[Users] wildcart in search panel and convert text to uppercase

[Alejandra Castro]

I know this question is a little dumb but I have a issue. How I can
use a search panel without using wildcards ? and how I can convert the
text to uppercase?.

for example I use this code from here:
http://ian01.geog.psu.edu/geoserver_docs/apps/gaz/index.html

var  formPanel = new GeoExt.form.FormPanel({
        title: "Buscador de Nombres",
        height: 150,
        region: "north",
        protocol: protocol,
        items: [{
            xtype: "textfield",
            width: 200,
            name: "Name__like",

            fieldLabel: "Nombre<br />(use * y % para buscar)",
            allowBlank: false,
            listeners: {
              specialkey: function(f,e){
                if (e.getKey() == e.ENTER) {
                  formPanel.search();
			//	  info.deactivate();
                }
              }
            }
        }],
        listeners: {
            actioncomplete: function(form, action) {
                features = action.response.features;
                store.loadData(features);
                vm=map.getLayersByName("Resultado");
               if(vm.length===0){
                    vecLayer = new OpenLayers.Layer.Vector("Resultado");
                    map.addLayer(vecLayer);
                    store.bind(vecLayer);
                    select.bind(vecLayer);
                }
            }
        }
    });
    formPanel.addButton({
        text: "buscar",
        handler: function() {
            this.search();
        },
        scope: formPanel
    });
works fine, but user always have to put * or % there is a way to put *
implicit, or  when user writes Andrea instead of ANDREA don't search
anything. How Can I convert this string to uppercase ?
Thanks in advance.