Alan Betts

Try using calculations as your dates to view in the list. e.g Date to view1 = If(date1<>criteria date;TextToDate("");date1) etc etc. Hope this helps Alan

Multi line keys are also useful for grouping records in a related database For example: Two databases, one with your contacts and one with your groups. You wish to create a group of contacts. A group of contacts is arbitrary, no associations by category or whatever, just a set of contacts picked at random. The contacts file has a Contact ID field and Group ID as does the Group file. Group file also has a Group name field Both files also need a global field for storing up the ID's, called such as gContactID Both files have a calculation field set as 1 called Pipeline. (A constant) Create relationship between the two files based on Pipleine (e.g. where constant in each record = constant in each record :: hence pipeline and will be used to pass information between two files where no usable relationship exists) Create relationship in Groups called Related Contacts where ContactID = Contacts: ContactID In the Groups file make a script: New Group steps: New Record/request Set field - gContact ID : Pipeline::gContactID Set field - Contact ID : gContactID Create a script called "make group" in Contacts file. step: Go To Record (first) Set field - gContactID : Contact ID Loop Go to Record (Next, Exit after last) Set field - gContactID : gContactID & "

I have also done as per danjacoby's reply and made it work. Took a bit of time to suss out all the script steps. If you create a global number field called "labels already used" then the figure ou put in here can be used to generate the number of blanks. The only problem we found with this was that if auto enter serial numbers were involved in creating new records in the database used for printing. If the numbers are to be sequential then adding and deleting blank records will cause a problem. The answer was to send the records to be printed to another file that just printed labels. Then the file could be cleared after each print run. As mentioned previously, if you are using a laserwprinter then just watch that the unused adhesive from the label sheet doesn't gum up your printer. Ink-jets are no problem. [ March 31, 2002, 05:32 AM: Message edited by: ADB ]

For which you will need a pdf writer such as Adobe Acrobat you could also try http://www.ctrlp.com for a free pdf creator

When creating a new "level" as you call it, why not duplicate the report, then add your new subsummary part to the original. You can then amend the script as for danjacoby's reply, and if it doesn't work you still have your duplicate to fall back on and try again. This method was learnt from many ****ups when creating summary reports of varying levels... (or as the old addage says - always work on a copy) [ March 31, 2002, 05:05 AM: Message edited by: ADB ]

In answer to the original question - yes - you do need to set multi user on in all shared files.

From your post it sounds like the first person in the office will open the database by file sharing to the server and opening it. This person then becomes the host to that file - not the server. Then when others try to do the same, it will tell you that the file is in use - which is correct. The above is an assumption, so I should ask if the Filemaker databases are firstly opened on the server before anyone acceses them. If not then you will not be using the server as a server, merely as a place to store your files As you are not using FM server your files will need to be opened and closed manually. There is also a question of how you back up your files in this scenario - I have set up a few systems such as this, and getting people to remember to close down the files before they back them up is always a problem - sepecially if they are on a remote machine. FM server would be your best solution, as your files can be open 24/7 and you will not come across your error ever again. If you only acquire FM server for the automatic back up facilities, then it is well worth the expense. I have fitted many backup systems and the question I always put to those who think that money is better spent elsewhere is, how much would it cost to retype in the data- on the assumption that you still have the data to re-enter. Consider looking at FM server as a solution, it may seem like a large outlay initially, but the time saved on Admin and backup will pay for itself in no time.

If you can get the databases open on the same desktop machine either locally or across a network then you can also drag and drop the layouts from one database to the other in Layout mode. Just select any elements you require from one database and drag and drop them onto a layout in the other. Beware that any fields, relationships or scripts that the original layout references should be in both databases before transferring layouts. So if you have modified the original file, a) create the new fields in the other files, : then create the relationships, c) then import the scripts from the original into the other files d) - then finally drag your layouts over. If you need to re-assign the buttons of the scripts you have imported, it will probably be because the imported scripts do not share the same position in the script list as the oringinal scripts. Good luck

The above method will also remove unwanted returns at the end of any field that should not have returns on them. Having dealt with so many typo problems on export, I now create many of the fields to be exported, especially addresses as calcluations. It is far easier to control the exported result and eliminate a lot of user errors. e.g. for a one line address to be concatenated from Address, Town 'n' Post Code fields If(IsEmpty(Address;"";Substitute(Address;"

This calculation can also be used to differentiate odd and even weeks if the number involved is a week(date) calculation. e.g - assuming field week number is week(date) calc Case(mod(week number;2) = 1; "odd week";"even week") This is useful if you have to set startup scripts do things on a fortnightly basis. (Just thought I'd throw it in for anyone who is interested)