Help Please! Need to add relationship

[thomjw]

Hi all, I'm very new. I am using FM7 and the inventory template. I am putting items in the inventory. I have an add in that creates a barcode for whatever name is in the "item" box. It then puts it on a seperate layout page which is blank, except for the generated barcode. I print the barcode onto a label. What I need to add is the actual "item" name to the layout page, directly under the generated barcode. Then I could print out the label with the barcode and the item name directly under the barcode. I had someone else set up the barcode thing in this. I know nothing about this except how to add items, and print out the labels. Can someone explain to me (as a new person) how to add this item name to the layout page and set it underneath the barcode? I would also like to add another box or field to the new item template page, that I could put a name in or check box that the item was loaned out. I would like that new box or field to let me set a return date and have FM remind me or alert me to the due date for the item to be returned so I don't forget. I'm sure someone could help me set these two additonal features up, but remember, I know nothing, and am a complete newbie at this stuff. Thanks in advance,

Tom

[dkemme]

Where does the barcode generator place the barcode? In a container? In the same table as your inventory? Can you attach the database, maybe cloned with a few records to look at?

[stanley]

Tom:

Welcome to the Forums.

In the layout which has your barcode (the printout layout), go into Layout mode, and drag the "field" item from the status bar on the left to where you want the item's name to go. It'll ask you what you want to go there, and select your item name from the dialog. You may want to uncheck the label checkbox; otherwise, if you don't want the field to be labelled, you can delete the label in layout mode.

For your second item, go to the layout where you want to add the box or field, and go to Define->Database, and select "Fields" at the top; add your new field here (you're adding it to the database schema here) then return to your layout. You can put it in using the same method listed above. Depending on how you have FMP set up, it may have added the field automatically when you created it, somewhere at the bottom of the layout.

There are a number of ways to setup the date alert you want, but one thing at a time.

-Stanley

[thomjw]

STANLEY,

I did what you said, and it worked!! Now I have the item name printed out underneath of the barcode on the label. Awesome! And I made a new field that is named "Loaned to:" and it made the field box at the bottom, which is fine. Now, I can put in a person's name there, but how do I get it to alert me or remind me in a set amount of days or weeks to get it back. I was thinking like a reminder alert telling me an item has been out for 7 or 14 days? Or even an email telling me that? Or do you have a better idea to accomplish the same thing? I really do appreciate the help you have already given me!!!

Tom

[stanley]

Tom:

There are a few choices here. I think you might have a script that runs every day (let's say at startup) which would search the date field using a calculation, then present your results in a list (or do any other action you'd like, such as send an email.) The script would include these steps:

Enter Find Mode []

Set Field [Checked Out, "Yes"] // or however you've indicated that an item is out

Set Field [Return Date, "<" & Get(CurrentDate) - 7] // or 14 or nothing, depending

Perform Find []

Go To Layout [some List Layout, if you'd like]

Alternatively, you could do all that, then set a loop to either:

email the borrower with a reminder for each item

email yourself once for each item

build a single email to send to yourself

or anything else you want.

HTH

-Stanley

[thomjw]

Hi Stanley,

I'm sure your last will give me what I need as far as a reminder alert or email, but I have absolutely no idea how to do what you wrote. I am new to this program. Can I be a pain and ask you to explain it to me in layman's terms? It would really help me to have this feature. Thanks again for your help

Tom