I'm pretty new to FileMaker... but here it goes...

I'm creating a user list database and I have records that contain fields for company name, region (north east, etc), state, and city, and I've been trying to make the database as userfriendly as posible (lot's of buttons).

I have a few questions:

1. Is there any way to output the records as a two column list to save space on the page? (I'd like it to be easy to print out on paper).

2. Also, I find it kind of annoying that if I create a layout as a column/list report, the data only shows correctly in preview mode, but buttons don't function. Is there any way to avoid this?

3. Lastly, I would like to be able to import all the data from my old user list into my newly designed database; however, the old user list seems to be in a very different format: many companies (500+) are in 2 page long repeating fields (one for each column) in a few records (around 20 representing each region) - the data doesn't seem like it can be manipulated as each field contains many companies, cities, and states in this format:

Field 1: --------------Field 2:

________________________________________

|comany 1 city, state||comany 20... city, state|

|comayn 2 city, state||etc..----------------|

|etc..-------------||etc..----------------|

|etc.._______________||____________________|

It would be great if I could somehow import that data because it would be a hassle to enter it all by hand.

I have attached my file too if it helps.

Thanks a lot,

Aaron

Userlist.zip

Hi Aaron,

1) You can change your list layout properties (Layout > Layout Setup > Print Options (2 columns). This will not change it for data-entry in Browse mode but will change the printout for you.

2) There are many ways to deal with FM

As far as getting the data out of the repeating fields, that is not too hard. When you import from a file with any repeating fields, a new option appears in the "perform auto-enter functions" dialog (the last before actual import).

It asks whether to split repeating fields into separate records. That's what you want to do.

The fields that have multiple values, ie. "company, city, state" are going to have to be parse apart, into separate fields. A real voodoo operation.

You could do this with text calculation functions. Be sure to backup before trying anything, as you could easily mess up the fields.

The safest thing is to create unstored calculation fields as a test first, then copy/paste/use in a script once it is what you want.

Why don't you attach a small sample file of a few records to a posting and let us tear it up :-?

If it's a text file, that'll work too; though we may use different tools, due to different platforms or applications.

Thanks both of you so much for your help - here's the original file... it seems like a mess to me - somewhat of a waste of a database... don't ask me why its in this format (my best guess is that it looks nice when printed out).

thanks again,

Aaron

User Lists Original.zip

I have been messing with a "proof sheet" for one of my solutions. I have found it to be harder than it should. A wish list item, maybe?

Laretta said:

"FM