preparation feedback

[BankyToo]

Hello,

I am building a database in fp 6 and I was hoping to get some feedback at the planning stage rather than when I am pulling out my hair.

Data will be entered into 5 separate forms and will be captured in 1 filemaker file.

I am planning on creating the 1 file and then making portals in 5 files all pointing back to the master file.

I am choosing this method because changes made in either file will show up in the other file and the data in the master file should export successfully.

I may add some buttons to move the user from one form to the other but that is down the road a bit.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Jon

[Ender]

I think in order to give advice about your design, we will need to know what kind of data you are working with and how you plan on relating it.

What is in the master file? What are the five separate files? What are the forms about? Is this a multi-user solution? If so, how are you planning on dealing with security?

There are probably more questions, but that should get us started.

[Vaughan]

Yes, you ned to separate the data design (fields and tables/files) from the interface (forms, layouts and buttons).

Interface design comes after data design.

[BankyToo]

OK, here is the deal-e-o,

First, I think it is best that I give a representation of what I am working with rather than all the files and such. There are actually 24 forms that are administered anywhere from 1 time to 11 times over 11 visits.

I have provided an example, a representation, of the different challenges I am facing with this database with fewer files.

This database will be used locally

[Ender]

So a Patient file, a Medication file, and four Measure files? I take it the Measure files each have a number of fields that need to be entered to complete the form (They're not just print-only)?

It doesn't look like you have it in there, but a Visit file may be a good idea. It seems like there would be data you'd want to track about each visit, like Date, Time, Examiner, etc. If you use a Visit file, then it would fit between the Patient file and the Measure files. Each visit would relate to Patient by Patient ID, the Measure records would relate to Visit by Visit ID. Visit Number would not be part of the primary key.

[BankyToo]

You are right that visit information will be collected but I am a little unclear on your suggestion.

In the final part of this project I will have to export all the data.

Using this method I don

[Ender]

What is needed in the export?

You CAN export related fields along with local fields, but only from the many side of a one-to-many relationship. This will be a problem if you were thinking of exporting four related form files into one combined flat export file.

Can whatever you're exporting this for handle this in multiple export files to accomodate your relational structure or do they need to be in one?

[BankyToo]

To be more exact, I will be getting the data from FM into the other program (SPSS) using SPSS's query function. SPSS is able to query DB's and retrieve the info. The query function does allow me to indicate relationships but the actual performance is unreliable at the moment and I am not familiar enough with the query function to solve the problem.

It seems to me the best plan is to use the query function in SPSS to retrieve the date from a flat spreadsheet in FM.

jon