Help with an Image Distribution Db.

[SilentSteve]

To call me a newbie would be generous. I understand just enough to be dangerous (or to think I can do anything I can imagine...)

I have been given the task of tracking the distribution of motion picture photography to various media outlets.

I need to look at this information from two basic angles.

1) We have sent X media outlet (magazines, online, etc.) these pictures.

or

2) X picture has been sent to these media outlets (magazines, online, etc.).

I started by using 3 FMP files.

One to hold the list of Media Outlets.

One to hold the thumbnails of the photos and their Number.

One to track each mailing, combining the Media Outlet info and the thumbnails of the images along with additional info; date, ship via, etc.

In order to have multiple images populate the record I created individual RELATIONSHIPS for as many photos as I might send at any given time. (image 1, image 2, image 3...)

This looks okay. It is a little funky because the RECORD is always as big as the number of spaces I have alloted for photos weather I actually send 1 or 10. Also, it is a limiting to have to contain the number of photos in a RECORD to how many fit on a RECORD page.

I first realized I had a big problem when I went the FIND MODE. When I tried to search on the individual photos the results only came back with a result if that photo number had been placed in that position (image 1, image 2, image 3...)

I now know that my design is flawed to start with. I have stumbled around for several hours and decided to seek help via this forum. This link will show you all my efforts thus far, warts and all.

FMP Help screen grabs

There is a recent Warner Bros. movie poster in it for anyone who can put me on the path to database enlightenment.

Thank you in advance.

FMP Help photos

[transpower]

I think your database architecture should be revised. One picture per record in one file. One media outlet per record in a second file. Then a join file (many to many) between the two, which keeps track of each picture going to each media outlet. Enter all the pictures in the picture file. Enter all the media outlets in the media file. Then in the join file pick a record from each each of the other files for each mailing. There are many books on FileMaker which explain how do all of this.

[SilentSteve]

okay.

So the Join File is really where all my work will be done, is that correct?

I tried something with join files but I think I was unclear on the concept.

I do appreciate the reply and will give this a try.

Would you care to recommend one good book for me working in FmP 6?

Thank You

[transpower]

Despite mistakes, see the FileMaker books by Jonathan Stars. I reviewed the one for v. 7 for Amazon.com. Or see Chris Kubica's Book of FileMaker 6, which has a good section on portals for many-to-many relationships (pp. 177-194).

[bruceR]

The join file is what makes it work; but you can view the join file through relations from the other files so it is not really true that "all the work" has to be done in the join file.