Finding, sorting, and replacing data > Finding records > Finding numbers, dates, times, and timestamps
 
Finding numbers, dates, times, and timestamps
When you enter criteria in a find request, numbers, dates, times, and timestamps should be entered in the corresponding field types (or calculation fields returning the corresponding field type) to ensure correct behavior when finding them.
Important  Entering two-digit year dates along with Find operators in a find request will be interpreted as four-digit dates based on a conversion algorithm. For example, entering a find request as 1/1/14 .. 12/31/15 will find the years 2014 through 2015 if the current year is 2014. It is strongly recommended that complete four-digit years be used to avoid possible confusion. For more information about the conversion algorithm, see Conversion of dates with two-digit years.
To find numbers, dates, times, and timestamps:
1. Start a find request.
See Making a find request.
2. Refer to the following table for examples of different ways to search for numbers, dates, times, and timestamps.
 
To find
Type this in the field
Examples
A number in a number field or in a calculation field that produces a numeric result
The number
.50 finds .5, .50, and $.50
One or more digits in a number field or in a calculation field that produces a numeric result
A # character for each digit
# finds 3 but not 30
## finds 30 but not 3 or 300
#3 finds 53 and 43 but not 3
A Boolean number in a number field or in a calculation field that produces a Boolean result
1 to find True values
0 to find False values
1 finds 1
0 finds 0
Invalid data (fields with no numeric digits) in a number field or calculation field that produces a numeric result
?
? finds twelve but not 12 or twelve30
A date in a date field or in a calculation field that produces a date result
The date as digits, separated by a valid date separator character (such as a slash or hyphen)
 
Note  For help entering dates with the drop-down calendar, see Working with data in date fields
3/3/2014 finds 3/3/2014, March 3, 2014, and 3-3-2014
Today's date in a date field or in a calculation field that produces a date result
//
// finds April 4, 2014 (when the current date is 4/4/2014)
A time in a time field or in a calculation field that produces a time result
The time as digits, separated by colons
12:53:09 finds 12:53:09
A timestamp in a timestamp field or in a calculation field that produces a timestamp
The date as digits, separated by a valid date separator character, then the time as digits, separated by colons
3/3/2014 12:59:09 PM finds 3/3/2014 12:59:09 PM
Invalid dates, times, timestamps, or calculated date or time results
?
? finds Next Tuesday or 2/33/2014 in a date field, or midnight in a time field
Dates on a day of the week in a date or timestamp field
The day of the week
 
Note  Full or short day names (for example, Friday or Fri) are acceptable in day of week searches
Tuesday finds all dates that occur on a Tuesday
=Thu finds all dates that occur on a Thursday
Any valid value for a date or time component in a date, time, or timestamp field
* or leave component unspecified, while specifying the other components you want to find
5/12/* finds the 12th day of May in any year
5/12 finds the 12th day of May in the current year
*:15 finds times 15 minutes after any hour
1/1/* 7 PM finds timestamps in the 7 o’clock PM hour on January 1st in any year
Ranges of information
3. When you’ve entered the find criteria that you want, click Perform Find in the status toolbar, or choose Requests menu > Perform Find.
Notes
•When you enter numbers, dates, days of the week, times, and timestamps into find requests, always enter them using the appropriate system or file settings that are in use.
•When you perform day of the week searches on systems set to a language other than English, you may use English day names and abbreviations if you wish. The English names are supported in all system formats. See Opening files with different system formats.
•When you perform day of the week searches, the first day of the week depends on your system settings. Sunday is the first day of the week in English, Japanese, and Korean, but Monday is the first day of the week in German, French, Italian, Swedish, Dutch, Spanish, and other system formats that FileMaker Pro supports.
Related topics 
About number fields
About date fields
About time fields
About timestamp fields
Was this topic helpful? Send feedback.