Similar to Auto size field (another post)

[Pinky]

Hi,

I am using repetitive fields to create an invoice. Say I have 10 repetitions of description and price. Description is a pop-up list using the description field from catalog.fp5, that way, I can simply click too choose the description I want, and price (from the invoice) looks up the associated price in catalog.fp5. If the description takes 2 lines, it will only show the first. Is there a way to force it to show all lines, even if it overlaps on the next description field ?

Thanks !

[jasonwood]

You should use a separate line items database for your invoice line items. Repeating fields will give you problems.

You cannot dynamically change the size of fields on a line by line basis on your screen in browse mode, but you can set your invoices to print from the line items database, then you can make the description field taller, and set it up to shrink if it contains less data... this would answer your question if printing is your main concern.

[Pinky]

I've been looking around, and it seems that repeating fields are not a good thing to use...

I've ecountered another problem with them. In my invoice, I have a submit button that copies the invoice to another database (lets say final.fp5, very similar to invoice.fp5). However, I quickly realised that I cannot copy all the repetitions from one repeating fiel to another automatically (can I ??). I would have done it manualy, but I have 13 fields with 30 repetitions each, which would make a lot of scripting if I were to do it manually.

How would I go about using related fields ??

I need to ba able to search in those fields (entering the search on line 1 would actually search all 30 repetitions/fields - something that is working with repeating fields).

Any help would be appreciated...thanks !

[Pinky]

Ok,

In my invoice, lets say I have the following fields :

INVOICE#, CODE, DESCRIPTION, QUANTITY,PRICE,TOTAL PRICE

They are repeating fields, with 30 repetitions.

I tried using another method. I made another database, inv_info.fp5 which would hold these values for the invoice, so it has the same fields, but as simple text/number (not repeating). I then insert a portal in the invoice, and place the respective fields (looked up with the relationship #invoice =::#incoice). The problem I now have is that no lines appear inless I have records that match the #invoice in inv_info.fp5. Does that mean I have to create 30 records so that the appear in the invoice ?

Additionally, how can I make it so that lines seperate the inputs (with the repeating fields, I had the "borders" option).

So...what do you think ?

Thanks

[jasonwood]

I need to ba able to search in those fields (entering the search on line 1 would actually search all 30 repetitions/fields - something that is working with repeating fields).

no worries here, it works the same way.

The problem I now have is that no lines appear inless I have records that match the #invoice in inv_info.fp5.

I can't imagine how this is a problem! Say you have invoice 5555... now don't you only want to display line items for THAT invoice? I guess I just don't understand what you mean.

Make sure you have "allow creation of related records turned on". This allows you to add new line items through the portal.

Remember, invoice number is your match field. It's what tells the line items that they belong to the invoice. When you add a line item, the invoice number is entered on the line item automatically. I do not advise you to put this field on the layout.

[Pinky]

"Make sure you have "allow creation of related records turned on". This allows you to add new line items through the portal."

This is what I meant by "no lines appear inless I have records that match the #invoice"; since I have no records when I create the invoice (unless I create a specific number via a script), no lines appear. But with "allow creation of related records turned on", a line is always created automatically. Thanks, just what I needed.

One thing though... won't the database in which I keep those lines get too crowded after a while ? Say on average an invoice has 30 lines (so 30 records), and I make 500 invoices per year, thats 15 000 records a year. Isn't that a bit much ? Wouldn't repeated fields be better (only 500 records in final.fp5)?

Is there NO way to export a repeating field to another database ? I tried the "export records" function, but it exports everything. Can't I export a single record ?

Thanks again for your help...

[jasonwood]

You should be able to export your repeating fields to line items through a script (not through an actual "export'). I have hardly used repeating fields so I'm not sure how this would be done.

Repeating fields are almost useless today. They were important backin the days when FileMaker was not relational, but now you can do so much more with a relational database.

I had the same concerns when I started learning about line items, but there's really no harm in letting it grow. I can't remember exactly what the limits are on FM databases (try searching the forums). But I have no doubt you'd be able to go for many years with 15,000 records per year.

[andygaunt]

Limits on FileMaker are 2Gb for the file.

You can have a lot of records in a file for that size.

Line items are definitely the way to go, and not just for reporting purposes.

As to exporting your repeating fields. First create those fields in the new database. Then, find your records in the first database and in the second do an import. Match up the fields and when you hit ok, you will see an option to split the repeating fields into seperate records.

HTH