Importing to check boxes?

[bmthomas]

Hello,

I'm a fairly inadequate filemaker user who is trying to set up a mailing list/contact list database for a small company. We have numerous records in excel that I can export into Filemaker with no problems. However, I have a field in Filemaker that signifies these people as being on our mailing list, and not as a vendor. Here's my question:

Is there a way to have Filemaker check off the check box indicating Mailing List as the records are being imported? I'm looking for any solution that prevents me from manually going through 40,000 records to check off a little box. This is the first import of any records whatsoever, so there are no other records in the database at this time.

Thanks,

B.M. Thomas

[CobaltSky]

It isn't clear from your description whether you simply want to have all the checkboxes checked as the records are imported, or whether you want them to be selectively checked based on some criterion in the rows of the Excel spreadsheet you are bringing them in from - or even based on still other data elsewhere that you've not mentioned...

Each of these things is possible, but the methods in each case are rather different. If you can be more specific then you're a lot more likely to get a response which is applicable to your requirements.

[bmthomas]

Sorry, I'll try to be a little more clear... lets see how to describe this...

I've designed a layout to hold the name, address, contact info, etc of people we use/want to contact. Each of these records is going to be files by using a check box system indicating their relationship to us. The field with the checkboxes has a few entry possibilities (i.e. "Mailing List" "Vendor" "Donor" "Subscriber") Currently, the database is empty, as it was just created, and is now going to be populated. The list I am importing from Excel is a list of 40,000 names and addresses, all belonging to our mailing list. I'm wondering if it is possible to either:

1) Make a field in excel, that when imported into FM, each record will have the box marked "mailing list" checked off.

2) Select all the records, and then do one "mass-checking-off" of the mailing list check box.

Currently, I'm going through record by record and clicking off the check box manually... and it's slowly killing me.

I hope I'm being a little more clear, i'm not "hip to the jargon" so to speak

Thanks,

bmthomas

[CobaltSky]

Based on what you are saying, I suggest that, after import, you use the 'Replace Contents...' command (from the Records menu in browse mode) to set all of the checkboxes in one hit.

To do this, first set the checkbox for the current record. Then select Records>Replace... and click the replace button. It will be done in a matter of seconds...

[bmthomas]

That worked so beautifully. I appreciate the help!

BMThomas