I have a daily loads database with 3 fields: truck, draw, press run. I have a preprint listing database with fields of day, date, advertiser, truck, draw, press run. When typing in truck it lookups up the draw and press run from the daily loads. Now what I need to do is be able to run a report that is called a combo list, which would look through the preprint listing and group together the trucks with like combinations. Example if there was Kmart, Kohls, Sears for advertisers and they have the ability to choose up to 50 different trucks that there inserts can go on. I need to know the like combinations and be able to print out the separate combinations for our packaging manager. I really think that I need to write and if statement to get the 9 different reports out. I am willing to send a file with what the exact output would be for the day in combo lists. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi shorty,

I suspect that what you are trying too do will not be too difficult once you define what it is.

You mention combinations, but you don't say what you mean by that - combinations of what?

You talk about 'grouping' records, but grouping is not a FileMaker term, and I wasn't able to tell whether you meant sorting/sub-summarising, extracting as a found set, associating by relationship - or any of various other things that the term 'grouping' might refer to.

Then you mention 3 advertisers, 50 trucks and 9 reports, but I'm afraid it is not at all obvious why you expect only 9 combinations or groups (if that's what you mean by reports) from when 150 sounds more likely.

It also isn't clear whether the reports you require are related to a specific day/date (or press run, or both) - or whether you need to summmarise comparable combinations of certain elements across the entore data set (eg for all time)?

I think if you are able to clarify what it is that is required, the solution will then be a lot closer.

maybe post a sample?

and draw a sketch of what you will achieve.

Can you get the "grouping" by sorting the data by different sort fields/ field combos?

I have two files (1) Daily Load Listing with Three Fields: Truck, Draw, Press Run.

(2) Preprint Listing with Six fields: Date, Day, Advertiser (Value List), Truck, Draw (lookup), Press Run (lookup).

I have a table layout (or even the data input) and it is where we start with grouping our information. Now I need reports that would come out looking liek the Example below.

1st Report (ones that meet the only one combo)

(Trucks only have one Advertiser)

Kmart Kohls Mills

1A 2F 4A

8A 10B

2nd Report (ones that meet the two combos)

(Trucks that have two Advertisers)

Kohls, Kmart

2A, 2B, 2D, 2E, 11A, 4B, 9A

Kmart, Mills

3A, 7A

Kmart, Sears

AA, AB, AC, AD

Kohls, Sears

12B

3rd Report (One that meets the three combos)

(Trucks that have 3 Advertisers)

Kmart, Kohls, Sears

2C, 11B, 7B, 8B, CF1, CF2, CF3, CF4, CF5, CF6, CF7, WA1, WA2, WA3, WA4, WA5, WA6, WC1, WC2, WC3, WC4, WE1,WE2, WE3, WE4

Kmart, Kohls, Mills

2B, 5A

I need this to be able to go for as many advertisers that have like combos. Could be up to 22 on any given date.

I hope this helps explain the question from earlier. I would be happy to send the files to someone if they are necessary to figure this out. I tried to post examples and need to work a little bit more on this before trying again.

Thanks in advance for all the help.

Shorty