HendersonD

This seems like it should be simple but I cannot figure it out. - I have a database sorted in a particular order - I trigger a script to run a report. The script that runs the report sorts the database in a different order. - I would like a way at the end of the report script to sort the database back into its original order. The problem becomes the original order can be one of 14! Is there any way to remember what order a database is sorted in and then sort it in that order later? I have figured out a way in my mind to do this but the script will be long and ugly

I have a field called ports that is a numeric field. Lets say I have 5 records and the ports field is filled in like this: Ports 24 21 234 1096 400 I would like to creat a calculation field that assigns 1 to the lowest number in the ports field, 2 to the next lowest etc. In other words, if my field were called Sort it would look like this Ports Sort 24 2 21 1 234 3 1096 5 400 4 I would like the sort field dynamic so when I add another record, lets say port 100, sort for that record becomes 3 and the rest of them follow suit. Is this even possible?

Our school district uses DHCP to assign IP addresses to computers. We reserve IP addresses in the range 230-255 in each subnet so we can statically assign IP addresses to our network printers. For example, in subnet 80 we have the following addresses set aside for printers: 10.121.80.230, 10.121.80.231,.......,10.121.80.255 We have 10 different subnets on campus. I have a database that keeps track of all our printers. I have a checkbox in one of my layouts labeled Networked. I have a script attached to this checkbox that I would like to do the following: - When it is clicked and becomes checked I want the next available IP address in the subnet to be assigned to this printer. In other words, if we currently have subnet 12 with no networked printers and then we network one of them, I click the checkbox and this printer gets assigned 10.121.12.230. This assignment happens within Filemaker, we would still go to the printer and assign the address manually trough the printers interface. The second printer networked would automatically get 10.121.12.231. The first three octets (10.121.12) are easy to figure out. Every printer gets 10.121 and the subnet can be pulled from my Rooms database that keeps track of subnets for each room. How do I get Filemaker to dish out the last octet (230, 231, 232, etc)? - When a networked printer is taken out of service, I want to click the Network checkbox to uncheck it and return its IP address to the pool of available addresses. For example, I already have the following addresses used: 10.121.12.230 10.121.12.231 10.121.12.232 10.121.12.233 I then take the printer with IP address 10.121.12.231 out of service. I want its IP address returned to the available pool AND be the next address assigned to a networked printer in this subnet. Any ideas? I have thought of a few but none seem particularly elegant Dave

I am having a hard time making a relationship between files that gives me just what I want in a portal window. This is a simplified example of my solution but one that gets to the heart of the matter. I have three tables, Computers, Software, and SoftwareInstalled with the following fields in each: Computers - compID, computer name Software - softID, software name SoftwareInstalled - compID, softID The Computers table contains 800 records, one for each computer on campus, compID being a unique serial number for each machine. The Software table contains 200 records, one for each piece of software we own, softID is a unique serial number for each piece of software I have two portals in Computers, one that shows all the software that could be installed on the computer (Available Software) and one that shows the titles that are installed (Installed Software). I have a button made in the Available Software portal that when clicked assigns that piece of software to that computer. What it does via a script is make a new record in SoftwareInstalled and puts in this record the proper compID and softID. In essence the SoftwareInstalled table is a link between Computers and Software to break up a many-to-many relationship. Many computers can have the same piece of software installed and many pieces of software can be installed on a computer. So far this works great, when I click this button the software title I clicked on appears in the portal labeled Installed Software. Here is the problem, as soon as the software title appears in the Installed Software portal, it should no longer be seen in the Available Software portal. An example might help. One particular computer has no software installed on it so the

Is there a way to dynamically specify a field in a "Set Field" script step? In other words, can I "Set Field [calculated field name; calculated/stored result]"? I have come across one solution that loops through fields on a layout that is not visible or modifiable by the end user: http://www.fmforums.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=138056&an=0&page=0%23138056 Is there any other way to do this? I have 13 scripts that are all 3 lines long each. These scripts are very similar and just use set field commands to set values in particular fields in several different tables. I would like to bring this down to one script and use script parameters to pass along what table and what field I want to set. Thanks Dave

Thanks for the explanation of how to pass parameters. What if the solution I have has 40 or 50 layouts spread across over 20 tables all in one file? I thought about passing two parameters to a script, one indicating what table the layout is associated with and then the name of the layout (or a letter indicating which one). Within the Go to layout script step can it be structured like this? Should I pick one unique parameter for each of my layouts and just pass that? Dave

I have a nice inventory solution in Filemaker 6 that I am rewritting in 7. In 7 I have two databases in one file, Computers and Software. In each of these I have two layouts: Computer Computer List Software Software List The interface in each of these is tabbed. Click on the Computer List tab and that layout appears, etc. In Filemaker 6 I made separate scripts for all of this. In 6, in the Computer file I had two scripts, one that went to the Computer layout and one that went to the Computer List layout. Similar situation in the Software database. Associating the script with the proper tab graphic and all worked fine. In Filemaker 7, I want to cut down on the number of scripts by using the Get(ScriptParameter) but I am not sure how to do it. Any ideas on how I could make a single script that would switch between the two layout in Computers and the two layouts in Software? Thanks Dave

I have a text field called buildings in a file called buildings that contains four records. The value of buildings for the four records is: Primary Intermediate Junior High High School When I make a value list based on the contents of this field, I do not like the fact that when I go to use this value list in another file in a popup menu, the items are in alphabetical order. In the file buildings I created a numeric field called BuildingOrder and typed in numbers for each of the six records based on the order I wanted to display them. I then went back to the value list and stipulated I wanted to see this second field and sort by it. Now when I use this value list as the basis of a popup menu in another file, the order is correct but the numeric field is also displayed. I have spent about three hours trying to get my popup menu to display in the proper order but NOT display the value of this second field. At least one hour of this time was spent scouring the internet, newsgroups, and discussion boards for answers. If anybody knows how to do this, I would be eternally grateful Thanks Dave

I have a solution that requires what I call a shrinking value list. I am instituting IP based printing at my school district. All the printers in a particular subnet have the same IP address except the last entry in dotted decimal format. In other words, printers in subnet 80 would all have one of the following IP addresses: 10.121.80.220 through 10.121.80.254 This is a total of 35 different IP addresses. I want these to appear in a drop down menu based on a value list. Lets say the first printer I assign the IP address of 220. When I get to another printer I want the drop down menu of printer IPs to not show 220 since it is already assigned. If 18 IP addresses have already been assigned, the drop down menu built off of the value list only shows 17 choices. The other way I thought about doing this is just have FileMaker assign the address. I have a checkbox called networked. I have some printers that are not networked (inkjets hooked to local machines) and many that are. When I check the checkbox that says a printer is networked, FileMaker automatically gives it the IP address of 220. The next printer I come to that I check the networked check box, FileMaker gives it an IP address of 221. FileMaker in essence keeps track of what IP addresses have been assigned. Likewise, if later I uncheck the network checkbox, I want the IP address of this printer to return to the pool of available IP addresses to be reassigned to another printer. Any suggestions on how to implement this solution, let me know. Thanks Dave