Microsoft KB Archive/109360

= ACC: Find Does Not Work with Fields Containing # Character =

Article ID: 109360

Article Last Modified on 1/18/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 1.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 1.1 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 2.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q109360



Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.



SYMPTOMS
You cannot use the Find command to find fields containing the number sign (#) character.



CAUSE
The number sign character is a control character in Microsoft Access; the Find command does not treat it as it does regular characters.



RESOLUTION
To search for the number sign character (or any control character), you must place brackets around the control character. For example, to search for a record containing the text string "hello#", you would enter:

  hello[#]



Steps to Reproduce Behavior
 Open the sample database Northwind.mdb (or NWIND.MDB in versions 1.x and 2.0).  Open the Categories table in Datasheet view and add the following record:

     Category Name: Test Find Description: Hello#  Click in the Description field of any record in the Categories table above the one you just entered.  On the Edit menu, click Find. Set the following options in the Find in Field: 'Description' dialog box:

In Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97:

<pre class="fixed_text">     Find What: Hello# Search: All Match: Whole Field Search Only Current Field: True (click this option)

In Microsoft Access 1.x and 2.0:

<pre class="fixed_text">     Find What: Hello# Where: Match Whole Field Search In: Current Field Direction: Down

</li> Click Find First. Note that Microsoft Access does not find the record.</li> Repeat step 4, but type Hello[#] in the Find What box.</li> Click Find First. Note that this time the record is found.</li></ol>

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