Losing Relationships

[ScottC]

I'm sure this is something easy to do, I just cannot wrap my mind around it.

I've got two databases, Main and Vendors. In the Main database there is a pop-up field with the vendors listed. The user can view more information about the vendor by pressing a button that goes to the related file in Vendors.

My problem is, when a vendor's name changes in the Vendor database the relationship no longer links the Main database fields to the Vendors. I know I should us a serial number to relate the two, but I don't want the user to have to input the number, I want them to simply to pick from a list of vendors. How do I do this?

[AudioFreak]

Could you not just change your popup to the related files Vendor field. When you create the popup just have it look at the Vendor file to get the values for the list.

HTH

[ScottC]

AudioFreak, that is what I would like to do. But how do I relate the two files? I would like the user to be able to select the name of the vendor from the popup. I think I need to then SOMEHOW set a field that is used to relate that record in the main file to the vendor record. Is this the way to do it?

I hope this makes sense. It is both simple and difficult.

[AudioFreak]

Scott

Define a new value list. Choose the radio button use value list from another file. Select your Vendor file and choose the Vendor name field. This way if a new vendor is added it will show in your main database popup. If a Vendoer is removed it will no longer show in the Main database popup.

Michael

[ScottC]

Michael

That is what I have been planning on doing. However, if the name of the vendor changes in the Vendor file, all the relationships to that vendor will be lost.

Scott

[AudioFreak]

Scott,

Create a customer number field in both databases. I know you dont want this but it will work. In the main file make this field a lookup based on your vendor name relationship. When a new record is created it will automatically populate the customer number field. You can hide this field in the main database by formatting the backround and text color the same as the layout background(Do not allow entry). Create a new relationship based on the customer number. Change your button to go related based on the customer number. The user will not even know the customer number even exists. This way the name can change but the customer number will not. There may be another way of doing this, but this is how I would handle it.

Michael

[ScottC]

Thanks Michael that's what I needed!

I added a button on the main database that allows the user to go to the Vendor database to add a new vendor.