Difference Between ? and * When Loading Data

[#1]

Hello!

I'm loading different files from a folder and I wanted to ask you the following:

What's the difference between using this: FROM $(vDATA)FOLDER\PAYS_2_?.qvd (qvd);

And this: FROM $(vDATA)FOLDER\PAYS_2_*.qvd (qvd);

Thank you!!!

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Those are called wildcards. the asterisk '*' represents any string, from zero length to any length, while question mark '?' represents exactly any 1 character.

E.g.

If $(vDATA)FOLDER contains 3 files:

PAYS_2_QWE.qvd

PAYS_2_ASDaW.qvd

PAYS_2_q.qvd

FROM $(vDATA)FOLDER\PAYS_2_*.qvd (qvd);

will load PAYS_2_QWE.qvd, PAYS_2_ASDaW.qvd, PAYS_2_q.qvd

FROM $(vDATA)FOLDER\PAYS_2_?.qvd (qvd);

will NOT load PAYS_2_QWE.qvd, PAYS_2_ASDaW.qvd,

but WILL load PAYS_2_q.qvd