Portal entry?

March 22, 2025Mar 22

I can't believe how rusty I've gotten at basic filemaker setup... Here's what I'm trying to do...

I create custom mixes of seed beads for sale. Table name is Mixes. These mixes might include up to 12 different seed bead colors. So I have another table with my seed beads in it called Beads. Fields are Item Number, description, color, size, quantity, cost, etc. These are manufacturer items.

What I want is a layout where I can enter the Beads Item Number and have it link that bead to the Mixes record. I feel like a join table is what I'm trying to do, but for my life, I cannot remember how to do it. I have had some success with this approach with another database I wrote years ago, but my brain's a fog. I even tried opening that database to replicate what I did but my brain can't process it.

Suggestions?

March 22, 2025Mar 22

Yes, you do need a join table.

Not sure how to help you further with this, since you say you have an example but still can't work it out. Maybe look at these two threads and the files posted there:

https://fmforums.com/topic/93427-calculation-for-2nd-10th-fields-not-appearingdisappearing/#findComment-427334

https://fmforums.com/topic/110178-portal-line-item-values-how-to-multiply-using-field-value-external-to-portal/#findComment-492057

Edited March 22, 2025Mar 22 by comment

March 23, 2025Mar 23

Author

@commentThank you for sharing that. This is pretty much exactly what I want to do... I went back and basically adopted much of the same nomenclature to create my layout. I'm 99% sure (only fools are really certain) that I have everything set up properly. I have three tables as you described in your recipes example: Mixes_Master (Recipes), Beads (Ingredients), and Mix_Quantities (Quantities). Each has a key field. Relationships are as shown in the screen capture.

Where I'm losing my mind is when I look at my layout (shared both design and browse views) the portal doesn't even show up, much less allow data entry.

March 23, 2025Mar 23

I am afraid I am not smart enough to debug a file from screenshots.

Although ... is that portal completely inside the Body part? Or is it "hanging" from the Top Navigation part? That would explain why you don't see it in Browse mode.