2 queries: field types / linking databases

[AJJ]

Hi all

I've used FMPro for some years but only for basic flat databases which is all I really need. I have v5.0. Familiar with basics of defining fields and altering layouts and format to suit, but I'd be a novice with anything more and need steps to follow. Never done scripts or anything like that

There are just a couple of extra things I'd like to do, but don't know if they're possible. Haven't found what I think I'm looking for in Help, or else haven't properly understood what it's telling me.

(1) Picture container fields

Can you have a DB with an optional picture container field as required, so that where no picture is available or needed, another (text) field can be expanded to contain more info per record? This would mean being able to run two layouts or sets of field definitions within one DB so I'm not hopeful, but maybe there's a way? Or some workaround which would achieve the same result?

(2) 'Find' over more than one database

Can you link two or more databases for search purposes only, so that one combined set of appropriate records from different DBs is returned (the DBs needed might vary from search to search)? I realise DBs can be linked, and tried it, but it didn't work for me so either I did it wrong or maybe what I had in mind can't be done?

Glad of any help or suggestions.

AJ

[Chuck]

(1) You can create two layouts, one with the container field and one without. Go to the layout you want based on whether there is anything in the container field.

If [ IsEmpty( MyContainerField ) ]