notbob > wrote in
news:Tuwjd.582128$8_6.89958@attbi_s04:

> On 2004-11-07, Wayne Boatwright > wrote:
>
>> You probably know that some recipe software uses "x" in the Units
>> column if nothing else is present; e.g., cups, teaspooons, etc. More
>> common is either a blank or the unit "ea".
>
> As I don't use recipe software, just a simple text editor, I didn't
> know. But, I know now. Thank you.
>
> nb

I understand, and that explains a lot. For many years I refused to use
recipe software. My recipe collection was typed on letter-sized paper, put
in plastic protector sheets, and filed in numerous 3-inch binders. When I
began collecting recipes on the Internet I was overwhelmed with the volume
and almost "forced" to use recipe software.

I found that many software packages were designed (poorly, IMHO) in such a
way that they will not accept a null or missing value in their fields. The
Units field is often one of them, and is probably one of the most
noticable, since there is almost always a Quantity and Ingredient, but
frequently no Unit.

Cheers!

--
Wayne in Phoenix

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.