will not display 0 when calc is 0

[mallikai]

i have a script that performs a find based on who logs onto system

if the person has 1 message, then i have a field that displays that

text'YOU HAVE'text field'HOW MANY MESSAGES' text'MESSAGES'text

I've discovered a problem. When the script performs a find and there are NO messages, it displays nothing in the HOW MANY MESSAGES field.

Is there a way around this? (I have unchecked do not compute if referenced fields are 0 on all fields...i have tried with indexing on and off...)

thanks

[Kurt Knippel]

Instead of having:

HowManyMessages = Count (Messages::RecordNumber)

Use:

HowManyMessages = If ( Count (Messages::RecordNumber) > 0, Count (Messages::RecordNumber), 0 )

[Keith M. Davie]

Messages = Case (see = "If", "recommend Case", "")

[CobaltSky]

If the field which displays the "You have...messages" is a calculation field (as opposed to a global field set by a script etc etc) then the problem may be associated with the:

"Do not evaluate if all referenced fields are empty"

setting which is turned on by default in the calculation options dialog accessible from Define fields...

If it's a calc, have a look and see - it is a checkbox at the bottom left of the calculation window, and you should uncheck it and see if that is the issue!

[mallikai]

i've tried the suggestions...thanks..but none seem to work...the problem is that as a user logs on..the scripts first sets field to user name and sets field to new messages...then performs find...if there are messages it displays number of messages...if there are no messages..it displays nothing...i guess it has something to do that there are no records present in the file because it found none...so it can't display anything in the relationship ...so...i'll just tell the employees that if they don't have messages...it will be blank...

thanks

[Keith M. Davie]

Well, with what little info you initially provided, I think Capt Kurt's answer was probably very close (though I prefer a case to an if, and someone else might have another design), but you are not having any success, which is the point of this.

Perhaps I've missed something.

You have a field 'HOW MANY MESSAGES'.

What exactly is that field. I gather ("I have unchecked do not compute if referenced fields are 0 on all fields..") it is a calc field. If so, what is the calculation?

"i guess it has something to do that there are no records present in the file because it found none."

Actually, I think it has more to do with your design.

Your script performs its find when someone logs into the system. On what field(s) does it perform the find? If it finds the individual, then does your field 'HOW MANY MESSAGES' have a calc such as an If or a Case such that if no messages exist for the individual, then 0 is displayed but when messages do exist the correct number of messages for that individual is displayed? That is essentially what Capt Kurt was suggesting (using a relationship for the messages to the individuals) and I agree with him.

If you are searching for messages you are probably barking up the wrong tree.

[Philland]

I think it sounds like the "how many messages" field is a summary count of active records based on performing a find in the current base. Which means that if the find result is zero you will be looking at a screen with no active records therefore no active cell to display the zero, only the graphic components will display.

You will need to change the way you find the messages to a subsummary based on the user name or move the calculation to a second related database so that an active record is maintained. Unless of course I'm completely wrong.