Find and Replace fails in an OO.o Base form

Hello,

I made a database using the OO.o Base. I made a form using the form 
Wizard of OO.o ODE 680_m4 Build-1 (Mon Nov 20 21:10.14 CET 2006).
I can access data in the table through the form and write new data into 
the table.
I cannot look up/query the data in the table using the Find and Replace 
function of the form. If I put the pointer into one of the fields and 
enter Ctrl+F the form will insert a small letter f into this field.
If I select from the main menu 'Bearbeiten' > 'Find and Replace' a 
dropdown menu appears showing an entry 'Find and Replace  Ctrl+F'. This 
entry is not greyed out. This entry shows also a square which is not 
tagged. Selecting this item opens a 'Find and Replace' dialog. If I 
place there in the field 'Look for' a string and press 'Apply', the 
dialog function invariably will not find a record whose field matches 
the string.
[Debian 4.0 "etch" Kernel 2.6.17 grml].
How can I put 'find and replace' to normal working?

Regards,

Detlef Lechner