\\ character in the Name field overwriting next character?

Chris Zello

To help with Sorting, we have a number of organizations and DAFs that have a \\ character within the name field. Unfortunately we have had 4 instances where the character AFTER the slash is missing. So instead of the name Foote, we have \\oote.

We don't have an audit trail to identify exactly when this happens or who did it.

Anyone else experiencing this? Thanks.

Alex Wong

@Chris Zello
the \\ character is generally used as “escape” character, so the single character after the \\ is meaningful for a program/app.

For example: \\n is a newline character, \\t is a tab character

depending on how your RENXT is interacted with, the character after \\ will be used in conjunction with the \\ to “mean” a special character. I strongly encourage you to change your org's habit of using \\ for anything.

| character is a better option

Dan Snyder

@Chris Zello
We have used \\ for records like The Zello Foundation. Before webview search, which seems to do a better job finding such records, if we searched on Zello in database view the result might not popup because it sees the record as starting with The. However, if we changed it to The\\Zello Foundation searching on Zello would get us the results we were looking for.

Either way, I agree with @Alex Wong that a different character would be better here.

Chris Zello

@Dan Snyder So if we were to replace the \\ character with the pipe |, I don't think Export would block it out when exporting?

Maybe in conjuction with other processes we have in place, it is causing it to delete the next character?

Thanks.

Dan Snyder

@Chris Zello
That sounds right, though I can't say I have tested it

Joe Moretti

@Chris Zello The symbol \\ not only helps with search but is important for alphabetizing those ORG records like The\\Smith Foundation or John and Mary\\Jones Foundation. I am not sure if the symbol | works that same way. But this is another issue where RE NXT does not match up with Database View and wonder how the alphabetizing in RE NXT will happen for ORGS like that. Also the problem with using the symbol | is that it will appear when you export the information as opposed to using the \\, which will not appear when exporting. This would be problematic if, like us, we have many ORG records where we use the \\ symbol.

Alex Wong

@Joe Moretti
Did not know that \\ serves a special function in sorting, as \\ has special meaning in web and other areas of application, that is the reason why I sugguest using a different special character if there is a need to use one.

guess i need to check out kb to see if it's there or if anyone want to explain how \\ works in dbview.

Joe Moretti

@Alex Wong \\ works as a sort function too, so that when you go to export ORGS like The\\Smith Foundation, John and Jean\\Jones, Trust of Jack\\Jones. they will appear in alpha order and the | will not appear at all in your list. Unfortunately \\ does not work that way in RE NXT and if you use it in RE NXT, the sort aspect will not carry over in RE Database. In Database it will have the slash, but not work the same with sorting or alpha because it was created in RE NXT. So be aware, another SNAFU of RE NXT.

Alex Wong

@Joe Moretti
Meaning, if the org name is The\\Smith Foundation, it will start the sort as if the org name is “Smith Foundation”?

this is sorting in query export or Export module or report in dbview?

Joe Moretti

@Chris Zello You are right, it will not block out |, so stick with the \\ but only use when creating records in Database View, not in RE NXT.

Dariel Dixon

@Alex Wong It's a name sorting thing that was hard coded in RE. Like @Joe Moretti stated, it makes search and reporting cleaner. And the slash does not display on reports so it's just a data entry and reporting thing.

It was very helpful, but in a web environment like how things are built nowadays, I am not certain these things have been accounted for yet.

Chris Zello

@Joe Moretti I tried using “contains” \\ in a query this morning, and those are hidden. I get 0 results when I try to query on them; so I can't even find the records that have this in place. There is some coding that is allowing these escape characters to work.

Alex Wong

@Dariel Dixon
thanks for the info, no wonder i have seen this in some org records.

Found this KB: https://kb.blackbaud.com/knowledgebase/articles/Article/74977

I find it odd that RE opt for this type of behavior by using a special character in the actual name itself. I guess it is the workaround, honestly not a great choice in my opinion, but that's gotta be decades old.

Joe Moretti

@Chris Zello Right, you cannot query off of the \\, that is not the purpose of it. But if you query ORG with the name beginning with THE and you start seeing THE Ford Agency or The Smith Foundation, etc all popping up, that means there is no \\ being used and they are being alphabetized by The. The query does not read the \\ at all, that is the purpose of it,

Dariel Dixon

@Alex Wong It is decades old, but you could do that then. Obviously the programming languages were completely different then and it was a fine solution. There's never been a good way to handle these things since, but I haven't heard officially how they are planning on handling these cases.

Alex Wong

@Dariel Dixon
I don't know what plan BB has, but do not relies on BB on fixing this.

For my org, I created a “Org Sort By” Alias that CRM team maintain and use for those that need it. For all important report, it is done through custom report via Power BI loaded directly into RE NXT custom reporting portal, “Org Sort By” OR “Org Name” is used for sorting.