finding yes/no field

[ghertzman]

New Filemaker user (old Access user). I have a yes/no field, which when sorted for no yields some yes records, with mostly no records. What did I do?

[dbruggmann]

Sorting in FM does not eliminate any records, it just sorts the records in the found set. But if you meant, you searched for No in the field, then it seems, you have entered sometimes Yes and No. In this case:

If you click into this field on the strange records, you could see, if there are more lines than visible.

How did you enter the No/Yes? Manually, by script, with a value list, checkboxes or radio buttons?

[Reinhold]

Hi,

for your yes/no problem you have to add simply two value lists and two formula fields to your db. For each yes/no field you put twice the same Field(!) as option field in the layout on. The first option field (Yes-Button) receives a value list with the only value "1" and the second option field (No-Button) receives a value list with the only value "0". Behind the first option field, which may be naturally only so large that one only the radio button and not the associated value "1" sees, write you now in the layout "yes" and proceed accordingly with the "No-Button".

Now it is easy to number the "Yes" and "Nos" to determine, since one "Yes" always the value "1" is assigned. Hence it follows that the sum of all "Yes/No" fields must be equal to the number of "Yes" answers also. "Nos" however result from the difference from the total number of all questions ("n") less the calculated "Yes".

Thus,

Total_Yes = Field1 Field2 Field3 ... Field_n

Total_No = n - Total_Yes

I can send you an example file.

Reinhold

[ghertzman]

Thank you for your prompt response. I blush to admit I was using the "find" mode. When I used the "sort" mode, the records were ordered correctly. I incorretly assumed they would return the same results.

I've gone over it several times and still cannot come out with a found set that doesn't contain a few yesses. I have re-entered the field thinking that the conversion from Microsoft Access to AppleWorks to Filemaker could have caused the problem for some records. That does not seem to be the case.

Another variable is that the layout uses two related files; the problem field is from the child file. I find that I can create a proper found set when I use only the child file; however, it doesn't contain all the fields I need for my report.

[dbruggmann]

If you search in the parent table in a related field from a child file, all the records in the found set are from the parent file. You can't find this way records in the child file. You have to decide, if you want to find

1a) all parent records which have at least one related child record with a "No" (but also some "Yes")

1b) all parent records which have more related child records with a "No" (only one or)

2) all child records with a "No"