Dividing the layout in List view

[Sabrina]

[color:"blue"]

I've got a good one for you pros out there. After upgrading to 6, my simple questions are solved. Now we get to work . . .

Coming from a background in C++ and Java I am used to having a lot of flexibility in my layouts. Here's what I want to do: I want to divide up the interface in any view vertically. For example I have a file that for the data entry part, I have a form view. For the list of records, I have a list view(obviously). In the form view, I can put the navigation on the left side of the fields, no problem. In the list view, I want the left margin to be like a footer turned sideways and display navigation data only once (and not at the top in the header.) I looked in the part setup and I can't seem to find a way to do this. Is this a functionality that I have to live without? Is there a plug-in that I can use?

Bonus questions: (easy ones for ya) I keep hearing about using SQL with FMP . . . how does that work? What is the relatioship between ODBC and SQL? Any opinions about MySQL?

[Vaughan]

Display the list of records in a self-joined portal.

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Have a look at this thread :

getting rid of list views

I finally moved to this and really appreciate this kind of interface. But there was a "big problem" Sir Vaughan solved...(Thanks again Master )

[Vaughan]

Ugo

<blush> I should mention that I've never implemented or tested my "solution" but I reckon it should work. As long as there are more records than users that is!

If you do implement it please let me know how it works.

[LaRetta]

Hi Ugo!

Cool! However, the link won't open for me And, I'm dying to see Vaughan's <blush> suggestion Ahhh, he can do this stuff in his sleep

LaRetta

[Guest]

[color:"blue"] Any opinions about MySQL?

Sabrina... Well I am slowly writing a MySQL database API in objective c (mac osx). So far all I have is a connection manager and recordset class. There _is_ an objective c wrapper for the mysql c api.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mysql-cocoa

Jeff

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hi Laretta,

Sorry, here is the post

Getting rid of lists

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Don't blush Vaughan ! I had just experienced the record lock in portals when you posted this solution and I immediately tested this on my file (under construction, only tested on my newly created Customers linked to Contact file)...and it worked fine.

I must say I'm really confident in your "solution", and having working on this interface for a while, I hope it will really always work. I really hated the list views (with this vertical black line at left) and search through portals are really faster.

When I'm over, I will probably post this file (Customer, Contacts) in the Sample section just to get some "critical eye".

At a moment, I though I would get in problems when scripting a go to related record within the same file (when it leads to only one record !). But it also worked.

As I am pretty new to multi user scenario, how do you explain that this worked ?

One more question to the pros here. The last touch to my solution will consist in the implementation of fixed portals and sorts. As these solutions use a lot of "globals", could there be a problem with this in a multi user.

Thanks

[Sabrina]

[color:"red"] So what ya'll are trying to tell me is that it's not possible to divide that layout? I like the idea of portals and they are in different places in my application, but the place where I am talking about, I . . . well . . . hmm . . . maybe it would work . . . This is totally going to mess up the flow, though . . . OK, let me bounce off you guys . . .

This is a database for a trial consulting firm. This firm does voir dire, moderating, and focus groups. This group collects a lot of data from many different people. The flow is the application starts and they are taken to a screen where they choose the client they are doing the job for. They can either edit a client's info, add a new client, select a client, or quit. For obvioius reasons (to me) this is a list view. I really don't see the need for a portal here or a left margin. When the user selects a client, they are taken to the case database and a find automatically triggers so the user only sees the cases related to the client in a list view. Here is where I want a left margin. I can put the navigation on the bottom, but I don't like how it looks. The firm employees do a lot of web work, so the navigation on the left side makes sense to them.

If I was to do a portal, would I just make a new layout with a portal to the cases in the client database? I'm not that great with portals, yet. (This is my first project in FMP.) How would I do a find in a portal? It is very important that the user only sees the cases related to the client.

[Ugo DI LUCA]

That is exactly the reason why I moved to an interface that looked pretty much as a Web Site (or a Web Browser), with navigation button on Top (file to file) and at left (operations to operations).

Portal using selfrelationships would therefore be used as the List view, keeping the same "graphics" and Navigation buttons.

Sorts and finds are quicker with portals.

Here is just a simple example of what you could have (no sort, no found in the example, I've just modified a test file I already posted ).

[Sabrina]

Okay . . . the way I understand self-relationships is that the term in FMP is self-joins where you have one set of records in a database relating back to another set of records in the same database. I'm not sure that's what I want to do . . . In my case my company does work for lawyers. I have a database of lawyers and a database of cases related to the lawyers. The flow of the application is:

1st, the user is asked to choose a client.

2nd, the user is asked to select the case.

3rd, they are given several options on what to do next.

The first screen the user sees no matter what file is opened is the list client screen. Here I'm not worried about navigation on the left because they can only create a new client, edit a client, choose a client, or quit.

The screen they see after selecting a client is the list case screen. I have a script built where they only see the cases the client is involved with. Here is where I want some navigation on the left hand side. The only thing I can think of to use the suggestion of a portal is to create a new layout in the Client database and put a portal to the Case database. Wouldn't that be ruining some relational database theory? I'm not sure which one if any . . . Also, would I be able to do a find through the portal? I'm not an expert on portals yet . . . anyone have suggestions on where to go for an outstanding workshop? My employers just approved funding for me to learn more. . .

Thanks in advance for your thoughts peeps!

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hi Sabrina,

Well what you need is self-relationship and filtered portal.

1. Selfjoin on client_ID to display your client file as a list using a portal.

2. Any portal row would stand as a button with a script "go to related record in Case"

To perform this script, you will create a global field in your Client file (call it g_clientID) and create a new relationship ClientFile:g_ClientID::Cases:Client_ID.

The script will set the global field and

solution 1. lead you to the Case File.

solution 2. lead you to another layout in the Client file with a portal using the above relationship.

Finding, sorting in portals is possible and efficient. Have a look at DJ's Article in the Article section

Or

[Sabrina]

Do you teach classes? I notice that you have quite a few responses to people's answers!

I'm still not sure about the self join, but I will play around with it. I really would like to eliminate the list views . . .

Thanks for your speedy response!

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Ohh Sabrina!!!

1. I do not teach classes

2. I registered this forum in April 2002 with Zero knowledge or experience with relational Databases. All my knowledge comes from that Forum . Thanks again to everybody.

3. I decided to have a "year-off", working half day for just making up this database for my own business.

4. I surely got some "experience" working on a day to day basis with FM and developping from scratch my own files, I like to share with those that helps me (and will help me).

5. I may have more answers today that I could give some months ago, but actually my posts were 75% questions and 25% responses.

6. Responses # Answers.

And you will even notice that there are a lot of different answers for the same problem.

Thanks and do tell us if you need some "help".

[Sabrina]

You're a good guy! Thanks for all the help!