Filtering within portals

[sOuterbridge]

Hi,

I would like to filter static values within a portal. i.e. If file A and file B have a one(A) to many(: relationship, and I have a field in file B called status with values containing "active" or "inactive". I would like to display ONLY the "active" records within the portal from file A. Can I achieve this?

[Chuck]

Let's say you have a relationship with FileA_ID as the match field on both sides. In file B, create a calculated text field Active_Flag_FileA_ID set to

Case( Status = "Active", "A", "I" ) & FileA_ID

Create a field in file A that is a calculated text field and set it to

"A" & FileA_ID

Now create another relationship between A and B with A's field on the left and B's field on the right. When you view this relationship in a portal, you will only see those files in B that are related to the current file in A and are active.

Chuck

[sOuterbridge]

Hi Chuck,

I tried this and I see your concept, but it didn't work. I'm still showing all values.

By looking at the calculated values from each file, this should work. I tried the using v4 and v5, still no success.

Here's the steps in review.

(1) Create calcuction text field in file A

(2) Create calcuction text field in file B

(3) Create relationship in file A using newly created calc fields.

(4) Create portal with new relationship in file A.

**The ID fields used in the calculation text fields are primary keys for each file. If I use foreign keys, I'm not allowed to enable the indexing option. And if I don't enable the index option on each calcutiion field, the define relationship function complains when this option is not set on.

What am I doing wrong Chuck?

[sOuterbridge]

Chuck,

I tried your suggestion again, but this time in a "lab" environment and it worked! So I went back to the application, and looked at everything and then the layout. I went on a hunch that my layout was screwed up, so I deleted it and started again. (I remember doing this before on another occasion). I rebuilt my portal, tested in it worked.

Thank Chuck.

but what's up with the layout? and how can obtain information on intermediate and advanced techinques (i.e. book)?

[Chuck]

There are a number of good books out there about advanced developing with FileMaker. Scriptology, by Mat Petrowsky and John Mark Osborne, is one of my favorites. I just finished reading Special Edition Using FileMaker Pro 5 by Rich Coulombre and Jonathan Price, and I can highly recommend it as well.

Chuck