I did, but I am not certain. I will try later as I do not have the file with me.

Jon

Thanks for the details. a.

Just to follow up, I did a repair on the file. Nothing changed. I still cannot copy/paste to the cell in question except one at a time.

Jon

Thanks for the follow up. This will be something for Pierre to look at when he's available. a.

Hi Jon,

Excellent suggestion. I've added it to Mantis: 1101

Thanks !