Unique value validation has changed in FM 7!

[CliveW]

Hi,

I have used customer postcodes and field that required a 'Unique' postcode field value during data entry to avoid creating duplicate customer records on my database.

This worked well with FileMaker versions 3 and 4.1 but with FileMaker 7 the onscreen warning of a duplicate does not trigger until I have finished keying-in all the address and customer data. Earlier versions of FileMaker picked up the duplicate as soon as I tabbed out of the postcode field.

I'd appreciate advice if anyone knows a simple way to get round this? It still seems to work in the 'old way' in FM Dev 7 in Windows XP... but not on the Mac in OSX!

[Reed]

I'm using FM7 on OS X, and it works properly for me. Have you updated the mac side to v 7.02? I think they changed it back in that revision.

[CliveW]

Thank you for the information - I'll check the update now.

[CliveW]

It now works perfectly!

Thanks again

[FM-Man]

I'm rather new to filemaker but love the abilities it has ..

I'm trying to create a database that I can use to dedupe sales leads,

this Unique Value Validation sounds like a good possiblity could you please let me know what you think and if it is a possibility how I would use it ..

Rob

(MNC-Man)

[Computer Geek]

Rob,

It sounds like two separate items: getting rid of dups and preventing new ones from occuring. To find the dups, enter find mode and put a ! in the field that you want to dedup from. That will give you all the duplicate entries for that field. Be careful, though, if it is a name/address type table. Joe Blow could be Joseph Blow in another record. While a dup, it wouldn't be picked up. You can certainly author scripts to help recognize dups.

The larger question is how to prevent new dups from happening. You need to have a unique field, such as SSN or something. Put the validation on that field and you will eliminate dups.

[FM-Man]

Thanks alot for the tip It has helped alot..! Now is there away to do the same thing but between two databases that have related filed ?? this would be the more important part of the solution..!

thanks in advance..

Rob (MNC-Man)