How do I calculate a total for all records?

[Dean]

Hello,

I'm new to Filemaker, and I'm trying to get a total calculation of every record. Let me explain.

In my Layout, I have a "Paid" field. Positive numbers will be black, and negative numbers, red. Below the "Paid" field, I have a "Total" field. What I'd like to do is create a "New" record for every new job I receive, and input the amount paid, but I'd like the "Total" whether positive or negative amount to show in the "Total" field, in every record.

Is this possible? How do I calculate this?

Have I confused everyone

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Dean

[Anatoli]

I will get slower and slower when number of records will increase in time.

It involves calculation across many records and that is not best practice.

Better will be to store the Total amount by script into another file after you post new transaction. Then you can display that static stored Total amount on every record with help of simple relation "many to one".

[Dean]

I've very new to FM. Is there an easier way to do this?

Thanks

[Logixx]

Try this summary field: Total of (Paid).

You may want to check the running option too. That's what I chose for an accounting solution I once developped and is still in use with 3,000+ records without any kind of slowlyness.

I figure that for huge dbs (and/or poor hardware and OS) you should consider Anatoli's method.

[Dean]

Logixx,

That did it. Thank you

Dean

[Anatoli]

Yes, that will be OK for smaller number of records. It is also dependable on usage, OS, speed of HW etc. I am talking about 100k+ record situations...

In network situation it is having other unnecessary effects, like clogging network and slowing down everything...

[sukisue]

I have a similar situation (I think) same advice for me?

I'm redesigning a db of 50,000 records to keep track of art slides. I have related tables -for example one for artist (name, birth date, death date...) Within this table, I thought it would be nice to be able to see how many slides we have for each artist in the main file so I made a simple calculation field just using the count function. Once I import all my files- will this calculation slow things down?

Thanks much

[Anatoli]

RE: Once I import all my files- will this calculation slow things down?

Not drastically on today's hardware.

Obviously -- transaction system will be always faster -- instant.

It is simple:

Artist has 20 slides

when you receive next 5 slides, you will add this to the total (20) with script so now the static value will be 25.

This way you can have million records without any delay.

[sukisue]

Sounds good.

Thanks much!

[ernst]

I'd like to add, that if you use a transaction system for 'mission critical' calculations, you should also write a 'check' script, that you can run at certain intervals to test the integrity of the stored results.

Ernst.

[scragpants]

Logibox - thanks very much I've been trying for weeks to find a solution to this problem - you've craked it for me !