Google Style Search in Drop-down List ?

[DannA]

Hi All, wow, it's been awhile since I was last here !

I am playing around with FM18 to see what's new since the days of FM7 and discovered "Google style searches" with a global field and a portal that shows "filtered" results as I type - all good.

Is there a way do do the same thing BUT to use it instead of a drop-down list ? 
I have a WorkOrder table with a clientID field that links to a Clients table to get the client info for that work order.
What seems like the simple way to get the info is :  a drop-down list showing all records from Client using a value list.

What I would like is to replace the drop-down by the result of a google type search so that as I type characters my choices are filtered and I select the desire record with a click.

The 1st problem I am having is that my layout is based on the WorkOrder table and the client info is in the Client table. Is there a way to do a google style search without changing layout ?
The scripting bits I found here and there as well as video examples all seem to search from the current table - I am not trying to filter down to find the correct Work Order - I am trying to filter down
the clients table to select the one I want to associate to this current WorkOrder record.

My 2nd problem, does anyone have thoughts on how to show/hide the portal that is needed for that style of search field ??  I was thinking of a slide control or tab control placed just under the search field and then showing it when the field is entered and hiding it when the user selects the chosen record -- clicking on it -- hides the tab or slide and puts the clientID in the proper field on the WorkOrder layout.

Thanks for the help.
Dan

[bcooney]

Here's a quick and dirty example of a card picker.CardPicker.fmp12.zip

[DannA]

Thanks.  I will look at it tonight.

[DannA]

Thank you for this, it seems promising. One question because I have never used card style windows....

What does the Install OnTimer Script do in relation to the revealing the card and dealing whit what was selected by the user ? 

Without those OnTimer steps my FM18 freeze and the screen is dimmed but no window appears on top of the main window.

 

Thanks, Dan

[bcooney]

The onTimer is a key part of the technique. Once the window closes, the handler script takes over. Card windows are a wonderful way to present another context to a user without the need to build a relationship. 

[bcooney]

Another approach is to create work orders from a client context. This pattern,

set $id clientprimarykey 

go to work order

new record

set work order::clientid   $id

Commit record 

[DannA]

Thanks, that is what I had originally.

After speaking with the folks I am trying to help, I realized that they use the work order almost like an appointment scheduler.
I am trying to avoid having them to adapt to different steps (workflow) so the transition is as smooth as possible for them.