Navigating layouts with pop-up lists. Help!

[Mark_W]

Can anyone out there help me with is query?

I need to organise layouts displaying specific data on the amount of work done and the time worked on a particular job. How to display this data is not a problem.

All information needs to be indexed to a job number. Say, for instance, Job 1024

Each job can be split into Batches. For instance, batch A is the first half of a job and batch Bis the second half.

Jobs are also split into proofing stages. 1st Proofs, 2nd Proofs etc.

Data about batch A ,B and C etc and 1st, 2nd and 3rd Proofs etc need to be kept

distinct and separate for invoicing purposes.

To avoid confusion, each possible combination of batches and stages will have its own layout.

Something like 25 separate layouts will be used. They will be identical in format except that the fields will display data pertaining to a specific stage and batch. Anybody navigating between them would only see the data changing depending on which layout they were in.

An example would be a layout displaying only the data entered for batch B 2nd Proofs.

I would rather not have 25 buttons directing the user to each specific layout.

Is it possible to navigate between these different layouts by using two different

pop-up lists. The values would be "batch" and "stage".

If so, how would I go about it?

Would I use a script?

Could anyone help me?

[danjacoby]

Go To Layout [Layout Number from Field]

This would be the script step attached to the "Go" button. The trick is to have a (hidden) calc field that returns the correct number based on the layout chosen in the popup list.

[CobaltSky]

There is a technique you could consider using which would make your layout menus operate automatically, based on the layout name selected from a value list.

This approach requires a script and two global fields (one of which is the field into which the layout name is entered via a drop-down list). The script is activated by clicking on the global menu field, and uses a loop to detect the value selected by the user, and a further loop to locate the corresponding layout.

Ratehr than describe the technique in detail, I have located a copy of a demo file which illustrates it, and have placed the file on my server so that you can download it if you are interested. The URL for the download is: http://www.nightwing.com.au/FileMaker/LayoutMenu.zip

The demo file is unlocked, so you'll be able to "pull it apart" to have a look at how it works.

In order to use this technique for your batches and stages, I suggest that you add a global radio button field to select the desired batch, then use the drop-down menu for the stages within the currently selected batch. The formulae within the script could then be adapted to locate the layout with a name which corresponds to the selected batch and stage values (according to whatever layout naming convention you have used).

[Mark_W]

Many Thanks Ray!

The sample file goes a long way to solving my problem.

My confusion is... (bare with me, I'm a newbie) how does the

GotoLayout script get activated in the first place?

I cannot see anything in the "Layout Menu" field which activates it.

Does the Pause/Resume loop become activated the moment the

file is opened?

Is choosing which layout to go to, the only thing you would be able do on

the "Main Layout" layout because of this? Or could you enter and view

information in other fields and then choose another layout to go to

using this method at any time?

My intention is to have a pop-up value list field on each layout (there will

be quite a few) in order to navigate between them without having to

return to a "central hub"

Is this possible?

Many thanks again for you valuable help.

[CobaltSky]

Hi Mark,

The way the script is activated is that the menu field is actually defined as a 'button' which invokes the 'perform script' command. In FileMaker, not only 'buttons' can act as buttons - any other layout object (including, as in this case, fields) can be defined to act as a button. To do this you select the object in layout mode, then go to the Format menu and choose the "Button..." command.

Once you've clicked on the menu field and the script is running, then the script and the loops take over from there.

The layout menu can be placed on any or all layouts along with whatever else you want to place on them. It will remain inavtive until clicked on. You will be able to you enter and view information in other fields, sort, find, anything at all - and then click on the menu at any time to choose another layout to go to.

In fact, the only reason that I haven't got other things on the layouts in the demo file is to keep it simple and make it a bit easier to see what is doing what. There is no need to use a central hub - the beauty of the technique is that you can jump from anywhere to anywhere else directly (but, as you said in your first message, without having a couple of dozen buttons cluttering up the screen)

Hope the above explanation makes things a bit clearer. Let me know if you're still stuck.

[kennedy]

Don't want to derail the value list to layout question here, but I wonder if your problem wouldn't be better handled using a relational solution: a file of jobs, a file of batches, and a file of proofs. Then you have only one layout... it can present a computed value list that only shows you the batches and proofs that exist for that job, you select those and that determines which batch/proof shows up in those fields on the layout.

That would work real well unless the information stored for 3rd proofs is much different than that for 2nd proofs, and so on.

This approach may not fit your problem... but I thought I'd mention it, in case you hadn't considered it.

FWIW.