AndrewBruno

My order processing system ( FM Server, FM 6.0, Windows 2000, 10 users ) uses the following method of order ID allocation. All record IDs are held in a single record 'parameters' file. When a new order is raised, Cusomer ID and basic order details are recorded in global fields in the order file. When ready to create the order, a script creates a new record in the orders file, turns global values into record values, sets the Order ID from a master relationship to the parameters file and immediately increments the Order ID in the parameters file by 1. This method is tried and tested in another system that I wrote, but in this particular system, I have had duplicated order IDs. Two users have raised orders for different customers, with the same ID.They have the same auto-entry order creation time. This has happened twice in over 3000 orders. The logical reason is that the scripts are running at the same time, the first order ID is set and the second scipt reads the same Order ID before the next line in the first script line increments it. Is this possible ? I do it this way to have all the serial IDs in 1 place and reduce the risk of wrong numbers when importing data into amended system files. Am I better using the auto-entry serial number within the file ? AS ALWAYS, THANKS IN ATICIPATION. Andy Bruno

My system produces invoices, which have to be exported to Sage Line 100 accounts package. We do this by exporting from FM into a CSV spreadsheet. Sage requires that we have to add a header line with field names to the CSV file to allow importing of these records. My client wants the process to be more automated ( and therefore more secure). We run FM 6.0 / FM Server on a 10 user Windows 2000 network Any help much appreciated. Kind regards, Andrew Bruno

I wasn't sure where to put this post. I have a 13 file, 10 user system, running in Windows 2000, FM 6.0 and FM server. I am a part-time developer. I lost all the data from 2 fields in the sales order / invoice file, and I cannot work out how or why. The fields are both date fields, a despatch( shipping) and invoice date. All the field value up to and including 22nd October were lost. The system worked as it should subsequently, creating new invoices. The lost data was only noticed on Friday 24th October, so I don't know when it was lost. There is no script that could have been run in error and there are no layouts where users can access the field values to do a manual delete. The system is password-protected. All other fields in the fiel in question are intact and no data lost. I was able to restore dta but am concerned about future problems and my credibility with the client. Any help appreciated. Andy Bruno

This is something that has regularly been a problem with Filemaker. On some reports, I will get a single body line where only part of the data is printed, for example , the bottom 1/3 or 1/4. This happens at the same place on each page. All other body lines print perfectly well. This same thing has occurred in the past on other systems with different printers, so is not an isolated occurrence. Any ideas welcome Andrew Bruno

I'm working for the first time on a network with 2 printers. Both are HP 2300 dual tray printers, connected direct to the server. Each file in FM6 (Windows) has 8 standard simple scripts for printing ; Tray 1 portrait current record, etcetera, for each combination of tray orientation and current / browsed records. These scripts are called up as required. ( We used headed paper in 1 tray and plain paper in the other, and all printing is script contolled without dialogue boxes) All worked fine with a single printer. What I want is for Workstations A,B and C to use printer 1 ( always) and Workstations D, E and F to use printer 2 ( always). I have bought Afeina's ProPrint plug-in, which seems OK for setting the default printer but does'nt follow the saved print settings. Is it that the FM script will save orientaion and records but not the tray ? If so, what is the workaround ? Help desparately needed and appreciated. Andrew Bruno

Thanks for the reply. I thought that the printer was selected through the Filemaker print dialog box. If there is a default for each individual PC, then that is fine ; I need do nothing. Every PC will print from its default. Would be nice to be an expert and not an an enthusiastic semi-pro. Andrew Bruno

All my previous systems have been written for small networks with only 1 printer. My current system will be used on a network of about 8 PCs with 2 laser printers. All printing will be on A4 paper. I simply ( hopefully!) want the printer to be determined by the identity of the PC (I.e. PC upstairs uses printer upstairs. All printing is driven by scripts and users do not have access to print dialog boxes. Each file has 4 master print scripts ( print current / portrait, current / landscape etc. Many thanks. Andrew

I have written a system in FM PRo 5.5 which will be used by my client whose PCs will all be running FM Pro 6. I know that this is not a problem. The number of files and users make the use of FM Server desirable if not essential. I am considering bying a copy of FM Server 5 at a good price fronm an internet auction. Are these compatible ? Many thanks in anticipation. ( I am a part-time developer whilst training to be a teacher) Andrew Bruno

I have a product file joined to a sales order file, with a key of product ID. I want to show sales by quarter for the last 3 years. i.e. current quarter and the previous 11 quarters. I also want this to change automatically at the beginning of a new quarter, the data being rolling. I know that I need a calculated field in the sales order field to produce a key from the invoice date (which is in the sales order file), which can then be concatenated with the product ID , let's call them A to L. I think I'm OK on setting up the relationships, but need some help on calculating these key field values. Any help appreciated. Anrew Bruno

Something odd is happening with my scripts ( FM 5.5, Windows 98). The Following works fine : Perform Script ( External:FileABC) The external script is a simple one that selects a layout. However the following doesn't work Show Message If ( Current(MessageChoice)=1 Perform Script ( External:FileABC) Exit Script EndIf Go to layout DEF With message choice 1, the script does change the layout in the ABC file, but the script continues to layout DEF in the original file. I've used this type of routine umpteen times and don't recall any problems. Should I reinstall FM ? I know the files have not been damaged as they are always closed properly. Many thanks

I have 3 files, Customer - Invoice- InvoiceLine. I want to define a calculated field in the customer file which is the total of the sales or invoice values for the current financial year. In the Invoice file, the Invoice_Value is Sum(Invoice|InvoiceLine:Invoice_Line_Value). I tried the following Calculated field in Invoice file to isolate invoices that fall in the financial year ; (European date format) If(Invoice_Date>31/04/2002 and Invoice_Date<01/05/2003,Invoice_Value,0) I would then define another sum() field in the customer file, using the Customer ID relationship. However, it doesn't work, always returning 0. Any suggestions on how to achieve the result appreciated. Andrew

Thank you all, as always for the speed and helpfulness of the replies. Having downloaded a lot of example files in v 3.0 and seeing them converted to 5.(5), I just assumed the same would happen when opening v 5.0 files in v 6.0 program.

Using Windows 98

I am a part time FMP developer and have 3 clients running systems on v 5.5, where of course I still carry out maintenance and some development. I am about to start work for a new client , who has to buy v 6.0. I will be buying an upgrade to write the new system in v 6.0. The question is will v 6.0 convert the v 5.5 files to v 6.0, which will mean they will not run on the clients' systems ( they have no reason to upgrade to v 6.0 ). Can I keep 2 versions of FMP on my PC and just use the appropriate version ? SHould I buy a new licence of v 6.0 rather than an upgrade so that v 5.5 is not overwritten ? Thanks all.

Silly post, but irritating. The Text Formatting Toolbar seems to have disappeared. When selected in either Layout or Browse mode, the tick appears in the vie [color:"blue"] [color:"blue"] w menu, but no toolbar ! I've looked outside the print area, but nothing there.

I thought that I had replied - many apologies. I mean margin rather than border ! Thanks, Andrew

We are trying to integrate FM 5.5 on a PC with Groupwise 5.5 sitting on the server. We have a send mail script but are not sure how to specify the Email application.

I want to print address labels for a mailing on A4 size sheets, which have 2 columns of 5 labels, WITHOUT ANY BORDERS. I'm having real problems getting the size of the body right so that the fields print within the label borders. I know that my Panasonic lable printer will have an unprintable area at the top of the sheet and this would be easy if the label sheet had a top and bottom border. Any suggestions appreciated.

This simple technique saves the bother of creating calculated fields and keeping track of whether you are using the original field or the calculated field on a layout. The script is easily copied and modified for any field. Assign the following script to the field If[status(CurrentMode)=1] Go to Field [FIELDa] Exit Script EndIf Enter Find Mode [] Go to Field [FIELDa] You should also ensure that this field is excluded from your tab order or the user could tab into the field and then edit / delete.

Yes that would work, but I want to identify quarter years for some time ahead and set this in the system. I've actually solved it this way. As part of the opening script, I set a series of global date fields, g_quarter1, g_quarter2, etc. ( Insert text, anyway, as you can't set this field type !), marking the first day of each quarter. These global date fields don't appear on any layouts. My calculated field definition is then Case(InvoiceDate>=q_quarter1 and InvoiceDate<g_quarter2,"A",InvoiceDate>=q_quarter2 and InvoiceDate<g_quarter3,"B", ........ I've set this up for 4 years ahead. I know I need to ensure that all machines in the network set the same globals. This calculated field is needed to set up relationships to allow spreadsheet style analyses of sales by product by quarter and sales by customer by quarter. Is there an easier way I'm missing ? Thanks for the usual prompt reply. Andrew Bruno

I want to define a calculated field that returns a text value based on date ranges. i.e. if InvoiceDate is after 31/03/2001 and before 01/07/2001, "A" is returned and so on. (I'm calculating which quarter of our financial year the invoice relates to). Cannot get this to work using either the If function or the Case function A calculated field definition of If(InvoiceDate>31/03/2001 and InvoiceDate<01/07/2001,"A","") returns A for every record. Puzzled by this one. Andrew Bruno

I moved to Filemaker around a year ago from Lotus Approach as Approach's macro language has a limited number of functions ( you have to learn the difficult LotusScript to get the best out of the application)and there were just a few things I couldn't get it to do with my last big project. However, one of Approach's excellent and powerful features is a layout type called cross-tab. This will in effect produce spreadsheet reports or fully 2 dimensional reports. A simple example is a report of sales by product and month. A very straightforward wizard allows you to produce a cross-tab layout with months as columns and products as rows. Each cell is then total sales for that month / product.You can even include sub-totals in these cross-tab reports. The result is produced from standard fields and you don't even need to define summary fields. You could create a file in Approach, import the data from Filemaker as required and then print your reports. This file need only contain the fields featured in the report. Don't worry about learning a new program as Approach is very similar to Filemaker (and is nothing like the horrendous Access or Paradox). You just have to get used to some syntax differences.It's also very cheap - you can get Lotus SmartSuite, which includes Approach, on magazine cover discs here in the UK .Even the ealy versions such as Approach97 include this feature. This route is slightly messy, but once set up, will give you what you want very quickly and effectively. May be useful info for other Filemaker users. Andrew bruno

I need to summarise by the first part of the UK postcode, which signifies the city, area or London postal area. Unfortunately, this is either 1 or 2 letters long (the postcode system was not designed with database designers in mind!)Examples of post codes are CW4 7QG, SY3 8UJ, S4 5RF. I basically need the first 2 characters if they are both letters and only the first character if the second character is a number. I first of all defined an intermediary field, call it PInter, as ; TextToNum(Right(Left(Postcode,2),1)) This should return a number if a number is the second character and be empty if not. This field would be used to define the PostcodeSummary field as either the 1st or 1st and 2nd characters accordingly: If(IsEmpty(PInter),Left(Postcode,2),Left(Postcode,1)) (I then combined both fields into one) This appeared to work just fine, until I checked data and saw a problem. The calculated field PInter returns 1 if the second character is either a "Y" or a "T", where I want it to return a blank as the second character is not a number but a letter(It's presumably to to do with logic (?)) Any suggestions for getting round this ?

Thanks for the replies, gentlemen. The field that was summarizing (fraction summary) was in a distantly related file, but that file remained open in a layout that contained the summary. I made sure that that file always returned to a layout without the field after scripting. Seems to have cured the problem, though I still don't see why it should have happened at all.

I always use the Cut script step when setting Date or Time fields to blank. The field does need to be on the current layout and of course you must not be in the middle of a copy/paste routine. Always worked fine for me. Andrew Bruno