Value Lists in Calculations

[juddmaher]

I have 2 fields - (Fa) and (Fb)

(Fa) has a pop up menu containing 3 choices (C1, C2, C3)

Each choice needs to cause one of 3 ValueLists to appear in (Fb) pop up style.

So.... C1 should yield Value List 1, C2 yields Value List 2 and C3 yields Value List 3.

I have been building the calculation a little at a time and right now it's working like this:

Case (Fa = "Choice 1" , "ValueList 1" , Fa = "Choice 2", "Value List 2" , Fa = "Choice 3" , "Value List 3")

Of course right now, the actual words (Choice 1, Choice 2 and Choice 3) appear (Fb). What I cannot figure out, is how to get the actual value list to pop up in (Fb).

Incidenty, the 3 Value Lists are drawn from fields in 3 other files

[BobWeaver]

You need to put the valuelist items for Fb into a related file. Then you can use a valuelist based on a relationship. The second file will have two fields, the first will be the key field containing C1, C2 or C3, and the second field will be a valuelist item corresponding to the first field. That is, records that have C1 in the key field will contain an item belonging to choice 1, etc. For more info, look up valuelists based on relationships in the manual. Also, there is a sample file in the samples forum that demonstrates this, but darned if I can find it now.

[illbixby]

I'm trying to do the same thing. I've read the above post a number of times (I swear I can recite it from memory), read the manual and even slept on it (not the manual, the problem!), all to no avail. I'm think I'm missing something here. Help!

[David Schloss]

I'm trying this too illbixby, and I think I figured out what he means.

Let's say that we're doing a weightlifting program (what i'm working on) and the Fa is the part of the body being exercised. Fb is what you want to have as a valuelist, in this case, the type of exercise.

(so in our example if you're working biceps as the bodypart you want to have for the value list bicep curls, bicep hammer curls, etc.)

make a related file that has 2 fields. the first is the bodypart, the second is the exercise type.

bicep curls

bicep hammer curls

bicep reverse curls

tricep extension

tricep reverse extension

and so on until you've got your value lists spelled out in that related file.

Then make a relationship between file A and B based on the bodypart.

Next go into define value lists, and tell it to define a value list based on the value in that second file.

If I'm right in interpreting this, you don't need a calculation. I'll let ya know how it goes.

[David Schloss]

I just did it, and it works.

Here are the steps again, in order.

Make two databases. One datbase contains a field a and a field b, among other fields. The second (relational) contains just field a and b.

Propegate the second database with the values you want in your first database. The first (key) field is basically your filter.

Define a relatinship matching database one to two, based on the key field. (Field A).

Here's the tricky part.

Define a value list checking 'use values from a field' and then in the next dialog box chose 'Use Values From Field' and then click on specify.

Then click on 'only related values' and chose the value list you've just made.

you'll see in the box below the list of related fields from the second database.

CHOOSE THE NON KEY FIELD HERE.

(In other words you're telling it that when the value list is the key field, then you want teh second data).

Now in your database, format the key field as a plain text field, and the second one set field format to 'popup menu' or whichever, using the value list just defined.

Phew.