Calculated fields and summary field?

[macaroni]

I am confused as to how to find the running total of a field. I have a DB called BPriceList which has the fields of price, quantity and cost.

How do I keep a running total without having to create a script go through a loop of 600+ records and adding all the cost in each record.

When I created a layout for summary printing of items bought, the layout setup asked me to create summary fields, one summary field for the category, another summary field for the type and a summary field the overall cost called total_cost. (the category summary field is just the sum of the types in each category and the total_cost is just the overall sum - of all cost.

But when I view the value of the total_cost field, it is zero.

I tried using the GetSummary function(total_cost, total_cost), it is still zero.

Also when a field is a calculated field, when is the actual calculation carried out?

I'm lost....

[Fitch]

Summary fields behave differently depending on what type of layout PART they are on. On a Trailing Grand Summary, you will see summary fields in Browse mode. A Subsummary part, you'll only see in Preview or when you Print.

Another option is to use a self-join relationship. Create a calculated number field called One that = 1. Create a relationship, One::One. Then create your totals, Sum (One::Price), Sum (One::Quantity), etc.