Handling long strings

For character columns (CHAR, VARCHAR), you can specify a search string up to 100 characters long. However, when you are dealing with a long search string, you may find that you cannot fit the whole FIND command (including other parameters) on the command line. To overcome the problem, do one of the following to display an Extended Command Entry pop-up panel:
  • Enter FX (for Find Extended)
  • Enter the FIND command (or one of its abbreviations, such as F or /) with no parameters
    Note: If you have previously used the FIND or CHANGE commands in the current FM/Db2 editor session, to display the Extended Command Entry pop-up panel in this way, you will need to first use the RESET command before entering the FIND command (or one of its abbreviations) without any parameters. Alternatively, enter FX.
The Extended Command Entry pop-up panel contains five lines (each 50 characters long) that you can use to enter all the FIND command parameters (but not the actual keyword FIND or any of its abbreviations). FM/Db2 treats the five lines on the pop-up panel as contiguous, allowing you to specify a long search string, the Db2® column number and optionally any other parameters, using up to 250 characters in total.
Note: You can continue the search string (or any other parameter) from the last position on one line of the pop-up panel to the first position of the next line. However, this does not mean that you need to completely fill a line before using the next line. For example, you can specify the search string on the first of the five lines, and the Db2® column number (specified as #n) on the next line. If you do not use all of a line, FM/Db2 treats the unused part of the line as a single space.
Extended Command Entry pop-up panel for the FIND command showing contiguous nature of entry lines shows the Extended Command Entry pop-up panel for the FIND command. In this example, FM/Db2 finds any previous occurrences of a long string (78 characters) in Db2® column 3.
Figure 1. Extended Command Entry pop-up panel for the FIND command showing contiguous nature of entry lines
Process   Options   Utilities   Help
 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 FM/Db2 (DFG2)                     Table Edit
 TABLE FMNUSER.EMP                                                  Format TABL
   ┌───────────────────── Extended Command Entry ──────────────────────┐ DATE
   │                                                                   │
   │ Complete typing the FIND command and press Enter.                 │
   │                                                                   │
 0 │ FIND    ===> 'Good judgment comes from experience, and experien   │
 0 │         ===> ce comes from bad judgment.'                         │ngs, who
 0 │         ===> prev #3                                              │re almos
 0 │         ===>                                                      │ng the a
 0 │         ===>                                                      │arn from
 0 │                                                                   │m the ex
 0 │                                                                   │re almos
 0 │  F1=Help    F2=Split   F3=Exit    F9=Swap   F12=Cancel            │ngs, who
 0 └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ but als
 000009 000110 You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in
 000010 000120 Men are wise in proportion, not to their experience, but to their
 000011 000130 Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, th
 000012 000140 Experience teaches only the teachable.
 Command ===> f                                                     Scroll PAGE
  F1=Help      F2=Zoom      F3=Exit      F4=CRetriev  F5=RFind     F6=RChange
  F7=Up        F8=Down      F9=Swap     F10=Left     F11=Right    F12=Cancel

Related references