I have an unusual portal based on a constant relationship (a calc field containing a "one" across all records in both databases). I went this way because my related database has no record ID, and I always want all records to show in the portal.

The portal is listing names given to custom lists generated from an inventory database. I would like to see the portal sort by these names. However, in relationship definition, I can't choose a sort field. I select, click "OK", and it doesn't "take." I presume this is due to the contstant relationship.

A clumsy work-around I've thought of is to have a big text field in a one-record database (I am trying to be careful with globals, as I am running on a server). My script to make a new record in the list name file would also insert the new list name along with a paragraph return into this big text field. Then it would set a big global text field in the inventory database to the contents of the one-record db field.

Then my portal relationship could relate from big global text field on the left to list name field on the right, hopefully allowing me to srt by list name.

I think this would work, but it seems unnecessarily clumsy..

Is there a better way? Or should I persevere with passing big wads of text back and forth among my globals? I envision perhaps 400 or so list names in this field, max.

Steve Brown

Are you using the Number 1 or text One? Are they defined the same in both tables? You have clicked on the sort box in the relationship definition dialog box.

This should work. You may have other problems like a corrupt file.

Can you make a test file to check if it works in a new file. You may want to make 2 on for each side of the relationship just to be sure.

I am using the numeral 1 (I typed it out so it wouldn't be confused with an uppercase"i" or a lowercase "L"). The Constant fields in both files are calc fields, number result, calc is simply "1".

I have made test files for this, and my test files sort properly. Going back to my main file, I see that the portal has now decided to sort, though yesterday it wouldn't. Go figure. (I don't even want to think about corrupt files!)

Steve Brown