Guy Weymouth

Graphics that I've embedded into a FM file in container (not global container) fields are randomly disappearing. The solution consits of around 10 databases, including a "design" database. The "Design" database contains the graphics. I haven't used global container fields because all this is running on a server and I don't want to have to take the server off-line every time I want to permanently add a new field and graphic to the "design" file. So all files, including the design file have a "link" field which is a global field with "1" in it - thus creating a relationship no matter what record you're on. Two graphics within the container fields in particular are disappearing. All the other (15 or so) graphics are fine. This means of course, all the databases don't show those two graphics which makes it ******* hard to use the database. I could just re-create the offending fields and update all references to them - but there would be at least 100 references. FileMaker Support in Australia are not much help at all - I'm really hoping someone has come across this problem and can save me re-creating the fields. The solution is on the latest FM7 server and I'm using the latest FM7 Developer client. All the graphics are PNG files (because they have transparency), I've added new graphics (container fields) since without issue. It's just two particular fields.

The way I've done it in the past (using a pop-up window to select say, an individual from a company) is to run the script that opens the pop-up window, pauses waiting for user input, and when the user hits enter, the script continues, selects the data, closes the window and they're on their way. The user can't close the window because the script is in pause mode. So long as you don't allow the user to abort scripts, you should be fine.

I currently employ a method of selecting an individual for a task by clicking on the individual field which opens the search database, goes to the individual search / selector layout. This layout is a portal showing all the individuals for a particular company. When you click on the desired individual, it takes the individual_ID and inserts it into the tasks database. I have the same for selecting companies - click on the company ID field, it brings up the search "pop up" window, shows via a relationship all the companies for that area and you click on the one you want. What if I want to extend the access to the "pop up" search / selector across all my database files. So, I want to be able to select an individual for a company from the task file, also from the service file, and also from the admin file. They are all separate files (not separate tables within the one file). I need to know which file I'm coming from so the search pop-up knows which layout to show (as I'll need a few individual search layouts) and where to send the data back to. If that makes any sense, how can I do it? Thanks

Thanks for all the responses. I don't have the manual - if it's on the original CD, then I'll have to wait to get it from work. One problem with auditing EVERY field anyway is the sheer amount of data you would accumulate. I imagine if you have a field in every table that lists every change to every field, then the data amount would begin to affect performance? I don't know. On that assumption, it's best to just include the key fields you want to audit into the audit calculation and you're done.

I currently have a global field (first_name_search) which relates to a field (first_name) in another table (individuals). If you type "Bob" into first_name_search and there happens to be a first_name = "Bob" in the individuals table, then the portal displays "Bob". This is basically used to obviate the need for Find Mode and restrict users to searching for data in certain fields. Now, I'd like the user to be able to "search" for a first_name OR a last_name. I could have two global fields where you type in data into first_name_search to search for a first_name or type into the last_name_search to search for a last_name - and there would be two relationships; one for first_name and one for last_name. Surely there's a way to have a relationship which says: first_name_search = first_name OR last_name_search = last_name It seems you can only use the AND operator in defining a relationship, not an OR operator. Any thoughts?

I am currently using the one script to go to certain layouts and changing the script parameter of each button to the name of the layout to go to. The script then gets the script parameter to determine which layout to go to. Easy. What if I want to have two script parameters. One holds the layout name to jump to and another determines whether a new window is opened when going to that layout. So, ScriptParameter = a = staff ; b = new_window and then in the script: If b = "new_window" go to layout "a" in a new window else go to layout "a" end if How can I do that? Widey

Ahhh! Just as I was about to loose faith in FMForums as I thought no one had replied to my message, I realised I didn't turn email notification on. So, thanks for the replies! Ender, thanks for the example file - legend. I agree with you though, that it is complex. As for using the evaluate function, I didn't get around to trying that because I solved it this way... RELATIONSHIP TABLE: STAFF (key_current_user) --> ACTIONS (staff_member) ACTIONS (key_company_ID) --> COMPANIES (key_company_ID) The portal exists in the staff table and uses the relationship COMPANIES. By doing this, it seems the portal asks for all companies for this staff members, but can't do it directly and uses the actions table, which I guess, is an implied relationship. I'd love to know why this works because I've heard about implied relationships, and I assume this is an example of one, but can't explain quite why it works. Widey

I'm using this concept to audit changes to fields. I got the basic idea and an example from the examples forum. The end point, is I want to have a field which lists the changes made to any field on a given layout. Case(company_name; full_name ; phone_number ; key_company_ID;key_company_ID) I got this calculation from the example file. It seems that the Case statement is written in a way so it always errors resulting in the default output of key_company_ID. This means whenever the stated fields are changed, it recalculates, meaning the lookup in the field which contains the audit history is triggered and it all works. I've acheived the same using: Evaluate(key_company_ID; [company_name; company_category]) Using either function though means that for each layout I need a separate calculation which covers all the possible fields on a layout. So, I'd like to substitute the equation above with something like this: Evaluate(key_company_ID; [<<all the fields on this layout>>]) I've attached the example I found, which is a converted FM6 file and I've stripped all the uneccessary fields out. (in fact, no I haven't... how do you attach files?!) I've tried embedding a GetField function into the Evaluation function but it syntax errors on me. If I embed it into the Case function, it allows me to continue but when I test it, it doesn't work. There's gotta be a way!

I want to use the contents of a field to be used as a parameter in a function. Field 1: back_current_fields calculation: FieldNames ( Get (filename) ; Get (layoutname) ) Result = list of field names in the current file on the current layout separated by carriage returns. This is the field I want to use in a function parameter... Field 2: audit_trigger caclulation: Case(company_name; key_company_ID;key_company_ID) This is a modified Case statement without an

I have three tables: Companies, Communications, and Home Page. Companies = list of companies with key_company_ID as the unique field for relationships Communications = list of communications with key_communication_ID. (phone calls, emails, etc). Each communication also records the key_user_ID and the creation_date for the communication. Home Page = global field where key_user_ID is set (after logging in). When a user logs in, I want to present their own "home page" using the Home Page table. I want the home page to list in a portal the last 10 companies they dealt with. The way to determine this would be to look at all the communications a user has made with that company, and create the "top 10" list from there. Unfortunately, if a user has communicated with "Company A" three times then my portal lists "Company A" three times. So I want the portal to only list the FIRST OCCURANCE of "Company A" so the portal lists the top 10 companies, not the top 10 communications and the corresponding company for that communication. I don't want to change the modification date of the "Companies" table every time a user creates a Communication in the "Communications" table, but will if I have to. I tried using a self-join to find duplicates in the "Communications" table but then I can't use that calculated field in the relationship that lists the top 10 companies. How can I solve this?