"Yellow Pages" style Portal

[ozsprings]

I have seen in someone else's FMP database a portal which lists the Company name (in bold) and underneath that is a list of its people, then the next Company name with its sublist of people etc. The Company names are listed only once. A script overlays the portal row: Double Click on the Company name and it takes you to the company details layout. Double click on the person's name and it takes you to the person's details layout.

I have been trying to repeat this wonderful layout but with no success (bold Company name overlays person's name). Ideally, what I would like to have is a three-tiered setup: Type of Service, Company Name, Person's Names, but I

[andygaunt]

Hi,

This may be of use to you.

A sample by Ugo.

http://www.fmforums.com/threads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=66482&page=3&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1

HTH

[ozsprings]

Thanks very much. Ugo

[Razumovsky]

Hi-

here is a link to a nice discussion/explanation of the relational guts that can accomplish this (not Ugo's slick "tree" version, but a simpler display version). I have found this concept quite useful in tackilng many problems.

-Raz

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hi all,

First of all, thanks for the good words. I appreciate it.

If I may help anyone willing to acomplish this, let me know.

I had a quick look at Raz's link and found interresting that one of the posters there was Andy, surely one of the greates "tipper" here when it comes to return only one single value as a matching key, purging duplicates, etc. Andy the purger...

Now, the tip itself isn't so difficult to make. The basics is still to return the correspondant set of Multikey, so that a Match could be set. The first work then would consist in selecting the fields to display, categorize them, and set the different keys that should be affected to each field in order to show at the good time.

The second step would be to get into the script steps that allow to switch dynamically from one key to another.

I suggest you do the first work on a table view, as all become simple. If you wish to explore the sampler, then create a new layout, select the main fields and select the Column view.

Lately, a simpler method, may be the one Raz is mentionning can also be found here.

882 Subdivised

It should be helpful when trying to set the whole thing up, as it is a reproduction of the previous in a simplier approach. When you'll see the list view, you'd see how it works.

What I like in this kind of portals, is the ability to have one item be categorized even in multiple categories.

Finally, once all the portal is working comes the Go To Related Record Step, which often would lead to another problems, as the record could be 2 relations away. Surely when you find the issue for this kind of portal, you'll find another for the GTRR.

Thanks again, and do not hesitate to ask for help.

[ozsprings]

Thanks for the help on this. Just a further quick question: if I take my "folderisation" down to a third level - which I would like to do as a bonus, because I only expected to get advice on two levels - the third level data is in a child file; level one and level two will be covered by two relationships in the same file which has the portal. Is it possible to have a mixed file origin for this technique?

Many thanks

Oz

[Ugo DI LUCA]

Hi,

The data apearing in the portal, wether coming from a calculation or being a current data from the file, will still belong to the related file. Unless you're dealing with a one to one relationship to another file. In that case, you could have a related calculation.

I'll be glad to help you on this if you wish, on this thread, or privately. I really think this kind of "presentation" is a killer, and very helpful.