why doesn't my look-up look?

[RossP]

I have a question with relation to how lookups work in FMP. I've looked through many books and FMP online help to find my answer, but alas, neither go into great enough detail on the subject. Perhaps someone here can be of help.

First, let me state the obvious, as I know it:

If I want to fill a field with data in one DB, with the data currently entered in a corresponding field in another DB, I assign the field to be filled with a lookup, and relate it to the other DB with a defined relationship (relating through another field that the two share in common).

But, where does the data that is filled in the lookup field come from? From the related DB? Is this data merely a window into the other DB or does FMP actually take the data from one DB for every record with that field, and then copy it into the field to be filled?

The reason I ask is that I

[-Queue-]

A portal or related field only displays the data in a different file, whereas a lookup actually copies the related data and sets it in the desired field. It will not be looked up again, if the data in the related file should happen to change, unless you perform a Relookup on the key field or set the key field to itself for each desired record. It is very useful when you want to maintain static data, such as client information on an old invoice that you don't want to change when the related client is updated.

[RossP]

Thanks for the clarification, Pooh-Bah.