It seems that to use a field in calculation in a layout, that field has to be physically present in that layout (in this case the field content is a related lookup from a separate file). Is this true? If so, can I have the field present in the layout, but somehow hide it? Thanks in advance!

Hi Jason,

Take a look at these files.

Visible by: John Mark Osborne At:

http://www.databasepros.com

Visibility 2 by: John Mark Osborne At:

http://www.databasepros.com

More Visibility by:James E. Mastrianni At:

http://www.fmfiles.com/tnt4.html

HTH

Lee

Hello Jason,

No, it's not true.

Fields must be present on a layout in order for script steps such as Copy [ ], Paste [ ], Insert [ ] or Replace [ ] to access them, but they are *not* required in order for calculations to work either in script steps such as Set Field [ ] or in standard calculation fields (as created in the define fields dialog).

More specifically - they are ONLY needed if you will be editing them on screen, or using them ONLY for the copy, paste, paste result or replace, script steps. They do not need to be present for Set Field script steps, or for a stored search script.

Of the fields that do have to present, what's a good way to hide them? Just tuck them in a corner and make the text and textbox the same color as the background?

Jason Goldsmith said:

...just tuck them in a corner and make the text and textbox the same color as the background?

That's a good start, but I suggest that you also:

1. turn ooff the option to "Allow entry ibnto field" in the Field Format dialog, and

2. Call up the 'Object Size' dialog from the View menu, click on the scalle to change it to px and enter height and width specs of 1 and 1 respectively (ie into the bottom two fields in the dialog).

3. Position your (now 1 pixel by 1 pixel) field at the far left of the screen and lock it in place.

Once you have completed the above steps, the presence of your field will go undetected by your users (in fact you'll hardly notice it yourself!).

I never really tried, but it sounds like if you turn off the 'Allow entry' option, you will not be able to copy, paste, insert, replace and relookup in scripts with that field.

When I need to do these actions in scripts, I first move to a layout 'raw' or 'work' where all fields are present. Obviously, it is a layout the user eventually doesn't know anything about. This way I never need to 'hide' fields anywhere.

Just my two cents on this topic.

Logixx said:

I never really tried, but it sounds like if you turn off the 'Allow entry' option, you will not be able to copy, paste, insert, replace and relookup in scripts with that field.

Hello Logixx,

When you do try, you'll find out that you are mistaken. The script commands over-ride the field format option.

Logixx said:

I first move to a layout 'raw' or 'work' where all fields are present. Obviously, it is a layout the user eventually doesn't know anything about.

Sounds like a recipe for file bloat - not to mention a security 'hole'. There should be no need to fill your files up with 'dummy' layouts of this kind - and there is every reason not to.