I am using Version 9.0.0.7342.

I am converting a system that uses the mathematical symbol for pi.

I decided to use the tilde (~) instead.

I have found that the tilde can be used in place of the asterisk when searching in a file i.e. Using "t*" for my search criteria is the same as if I use "t~".  This also gives erroneous results when the tilde is used in procedures.

I am now thinking of using the ^ symbol, unless anyone knows why I should not or can suggest a way to incorporate the mathematical symbol for pi.

Hi Pete.

DataEase utilizes three primary wild card characters for database queries and data filtering: 

• * (Asterisk): Matches any number of characters, including zero characters.
• ? (Question Mark): Matches exactly one unspecified character.
• ~ (Tilde): Serves as the phonetic sound-alike operator for Soundex matches. 
  
  There is no such limittation for ^ but that is the agreed character for power in a lot of programming tools.
  
  I assume that you use this in a text capacity i.e. not for programming but for illustration? 
  
  like 2TTr or TTr^2.
  
  Above I've simply  used two capital T's to form TT which both code wise and lookwise is very close to what you want to achieve as I surmise that TT or even tt is not a common occurnece in a formula anyway?
  

On a general note searchin gin DQL or in code can be done with much more precission buy using StringFind() and one can even search in all the data in a table with DEOS("@Record").

StringFind("StringToSearch","TextToSearchFor")

StringFind("This is a test","test") .
retval := StringFind(FieldToSearch,Search) .
StringFind("Hello World in the world", "world", 0, "exact") return 19
StringFind("Hello World in the world", "world", 0, "count") returns 2
StringFind("Hello World in the world", "Mars", 0, "count") return 0
https://www.dataease.com/dg3_HelpView/?PageID=1030...

https://books.dataease.com/viewdocument/?BookPrefi...

You can for instance do:

For Mytabel with StringFind(DEOS("@Record"),data-entry search,"count")>0 ;
list records etc