How to have a drop down list to COPY data from a Table??

[1FilemakerMan]

  I have a simple problem, I hope 😉 .    I have a table that I created that shows 5 different possibilities.    I have a drop down list in a table that users will pick, and it will take their choice and fill in two paragraphs with the data they chose.   The problem is when they type to edit those paragraphs, it also changes the main data from the list.  I want the drop down list to simply COPY the choice they chose into the boxes.  What am I doing wrong????? Please help!! 🙂

 

 

Edited April 15, 2019 by 1FilemakerMan
to many pics

[comment]

1 hour ago, 1FilemakerMan said:

I want the drop down list to simply COPY the choice they chose into the boxes.  What am I doing wrong?????

It sounds like you have the field from the related table on the layout, instead of a local field that looks up its contents from the related table. I don't understand your screen shots, but in situations like the one you describe the "copying" you describe is done by performing a lookup. 

[1FilemakerMan]

I want users to be able to select a Title from the drop down menu, and it then fills the text box in with the data they picked.  Which it does.  But I want it to copy the data into the new document.  Right now once you choose something from the drop down list the data appears in the box, but what ever you type into that box it also changes the data from the menu choices.  I just need it to simply copy the data over to the box.

 

I will do some research on "lookup" and see if I can get that to work.  Thanks a lot!

[dwdata]

Here is a quick little demo on how to INSERT TEXT into an existing text field based of the last Position of your cursor in the text field.

A few key points:

1) There are some script triggers that reset and set CURSOR POSITION.

   a) OnRecordLoad - I set start and end to NULL (Warning - you must click into the TEXT field first)
   b) OnObjectExit - I set start and end of last cursor position. This includes if you selected a string in the text field.

2) Relationship to Terms to allow the selection of a term and set it in the INSERT POINT. Selectable from a global text field formatted as MENU displaying values of the Terms.

Feel free to tear it apart and ask questions.

InsertParagraph_dwdc.zip

[comment]

See if the attached demo helps.

Lookup.fmp12

[1FilemakerMan]

12 minutes ago, dwdata said:

Here is a quick little demo on how to INSERT TEXT into an existing text field based of the last Position of your cursor in the text field.

A few key points:

1) There are some script triggers that reset and set CURSOR POSITION.

   a) OnRecordLoad - I set start and end to NULL (Warning - you must click into the TEXT field first)
   b) OnObjectExit - I set start and end of last cursor position. This includes if you selected a string in the text field.

2) Relationship to Terms to allow the selection of a term and set it in the INSERT POINT. Selectable from a global text field formatted as MENU displaying values of the Terms.

Feel free to tear it apart and ask questions.

InsertParagraph_dwdc.zip 70.31 kB · 0 downloads

Ok, I think you did what I want to do.  So I need to make my drop down list global, I am still confused though, the more I think about it.   

 1. They need to pick the "Suggested Verbiage" they want.
2. Then it needs to copy over the verbiage that is associated with the Title they picked it from.
So I am not sure if what you kindly showed me is what I need?   I want them to hit the pop up box and select the data to be copied into there and it not effect the source from the list.  I feel like I am soooooooooo close.

Here is your file's data, and below is mine.  How can I make it so when they choose their selection it simply copy and pastes the correct choice into the box? 

My Database

[dwdata]

Looks like COMMENT added a simple LOOKUP scheme. This replaces the entire field. If that is what you need, then go with that. If not, please specify what needs to change.

Thanks!

[1FilemakerMan]

I am not sure I understand "Comment".  I see that you have find mode checked and I don't, and also I have include quick find field checked and you don't.  Is either one of those causing my issue?

[comment]

2 minutes ago, 1FilemakerMan said:

I see that you have find mode checked and I don't, and also I have include quick find field checked and you don't.  Is either one of those causing my issue?

I don't think so. I don't see your file, but the behavior you describe suggests that you have placed (using the terms from my file) the Source::Original field on the layout of Target, instead of the Target::Copy field (assuming you even have such field).

[1FilemakerMan]

Target::Copy is exactly what I want to do.  I am not sure how to do that?  The list is a pull down menu and I was hoping that when the users chooses the correct field it "copies" it over to the box on the left.  

[comment]

2 minutes ago, 1FilemakerMan said:

The list is a pull down menu and I was hoping that when the users chooses the correct field it "copies" it over to the box on the left.  

Doesn't my file do exactly that?

[1FilemakerMan]

yes it does, and thanks for sending it.  I am going to look it over tomorrow and see if I can figure out how to do that.  I don't have a global field, and things like . yours does.    I have only been using filemaker pro for a few months, and there is a lot to learn!

Thanks for you help.  I will try some more tomorrow at work.  This is something I need to learn!

[comment]

2 minutes ago, 1FilemakerMan said:

I don't have a global field, and things like . yours does.

Are you sure you're looking at my file? It has no global fields - and it couldn't be any simpler.

[1FilemakerMan]

How do I tell FM to COPY the data instead of linking it directly to the data?
Do I need to create a script to copy the selected object? 

How/where does the Target::Copy go????

[comment]

We don't seem to be making much progress here. You have been advised  to use a lookup. You have been directed to the help section that explains how to do that. You have been given a demo that shows how to do that. Yet you're still asking the same question as in the beginning. 

Let me try once more, from a different perspective: you want to copy the data from some field. Where do you want it to be copied to? You need a field to copy into. That field needs to be defined as a lookup. In my demo, this field is named Copy. It is defined in the Target table, and it copies its data from a field named Original defined in the Source table.

[1FilemakerMan]

I have been on vacation and now I am back with a fresh start on it.  I am going to look carefully at your program and see if I can get it to work.  Thanks!

[1FilemakerMan]

Comment man I love you!!!! AWESOME Job helping me.  IT WORKS!  At least I think so. It is going in to test mode.  So people will be logging into it and trying it out.  Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!