i am a novice user creating a database to track student discipline records in a high school. we do not usually reference student id#'s, so i have an id auto-entered when each student is entered. problem: we don't want to have to memorize these new d-base id's, but when a student has more than one record how could we have f-maker keep that repeated student's id the same from record to record without us entering it?

Use a two file system. One file would be Students the second Discipline Records. Each record in the Student file would have information (including Student ID for one student). Use a value list in the Discipline file to select a student. The value list would be setup to display two fields from the Student file, the student ID and Student Name. The user would select the Student Name, but the Student ID would be entered into the ID field (take a look in your manual for how to define value lists that display two fields).

-bd

[thanks live oak! i've sent you an email b/c i don't have a manual.

I work for a college in Manchester (UK) and we have designed a DB in filemaker to store all the student details. For each type of data we hold on a student we store it in a separate file i.e. Personal Data, Qualifications on Entry etc. These are all linked by the students unique ID.

I don't know if this helps but if I can advise in any other way please e-mail me.