portals and repeating fields

[mariamaroo]

Hi, I am new to FileMaker, and I'm creating several databases for the band I work for. One is for set lists. It needs to be sortable by date, time, event, venue, song title, age range (it's a kids' band). Each gig has a different number of songs, and I'm wondering how to accommodate this when I'm defining fields. Would the song list be one big repeating field? Or should I make more fields than I will ever need, like 100? Also, I'd like to create a portal from the song titles to a file with information about the songs (writer, publisher, copyright, lyrics, etc.) Can I do that if it's a repeating field? And do I have to make as many portals as song title fields? And how can I fit all that into the layout? Help!

Like I said, I'm new to FileMaker, so please talk to me like I'm clueless!

[LiveOak]

The things you DON'T want to do are: 1) use repeating fields or 2) create a structure where you have to add fields instead of records as your data set grows. As a basic idea, you might have files for Sets, Gigs, and Songs related in the appropriate manner. -bd

[mariamaroo]

Thanks for the quick response. Can you please explain why don't I want to use repeating fields? I've got files for gigs, songs, and albums, and I'm working on 'sets', but I'm confused about how to do that one without repeating fields, and I'm fuzzy about what is the 'appropriate manner' to relate them.