In my own defense: The function of any user interface should be to help the user perform a task. In this case, the user interface is clearly not helpful. I maintain that to some degree “the customer is always right”. The change from -> to => was so subtle that I didn’t notice it. I’m sure that a very close reading of the documentation would have eventually solved my problem, but the syntax is really not obvious here. It took me a while to realize that there are two kinds of commands: internal commands and SQL commands – the documentation helped me there. But then the fact that internal commands must start with a backslash and end without a semicolon, whereas SQL commands must start without a backslash and end with a semicolon was not immediately clear. No matter how stupid Leif or others may think I am, I guarantee you that there will be other people in my shoes in the future. Any really great user interface makes it possible for the user to figure out how to get the behavior he or she wants, *without* reading the manual.
Again, I do thank you all for your help.
John
John Payne
POST Staff Scientist and US Coordinator
www.postcoml.org
Tel. (206) 463-3404