Table View Anomoly?

[dmontano]

I noticed an anomaly when viewing data in Table View:

The values in the primary key field, in this example, should all have primary key type values - not any other value like a "name". I have checked my data through my filemaker field values in Form View and even exported to data to Excel to verify the data in the primary key field throughout all table records and they are all correct: only primary key data.

I noticed that I placed the primary key field in a tab for development purposes (so I can see these values so I can validate things are looking okay).

I wondered if the field being placed in a "Tab" area was causing some display issue in Table View. So I copied the field and pasted it outside the Tab area , just floating on the "body" and not inside any other interface element. That appears to have fixed the "display" issue.

Interestingly, when I went to export the data to Excel to check these values, I noticed in the Export settings from "Layout" does not present the primary key field that resides inside the tab area, but it does when I leave the field on the "body" area.

So, in order to be able to see the proper value of a field in Table View - and also to be able to see the field as a selectable field for export - the field needs to be outside of at least a Tab area and reside in the "body" area...?

So, the only solution I have come up with so far is to:

1. Make sure any fields I wish to see in Table view, AND also provide the select-ability of the field upon Export - I need to place the fields on the "body" area, or at least outside of a Tab area;

2. Since I don't want these fields displayed to a User, I would need to hide them from Browse, Preview, and Find Window mode and allow them to be visible in Layout mode for a "developer" to see. But, now a "developer" can not see the data values in Browse mode.

• Granted, I am still using FileMaker 16 and perhaps this is no longer an issue?
• Or, am I missing something that I don't understand?
• Is there a "best-practice" approach to this?
• If I need to build "developer" layouts and shield the end-user from these layouts just seems like extra work that is disheartening.

I have attached screenshots to illustrate.

Thanks, David 

 

[bcooney]

What is the definition of your primary key? I would suggest uuid.  I’ve found simply naming the primary key “Id”  works well. 

[dmontano]

Hi bcooney, 

 

I will use uuid its just in my development concept files I use concatenated serials so I can "read" my keys to ensure they are "going" where they should.

In either situation, the anomaly I mention should not be effected by either method of key generation. Do you agree?

[bcooney]

Agreed. I don’t have tabs on dev table views. haven’t experienced this. 

[comment]

6 hours ago, dmontano said:

I am still using FileMaker 16 and perhaps this is no longer an issue?

That should be easy to find out: start by trying to reproduce the problem (and only the problem) in a brand new file. If you succeed, post the file here and we will see what happens when it is opened in a newer version. I certainly wasn't able to reproduce the issue using v.18. I am attaching my attempt. If you open it on your system and see something different than:  

then the problem is probably with your system. We'll know better after you post your file.

test.fmp12

Edited July 13, 2022 by comment

[dmontano]

Thanks Comment. Your file worked just fine, so that ruled out a version 16 issue.

I have found the culprit: me

I had a field on the layout (doesn't matter that it was in a Tab area) where I attached a Value List I was building for testing purposes. That value list was using the primary key of the same table as the first value, and the second display value was referencing a field in a Table Occurrence that was connected to the table of my layout through a cartesian "x" relationship operator.

As soon as I removed the value list from the field - problem vanished. I reattached the value list to the field and the problem reappeared.

I am assuming the badly constructed value list created a circular relationship and things went sideways from there.