Printing data from another file

[The Mad Jammer]

I was trying to find some information in the forum about printing data from related files. But I'm a bit confused about how this process works. I have a Main file that has some information in it and a related file where data is displayed in a portal. If I wanted to print the data in the related file I would script the Go To Related Related Records step and then call an external script to print the related records. The problem is that there is some data in the Main file that should appear on the report. The only way to get that data on the report is to define a relationship between the related file and the Main file. But I already have a relationship defined between the Main file and the related file, so basically these two files are in a circular relationship, each related to the other.

I've used a few other reporting products like Crystal Reports and am starting to use MS Reporting services. These types of report generators allow one to format a layout and draw data from various sources without having these circular relationship.

Since there is already an existing Main->related file relationship defined, is there a way to print a report in a layout in the main file and have data from all of the related records be printed there as well?

The Mad Jammer

[-Queue-]

In pre-7 versions, the 'circular' relationship is necessary for relating both directions. In 7, one relationship can be bidirectional.

[The Mad Jammer]

Thanks -Queue-

The real complaint is having to switch to another file just to print detail records, like line items on an invoice, instead of having a reporting structure that can perform the operation in the main file. We can use protals to display and update data on a related file from a Main file, but can't print all the related records from the main file. I tried producing a subsummary report in te main file that listed all the associated line items in the rleated file. Of course it only printed the first record of each group.

It just seems like having to have bidirectional relationships is not necessary and wastes resources.

The Mad Jammer

[-Queue-]

It sounds like you would be much happier upgrading to 7.

[The Mad Jammer]

-Queue-

Perhaps. They're selling for a song on eBay. Fortunately, I can sing a little.

The Mad Jammer