>Hi Brien,
>I prefer the Jim's way because the user can generate the SQL SELECT by using values from the different tables. I send here the very easy sample to describe my problemm.
>In that table user can input not only languages but type of scool, the qualifications etc. etc. so I made some sort of query maker which gives to user pissibilities to make deifferent reports from this table. So I don't know how many times I need to slef-link table.
>
>Boris

Hi:

PMFJI (Just learned what that means and this is first time I've had a chance to use it)

If the users can
1. Pick the field they want to compare on (sel_field)
2. Pick the values they want to check for ("English", "French")

and assuming that the user wants to find people with all the skills selected

you might try something like:

cField = (Field Name the User Picked)
DIME aCheckVals[N] && Populate aCheckVals with the list of items

SELECT name FROM people ;
WHERE ASCAN(aCheckVals,&cField) > 0;
GROUP BY name HAVING COUNT(*) = ALEN(aCheckVals)



You could easily modify this query to get all with some number of the skills (2 of 3 requested languages, for example)



On large tables this query might be too slow, but it should be generic enough to work in most cases.


HTH................Rich