Portal within a Portal

[ruthcarlton]

I have 2 files, WorkOrders and Tasks. WorkOrders are made up of tasks.

I have a self-related portal to view open WorkOrders in which I would also like to show related tasks.

Is there a way to place a portal within another portal?

[CobaltSky]

I'm afraid that portals don't 'nest'

However if all you require is a list of tasks, you can achieve that by creating a calculating field in your WorkOrders file which automatically retrieves a list of related values from a field in the Tasks file.

If you want more than one value represented in the list, you will need to first create a calculation field ion the Tasks file which concatenates the relevant fields (perhaps separated by a tab character so that you can get them to line up in columns within the portal on your WorkOrders layout).

To retrieve the list of tasks, First create a value list called 'RelatedTasks'in the WorkOrders file which uses 'Only Related Values' from the appropriate field (eg the concatenating calc field) in the Tasks file.

Then create an unstored calculation in the WorkOrders with the formula:

ValueListItems(Status(CurrentFileName), "RelatedTasks")

When this calc field is sourced via your self join relationship and included in the portal on your WorkOrders layout, it will provide something akin to a 'portal in a portal'. If you set up tabs appropriately on the field and put a scroll bar on it, you'll be able to create a powerfully portal-like illusion.

[ruthcarlton]

Thanks! Great answer.

The only question I have is, how do I account for an unknow quantity in the concatenating calc field. There may be 1 or 10 tasks.

[CobaltSky]

The concatenating calc I suggested is not for the purposes of bringing together multiple tasks (the ValueListItems calc in the WorkOrders file does that) but rather, it is to bring together several values you may wish to display concerning a single Task.

For example, you might wish to have the 'portal' display task name, date commenced and task status. Your concatenating field would simply bring these three field values together on each record in the Tasks file (perhaps separated by a tab). Eg:

TaskName & " " & StartDate & " " & Status

Then when the seconds calc using the ValueListItems function picks up the values from the above field, you will have a list comprising whatever number of values (tasks) are related to each WorkOrder record, separated by carriage returns and therefore each displaying on a separate line in the calc result.

When you place this on the layout, it will 'look' like a portal, but you and I will know better