combination layouts

[crazybake]

Alright I still can't figure it out!!!

I have a list layout which has all of the jobs for a specific day (each record has job# company name, due dates etc.). I want to be able to split this layout so that this list is on one side. The user would then scroll the list and select the appropriate record out of the list. On the other side of the layout is a calendar and other modifiable fields. The user could edit these modifiable fields (but not the fields in the listed records). This would allow the user to remain in the same layout to apply data to common fields by slecting multiple records one at a time

how do I do this... I have no experience with portals...is this the way?

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hi Crazybake,

Basically, you need a portal for the list part of your project. The right part of your layout would use related fields using the same relationship as the portal or text fields set by script step or lookup. This clearly depends on what you are performing. If I understands, you want to edit some fields from the related record while being in the same file, so I would definitely use related fields.

A button in the portal would trigger a Go To Related Records with/without the Set Field script step, to "update" the values displayed at right.

If you don't want the user to edit and delete some related fields (which should be completely prohibitted for a relationship from File A to File : or text fields, you would set these fields with not allow entry or even cleaner set these fields as whole buttons with another GTRR that would check the user privileges and lead them to another particular layout for editing a record.

I would neither allow the records to be modified into the portal. In fact, I'd rather set the records shown in the list as a concanated calculation strings field and set the whole row for the GTRR. But I may be wrong as I'm referring to my personal use of this technique.

This would allow the user to remain in the same layout to apply data to common fields by slecting multiple records one at a time

Be aware that the values at right side will update when you will trigger the GTRR, but will remain unchanged when simply going to another row of the portal.

As a start, create a constant relationship from File A to File B (or selfjoin) based on a global field (set it to be 1) at left side of relationship and a indexed calc (equal to 1) at right side.

Additionally, if your record list is very long (again, I'm referring to my experience with a 55,000 + product list), you could filter this portal to reduce the list, using global fields, concanated calcs and other relationships.

You would therefore use as many layout (duplicate your layout and apply changes made to the portal and related fields) as the number of filter keys parameters.

Hope this helps...

[crazybake]

I am very close...thanks. I am still confused on the script botton portion and what you mean by the following.

A button in the portal would trigger a Go To Related Records with/without the Set Field script step, to "update" the values displayed at right.

Be aware that the values at right side will update when you will trigger the GTRR, but will remain unchanged when simply going to another row of the portal.

Are you saying that clicking on a row in the portal and changing values to the right will not be updates untila script is performed to update the values?

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Are you saying that clicking on a row in the portal and changing values to the right will not be updates untila script is performed to update the values?

"Update" wasn't the good word. Sorry.

Unless you are using fixed portal technique, changing rows using the portal navbar would have no incidence on the records displayed at right side.

That means that the records at right would still correspond to the last GTRR you performed, until you trigger a new GTRR from the portal row or from the button (depending if you defined the row as a whole button or use a single button in each row).

Of course, hopefully, any changes made to the related file will be updated.

I am very close

Do you mean you are also doing it for your Product file. If so, I kept my first test files for this procedure somewhere (only 5,000 records). I can mail it to you or post it here if you wish.

[crazybake]

Thanks for the help...I finally got it right (with your direction, of course!!)

[crazybake]

One more question... I have been reviewing the portal forum but I am unclear about scripting possibilites of the portal I have created...

Is this right?...If within this portal I have all of my records and I want to filter them by piece of equipment... (i.e. click on a button for equipment A and all job for equipment A show up in portal) I need to create a global field so that if a user clicks on a button for a piece of equipment, the result of the button sets the global field. I would then create a relationship between the global result and the field which contains the list of equipment?

I am trying this approach, but I think I am missing an important step

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hi Crazybake,

You're right about this.

Going back to my personal experience, I use a set of fields to filter the product file and make the result appear in that portal.

If you only use one key (piece of equipement), you would use a relationship g_pieceequipement::t_pieceequipement and you will be OK with this.

But... if you have more than one key (Supplier, Category,...), you would have to use and script Multi-key Concanation in your current records :

c_Multikey =

tpiece of equipement & "PP"&

t_Supplier & "PP" &

t_Category & "PP" &

tpiece of equipment & "-" & Suppllier & "PP" &

tpiece of equipment & "-"-& Category & "PP" &

tpiece of equipement & "-" & Supplier &"-"& Category & "PP"&

t_Supplier &"-"& t_Category & "PP"

where PP stands for Carriage return.

and c_gSearch calculation in your "search" layout.

Of course, use relationship c_gSearch::c_Concanation

You wil find this cool as your list will reduce as long as your entering data in it.

Entering ABC in g_Supplier will give you a list of all products for ABC

Entering ABC in g_Supplier + Piece X in g_pieceequipement will give you a list of all products for "ABC" &"-"& "Piece X" excluding all Pieces # X from the list.

You will probably script the search that will remove any additional "-" as this c_gSearch cannot be set as

g_Supplier & "-" & g_Category & "-" & g_equipement

because if you enter g_Category and g_equipement, what you'll get would be

" - Category - equipement " while your concanate will be "Category - equipement".

Does it make sense ?

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hi Crazybake,

Why am I still complicating things ?

Change the multikey calcs deleting "-", making it " ".

Then use g_Supplier & " " & g_Category & " " & g_equipement.

The problem is now elseware. You have to make clever calcs to have the Conditional value lists display .... if you are ever using one.

[crazybake]

Thanks!! The good thing is that I have limited fields to "filter" by. This has worked exactly as I had hoped. Thanks for the direction!!

crazy