Local summary field from portal data?

[Hijack]

Anyone know if it's possible to merge portal data into a summary field in a master table? I.e. if I have a portal showing a field called NAME and it shows 3 related records (Moe, Larry, Curly) can I create a local field in the master table that can merge the portal output into:

Moe

Larry

Curly

I've always wanted to have portal data accessible in a single summary field but I have a feeling I'm up the creek on this request.

Thanks all.

[-Queue-]

As long as your related field can be indexed, make a value list based on it. Then create an unstored calculated text field of ValueListItems( Status(CurrentFileName), "yourvaluelist" ).

Your profile doesn't state, but I'm assuming you're using version 6 or lower.

[Hijack]

Excellent! Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately, it didn't do what I wanted, overall. I was hoping to use that summarized information as a relationship anchor for some reporting. Meaning, after I had the portal data in a local field I was wanting to build a relationship based on a global to that field to pull up a small report.

For example, let's assume the master database had Movie ID and Movie Title fields and a relationship of Movie ID --> Movie ID in a "Cast" database. And, thanks to your earlier tip, the master database also now has a "Cast Summary" field which summarizes the stars of the movies listed via the relationship.

Now, if I create a reporting global in the master database and related it to "Cast Summary" and then set it to "Moe", I was hoping the relationship would show me all the movies "Moe" was in.

It does not. I am using v7 and the relationship of a global to a calculated field with data that comes from an outside table (pulled in as a value list via a relationship) doesn't generate any warnings but the relationship doesn't yield any output either.

I doubt I will get it to work but if that whole sha-bang makes any sense and you have any other advice, I'm all eyes.

Thanks again!

[Lee Smith]

How about updating your profile so we know which version of FileMaker you are using, along with your platform, and operating system, so we don't waste our time providing solutions for the wrong setup.

Lee

[Hijack]

Sorry about that. I did mention it was a FileMaker 7 environment but I didn't mention it was under Windows XP. I have updated my profile with my FM details to cover all bases.

Thanks all.

[-Queue-]

Since the calculation is unstored, it can only be used as the left key of a relationship. However, if you make it a normal text field and script any changes, i.e. Set Field [summary; ValueListItems( Get(FileName); "yourvaluelist )], then you can use it as the right key of a relationship as well.

[Hijack]

Well, shoot. That's what I thought. That's been my past experience. I guess I should just be happy that v7 can support a partial calculation based relationship.

Thanks for all the advice!

David

[-Queue-]

Actually, it can be stored. However, it won't update when new information is added. That will have to be done manually.