Maybe I am Screwed up..

[crazybake]

If I have a collection of records.. each which has a job number is there an easy way then when a user selects the job number from a popup menu that the rest of the info will automatically fill in.. I can create the popup menu which shows all of the job numbers... however, when a user selcts the job number the rest of the related info does not fill in?

Sorry for the ridiculous question...

[CobaltSky]

Hi,

There are several ways to approach this, but two methods are the most commonly used.

One is to set up a relationship (based on job number) to the same or a different file, and then base the fields that you want 'filled in' on the relationship.

The second method also uses a relationship based on job number, but involves setting each of the fields you want to have filled in, as a lookup based on the job number relationship.

From a practical point of view, the difference between these two methods is that with the first, you are 'seeing' the related data from its original record, whereas with the second approach, the data will actually be placed as data into fields you have set up for the purpose.

The first method has the advatages of smaller file size and that the data can be updated in one place and the change reflected throughout all instances of that job number.

The second method has the advantage that the data, once automatically 'filled in', can be edited without overwriting the original source data (since it is a copy).