scripting a "go to record" button in a list report

[broberts7usa]

I apologize for being a newbie. I am learning so much so fast - and I KNOW I saw a solution to this somewhere but can't remember where for the life of me ...

I have a "find" button which walks my users through a script and places the found records in a list report. I've placed a "go to" button on the report but cannot figure out/remember how to script it so they can go to that record from the list report. Should I be using a one line portal (??) on the report for this? What global fields should I be using?

Also, there is sometimes a need for them to select just a few records from the report to use as a new found set, placing them either in a new list report (also with the go to option?) or to print either the list or a different layout for each record (printing the new found set). In another database I've used (but obviously did not develop) we used what we called a "point-and-shoot" (probably a formatted global field, now that I think about it, but it was self-repeating) where a right-click on the record number would send it into the P&S which would then wait until something was done with the entire list of records in the P&S, like printing a report using those record numbers or using them for a new find, or something ...

(obviously I am developing faster than my learning curve ... ) Any suggestions or nudges in the right direction would be appreciated ...

Thanks - Bonnie

[kenneth2k1]

Hello:

1.

If you want a way of going to a form view of the current record on a list, you can put a button in the body of the list so that it shows for each record. The button would go to your form layout. Is that what you mean?

2.

If I understand your problem correctly, you could make a global check box field in the body your search result list layout. Before a find is executed and you go to this layout, you could have it loop and clear this field. Then when the first found set is displayed, you can check the box of those you want to select, and have another script find for those checkmarks and do whatever you want with them. Just one suggestion.

ken

[broberts7usa]

Ken to the rescue again ...

1) Of course it works exactly - I KNEW it was easy. Very embarrassing. Got too into scripting I guess.

2) Now I get a little lost. I understand about the global field, and looping, etc. in the script. I guess what I want is a "select" button beneath the "go to" button (which now works, thanks to you) and then I guess I'll create a different layout to send the second found set to (without the buttons) ... but where can I put this global field so that it doesn't show up on either layout? They both have to be suitable for printing ... And any ideas about how the script would look for a "select" button which would choose those records and then return the second found set?

I guess I should take a break. I've been FileMakering since 8 this AM and am extra crispy.

thanks - B

[kenneth2k1]

Hi again.

Sorry, I misspoke. A global is NOT what you need. Just a regular text field with checkbox attached.

Here's what I had in mind:

Put the checkbox in the list layout that appears when the first found set is displayed. I would suggest having a "print layout" that the print script navigates to. Omit the button and checkbox from this layout.

Be aware that you will want to loop through all records and clear the checkboxes before going to the first found set (or after finding the second found set). Perhaps include it with your find script (if you have one). Otherwise, when you do a find on the checkboxes for the second found set there might be records in the db with checkmarks from previous finds. Know what I mean?

Have fun!

Ken

[broberts7usa]

2 days later am finally back to this - hope for some help to confirm what I've done:

1. added a step to the first find script to clear the checkboxes

2. added a checkbox field to the list report

3. am "trying" to write a script which adds the RecordID to a multikey gRecordID field (with a carriage return) and then runs THAT script which already works (Help?)

4. then returns the results to a 2nd list report layout with no buttons

Am I on the right track?

Thanks - Bonnie

[Fitch]

4. You don't necessarily need a separate button-less layout: in layout mode, just select the button, go to the Format - Sliding/Printing menu and choose the Do Not Print checkbox.

3. Set Field [gRecordID, gRecordID & "

[broberts7usa]

Hi Tom - Thanks I forgot about the Do Not Print!

Question: If I script the "Select" (for 2nd report) button that way then I don't need it to be a checkbox, right? (which takes up real estate anyway)

Bonnie

[Fitch]

If I follow you, then yes, your button could simply append the record id to the global.

From a UI standpoint, it's nice to have some visual clue to indicate whether a given item has been selected. The checkbox did serve that purpose, but you could also do something cool like a calculated container field based on your gRecordID relationship -- don't forget to make it non-printing.

[broberts7usa]

Hi Tom, I was just writing back when you posted -

The "select record" script has only that one line in it that you fed me and of course you can only select one record at a time to add to the global field, even with an extra "carriage return" (how do I type that character, anyway? embarassing.) What is the script missing?

Also I removed the Y/N part of the field and just left a button because I couldn't get it to display either. My newbie-ness is very frustrating. Extra-crispy today after spinning my wheels all day.

Thanks, Bonnie

[Fitch]

I haven't seen your script, so I have no idea what it's missing. Are you saying the global field is always getting set to just the current record? In that case, look at the script above more closely. You want to set the global to itself & paragraph & current record. Or current & para & itself, doesn't matter.

The paragraph symbol is available in the calculation dialog. Don't forget to enclose it in quotes, common newbie mistake.

[broberts7usa]

Hi Tom - I've been caught up in another thread which has taken all day to solve another problem (see "confused2" thread) and it's still not solved. BUT I can tell you that the script as above (only the one line you fed me) isn't working. I will take some time to try and find out why ... I obviously need to think about it and add some more to the script ...

Yes the global field is always getting set to just the current record. I didn't forget the "" around the para/carriage return symbol. (I know how to get the para to go into the script; I was only asking how you typed it (above) onto the keyboard into this forum! :-)) However, it's still not working. Most likely it's because the script is Soooo short (only just what you suggested) and I need to work on it. Suggestions accepted gratefully.

If you want to take a look, I'll upload it. Probably no need though, for the purposes of this forum. Or I can email it.

[Fitch]

I see a couple of possibilities:

1. Your global is not really a global

2. It's a global, but it's type isn't set to Text

3. You're not setting the global to ITSELF AND (gRecordID &) the current record.

4. I'm misunderstanding what you want. I'm envisioning that you have found a group of records and you are looking at them in a list. At that point, you are clicking a button that appears on each record in the list. Clicking the button sets the global field to itself -- do you get that part? To itself! -- and then adds a paragraph and the current record id.

Once you get all the record id's into the global, you know what to do, right? GTRR.

PS: