I have a database that lists the names of employees working for a company. Each record has their name and the room # they are in. If there is not a employee in a room the record will only hold the room #. What I would like to do is create a new layout in this database that has a picture of the floor plan as the background. I would like to be able to print this out with the names of the employees over the room they are in on the floor plan. How do I go about getting 1 print out with all the names and not 20 print outs with one name on each?

Number of rooms is static so I am thinking that I should be able to position fields on the layout in the right location and have that field linked to a record for that room. Am I stuck doing a second file with the floor plan and creating 1 relationship for each room on the floor plan?

Also how to handle a room that has 2 or more people in it?

Thanks for any ideas.

As far as I know, you will need a second file and a key field(one for each room) and a relationship for each key field to the file containing the Room data. A second file would be easier for design reasons to contain the map. Once the relationships are setup you could also have a small portal for each room to handle the multiple employees situation, total number of portal rows matching total number of employees possible for that room.

If you really don't want to make a second file(why not?) you migh try a "self-join" relationship between records but that's just causing endless design problems that don't seem necessary.

That is what I thought the answer would be. Thought I would ask any way never can tell if someone has done this before and has a better way to do it. Thanks for the help.

Well, it depends,

A portal may not be the answer according to the exact map and graphic you're creating. You'd have to set its max size first, which can be limitative.

May be the ValueListItems( ) could give better result, wether you substitute the "