How to add additional options to CONTAINS

[WillA108]

Hello!
I am trying to figure out how to add more than one option for CONTAINS.
Here is what I currently have, I definitely have a very low understanding of the logic for formulas:
CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” ) CONTAINS([Day Notes], “usb”) CONTAINS ([Day Notes], “trade”)

It doesn’t need to contain all phrases, just one or the other or multiple. I’m using this for a format rule.

Thanks in advance

[Lynn]

Hi @WillA108
Check out OR()

[Steve]

For reference:

help.appsheet.com

OR()

Are any true?

[WillA108]

Yah I took a look at this, I still can’t figure out how to combine OR with CONTAINS.
Can you please give an example of how to give multiple options in a CONTAINS expression?
Thanks ❤️

[WillA108]

I’ve tried CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” ) OR (“usb”) OR (“cooler”)
and i have tried CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” ) OR CONTAINS([Day Notes], “usb")
Also CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” ) OR ([Day Notes], “usb”)
and also CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” OR “usb” OR “cooler”)

[Lynn]

@WillA108
OR(([Color] = "Red"), ([Color] = "Yellow"), ([Color] = "Green")) : TRUE if the Color column value is any of Red , Yellow , or Green . Equivalent to IN([Color], {"Red" "Yellow", "Green"}) . See also IN() .

[WillA108]

I appreciate the responses but this is really all greek to me, as it doesn’t show me how to combine it with CONTAINS.
For example I tried CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” )OR([Day Notes] = “usb”), ([Day Notes]= “cooler”)) and it will only light up daynotes which contain “crock” still when I made the formatting to turn the sentence green.

[WillA108]

[WillA108]

[Lynn · Accepted solution]

@WillA108
Do you want
OR(CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” ),([Day Notes] = “usb”), ([Day Notes]= “cooler”))

or this

OR(CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” ),CONTAINS([Day Notes], “usb”),CONTAINS([Day Notes],“cooler”))

NOT TESTED
I removed the extra parenthisis before the second CONTAINS and a space. Does that still work?

[WillA108]

Once I added the appropriate amount of parenthesis the second formula worked.

OR(CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” ),(CONTAINS([Day Notes], “usb”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“cooler”))))

Thanks Lynn!

[WillA108]

It is now working for crock and usb but not cooler or anything else.

OR(CONTAINS([Day Notes], “crock” ),(CONTAINS([Day Notes], “usb”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“Cooler”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“trade”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“broken”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“room and cold”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“room”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“cold”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“r+c”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“h+c”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“hot”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“replace”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“pump”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“new customer”), (CONTAINS([Day Notes],“tap”),(CONTAINS([Day Notes],“bring”) ))))))))))))))))

[dreamerdan]

Hi Lynn,

In your edited second expression, is it possible to do the same with NOT(CONTAINS()? The error I get is the following:

ERROR: Condition NOT(CONTAINS([Comment],"crock")) has an invalid structure: no more than 1 subexpression(s) allowed

Was just wondering if there was an expression in Appsheet that would allow for multiple needles in one haystack. 

[Steve]

The problem is not with your NOT(CONTAINS(...)) expression, it's where you're using it. Please post a screenshot of the entire expression and error message.

[dreamerdan]

Hi, Thanks for the reply but I was able to get an answer and figured it out:

NOT(OR(CONTAINS([Comment], "value"), contains([Comment],"value2"), contains([Comment],"value3"), contains([Comment],"value4"), contains([Comment],"value5")))

It would be nice though to have a separate table with the restricted words and just reference them.

There is another expression offered by a friend, that works with a separate table, but there's some limitation where punctuation affects the outcome because it's not using Contains()

COUNT(INTERSECT(SPLIT([Comment], " "),  Not Accepted[Word])) = 0

If you understand it and could offer feedback, it would be appreciated! 

[Lynn]

Hi @WillA108
I didnt test but i dont think you need all of those parenthisis. I have edited my second expression.

[WillA108]

It kept adding them until it stopped coming up with an error. I thought it was odd too haha

[WillA108]

It seems like it works, thank you!