Automatically resizing portal (rows)...

[lantech]

Hi all,

I am building an application and am really stuck with this issue, perhaps someone could help.

What I would like to do is have a portal automatically size itself (in terms of the number of rows) to fit all the contents.

This may sound confusing, but here is how I am using it:

I have an order form, with a portal to another record containing line items. Using the same record as the orderform, I have created another layout, which is the invoice for the order, but just for printing (not data entry) purposes.

The problem is: If I start with a portal of say 10 rows, I need it to add more rows if I have say 14 items.

Can anyone help with this sticky wicket?

Thanks.

[Vaughan]

The only solution is to have multiple layouts, each with a different number of rows in the portal, and use a script to switch between them based on the number of related records. Brute force.

On the other hand, for something like an invoice it is much, much easier and preferable to "find" all of the related records for the order and print from the line items file. Portals are very problematic to print, especially of you want to use the Sliding/Printing feature as well.

[CyborgSam]

I don't like FileMaker's way of doing borders in portals. My opinion is that empty rows should not have borders. If this is the effect you meant with "automatically size", read on...

To make my portals function this way, turn the borders off using a line thickness of None (if you turn off borders using transparency, scroll bars won't be visible).

For now, leave the portal's borders on for reference. Make the borders in the portal area using lines. The bottom and side lines must be inset 1 pixel from the portal's border. The top line overlaps the top border. Now turn the portals borders & test the portal.

The downside is that portals with scroll bars will show the scroll bar without any rows next to it when the # of non-empty rows is less than the # rows in the portal. A bit weird looking...

Did I explain this well enough?