Can we convert field type from String to reference field

[vahini]

Hi All , 

i am working on a scoped app , and there is a field called 'Spoke to' which is a free text field  and logged in user manually enters his name in it . 

I have a requirement  to change the name of field to 'Recorded by' (which is done )  and also  autopopulate this field with logged in user id . 

1st question : can we auto populate a text field  with logged in user id using javascript:gs.getUserID()  ??

As per my knowledge , it has to be a reference field to sys_user table to use   javascript:gs.getUserID() 

2nd question : if above method is not possible , then can we convert a string field to reference field and use  javascript:gs.getUserID()    ???

right now there are 2012 lab records in which  'Recorded by'  field is populated manually by user worked on that lab record  and 1440 records in which this field is empty becos user forgot to enter his name .  .

Please suggest ur advice on this . Thanks for looking into this issue .  

[vahini]

Hi Sachin, 

please confirm if below  is right 

var gr = new GlideRecord('x_ohhr_lab_client_lab_client_form ');    // lab form i am working on

gr.EncodedQuery('recorded_by=NULL');   //recorded by is a new reference field i created.

gr.addQuery();

gr.query();

while(gr.next())    

{  

var copy1 = gr.getDisplayValue(' client_name_for_visit ');    // existing recorded by field which has data

gr.setValue(' recorded_by ', copy1); // copying copy1 data into recorded_by field .

gr.update();   //Save it  

}  

[sachin_namjoshi]

Please use below script as per your configuration

var gr = new GlideRecord('x_ohhr_lab_client_lab_client_form');    // lab form i am working on
gr.addEncodedQuery('recorded_by=NULL');   //recorded by is a new reference field i created.
gr.query();
while(gr.next()) {

var usr = new GlideRecord('sys_user');
usr.addQuery('name',gr.client_name_for_visit);
usr.query();
while(usr.next()){

gr.recorded_by = usr.sys_id;
gr.update();   //Save it  

}

}

Regards,

Sachin