creating and defining fields on the fly

[pmusaev]

is it possible to create and define a field on the fly?

say, based on user input, create a field named what the user typed in (a calculation field) and define it in the script as well.

[EddyB]

In a word, No

If you are on a Mac though, I should imagine you would be able to applescript this and link the applescript into a script, but I'm not sure - I'm a windows guy!

Ed

[pmusaev]

that's no good eh? well... i would imagine this a useful feature, i wonder what others are doing, thanks for the reply though mate.

[Lee Smith]

Whoa, a feature, I don't think so.

I can not think of a single scenario where I would want the users to be able to create a field, any old time they can't figure where to put something.

:

Lee

[kenneth2k1]

Yep. this would be dangerous. Data integrity right out the window.

The closest you can get to creating fields "on the fly" is if you were to import/use column headings for field names, or drag & drop speadsheets into FM. But these are mostly for new database files, not existing solutions.

[pmusaev]

yah i guess you are correct, but mainly it would be for me to use and setup databases quicker... but picture this:

have a timesheet database with cost codes pertaining to different jobs and in order to track them, you will have to have a field for each cost code with a calculation looking at other fields. rather than hard coding a BIG list of cost codes, i was hoping to have my script create a field (and calculation for that field) that was named after an entry in another database (where i would type the cost code and description) ... thanks for the input gents, and so quickly too. cheers!

[kenneth2k1]

How about a file that has a record for each cost code? Then relate it. You don't want to create a field for each code, anyway. Trust me.

[pmusaev]

ok, but how would i track the total hours allocated to each cost code? a field has to exist that sums up all the hours for each cost code (per record) and then a summary function to add all those up.

[Vaughan]

All that can be done with summaries.