Text operators

Use text operators to combine two or more text items into one larger item, indicate text constants in a formula, format the results of a formula, or represent special characters in a formula.

 

Symbol

Name

Definition

&

Concatenate

Appends the text string on the right to the end of the text string on the left. Text strings can be fields, constants enclosed in quotes, or certain functions.

" "

Text constant

Marks the beginning and the end of characters to be considered a text constant. Quotation marks without text between them indicate an empty value (no text). If you enter text into a formula without using quotation marks, FileMaker Pro Advanced tries to interpret the text as a field or function name.

\

Backslash

Marks an operator character to be used as a character instead of an operator.

ΒΆ

Carriage return

Inserts a paragraph carriage return in the result of a formula.

/* */

C style comment

Marks the beginning and the end of characters to be considered as text comments within a formula.

//

C++ style comment

Identifies a single-line comment within a formula.

${ }

Reserved name

Identifies reserved function names and keywords used as field names and table names.

Example

This formula concatenates the first and last name separated by a space:

FirstName & " " & LastName

For example, Michelle Cannon.

Related topics 

About formulas

Identifying text constants and special characters in formulas

Adding comments to a formula

Using a reserved word or symbol for a field or table name