Hi GLT,

Take a look at the string functions here:  
http://www.techonthenet.com/access/functions/index.php

Look over them all, but I think of particular interest might be the 'InStr'
function and the "Mid" function.

I'd probably do this in vba, but that really depends on where the data is
and what you want to do with it.  In vba, though, it's a little easier to
work with since playing with code in the query design view is a bit of a pain
since you invariably can't see it all and have to resize columns or scroll.

The idea will be this (based on the example with the []s):

1.  Declare a string variable and assign the value of the memo field to it.  
This may not be absolutely necessary, but it's what I'd do.  I'll call it
strMemo.  Declare two other variables, one for character in the memo that
proceeds the beginning of the string you want to extract, and one of the
ending character.  In this case, it's the brackets.  I'm calling the
variables intOpenBracket and intCloseBracket.  They are both integers.  One
more variable for the final string (strBracketPhrase)

2. Use InStr to locate the position of the first bracket in strMemo.  That
will give you some number.  Save that number to a variable (intOpenBracket).  
So, your first calculation will be

strOpenBracket = InStr(1, strMemo, "[")

3.  Add one to that variable.  That gets you the position of the first
character in the string you want to extract since you don't want to include
the bracket.

strOpenBracket = strOpenBracket + 1

4.  Use that as the starting point in another 'InStr' to find the second
(closing) bracket.  Store that number in a variable:

strClosedBracket = InStr(strOpenBracket, strMemo, "]")

5.  Subtract one from that number to get the position of the last character
in the string you want to extract:

strClosedBracket = strClosedBracket - 1

6.  Use the 'Mid' function and your two stored numbers to pull out the
string you want:

strBracketPhrase = Mid(strMemo, intOpenBracket, intClosedBracket)

Put it all together and you get this:
_____________________________________
Sub SomeButton_Click()
    Dim strMemo as String
    Dim intOpenBracket as Integer
    Dim intClosedBracket as Integer
    Dim strBracketPhrase as String

strOpenBracket = InStr(1, strMemo, "[")
strOpenBracket = strOpenBracket + 1

strClosedBracket = InStr(strOpenBracket, strMemo, "]")
strClosedBracket = strClosedBracket - 1

strBracketPhrase = Mid(strMemo, intOpenBracket, intClosedBracket)

'Add Code here to do something with the string now that it's extracted

End Sub
_______________________________________

Add your own error handler, and don't forget to add code to do something
with the string you extracted.  Of course, I just set that up on a button but
you may want it on some other event.

It's important to note that using string functions like this depends on
there not being other instances of the brackets (or whatever you are using to
mark the beginning/end of the string you want to extract) in the memo prior
to the string you want to extract.  If there are, it will throw all the
numbers off.

Also, this assumes that the button will be located on a form that displays
the memo field.  You could easily use something like 'DLookup' to get the
contents of the memo field and assign them to the variable (if the memo field
isn't on the form where you are running this code).

Finally, in my example I used one character as the string to search for in
the InStr function.  As I stated, that means that if that character shows up
earlier in the memo than right before the string you want to extract, it will
mess things up.  Bare in mind, though, that you CAN search for a longer
string than just one character.  That will make it a lot less likely that the
function will find the wrong string.  Of course, you'll have to modify the
adjustment you use (the '-1' and '+1' I used) because the position returned
using a string won't be just 1 away from the string you want to extract.

I hope that works.  I'm always a little leary about writing code for
responses because I usually have to tweak things a little in my own code.  I
do know that using string functions like this works because I've done it in
the past.

I hope that helps,
CW

FirstBit: Mid([memofield], InStr([memofield], '"') + 1, InStr([memofield],
":") - 1)

SecondBit: Mid([memofield], InStr([memofield], "[") + 1, InStr([memofield],
"]") - 1

Assuming that this is the text between the first closebracket and the first
carriage return,

ThirdBit: Mid([memofield], InStr([memofield], "]") + 1, InStr([memofield],
Chr(13) & Chr(10)) - 2)

left as an exercise...