Advance Find results

[ADfamily]

When I create an Advance Find:
REFN does not contain [A
or
REFN does not contain [--]

I expect results to be all records not containing either criteria. Yet, results are containing such records.

[Gregg]

Try using AND instead of OR.

[ADfamily]

AND will not produce correct results. Any one person may have [Axxx] OR [--] OR not have either one. They will never have both.

[Gregg]

Sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to list.

Can you provide a specific example of REFNs that you would like to list and some you would like not listed.

[ADfamily]

I am trying to list all records that DO NOT contain the two listed criteria.

record 1: A1234 Bill Smith > this record MEETS CRITERIA
record 2: A43i8 [A3812] Joe Smith > this record DOES NOT meet criteria
record 3 A383 [--] Mary Smith > this record DOES NOT meet criteria

However, all 3 end up on my results list.

[A Ginn]

Using NOT changes your perspective, so don’t think AND will be excluding only records that have both strings, think of it as including only records that are missing both strings. Sometimes it is helpful to see the logic mapped out. In the attached image you have tried using the OR operator and found that it does indeed return all three records. I think what you want is the AND operator where only record #1 is a match.

[ADfamily]

I tried the search using a different family tree, but similar criteria:
record REFN does not contain X
or
record REFN does not contain C
which, if working, should produce a list of all records where REFN is empty. Failed.

The original search, using your criteria, (Gregg) didn't work. Using IS NOT (empty) would defeat the purpose of the search. I WANT the records where REFN is empty.

[Gregg]

The trouble is that "Doesn't Contain" does not look at empty fields.

Try doing the advanced search this way...

Search for...
REFN Contains [A
OR
REFN Contains [--]

This will give you a list of everyone that does NOT meet your original criteria.

Unmark everyone in your family file and mark just the people in the results list.

Then list unmarked people - this list of unmarked people will be everyone that meets your criteria, including empty fields.

Note: For clarity, I deleted some earlier posts in this thread.