How many fields?

[dmadill]

I have a database that has over 300 fields (U.S. Census data). I need to start querying this data, but in table view it only shows about 75 fields. Is there a limit to this? It will show them all in other views, but not the most important table views.

Does this make sense? Also, if you can give me a couple pointers on how to query this data, that would be great!

Thanks, Don Madill

[Moon]

Don,

Table view emulates a spreadsheet view, but its limitations include what you experience. You might consider setting up a columnar layout instead, which permits as many fields as you can stand. Even better, determine the fields you really need displayed and create layouts which display only the essential fields for your task. You probably have fields that do not have to be displayed at all to do their work.

I notice in your profile you are moving to FileMaker from access. Welcome to the greatest database software in the world! Queries in FileMaker are done in the Find Mode, which is very well documented in the manual and particularly in the online help system. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind with respect to how searches, finds, queries, whatever, are handled in Filemaker.

In FileMaker you do not find a set of records and then do another find on that set, because in FileMaker every Find request executes on the entire set of records. To isolate records out of a find set, or in other words, to refine your search to more narrowly defined criteria, you create additional requests and use the omit box where appropriate. It is easier than you might think, but it may mean a shift in how you think about how to create your search criteria.

For example, you might want all of the cities in Iowa starting with "D", except for Des Moines and Davenport. You would go to Find, Enter "D" in the city name field and Iowa in the state field, then create a new request, type "Des Moines" in the city name field and click the Omit box. Then one more request, this time with "Davenport" in the city field and again checking the Omit box. Then click the Find button. Filemaker first finds all of the Ds in Iowa, then omits Des Moines and then omits Davenport. One Find. Three requests, in this case.

Sometimes it is easier to find what you do not want, and them immediately execute the command Show Omitted. Show Omitted swaps the records not found for those that are. A particularly useful script uses this technique to isolate the single record you are looking at:

Find All

Omit Record

Show Omitted.

When the Find All is executed, the entire set of records becomes the found set, but you remain in the record you were viewing. The Omit Record removes only that record from the found set, and Show Omitted then swaps the single record for the rest.

I could go on, but may be barking up the wrong tree. Nevertheless, welcome to FileMaker. It really is easy to use, but that sometimes confounds the new user. Hope this helps.

[Moon]

Don,

Table view emulates a spreadsheet view, but its limitations include what you experience. You might consider setting up a columnar layout instead, which permits as many fields as you can stand. Even better, determine the fields you really need displayed and create layouts which display only the essential fields for your task. You probably have fields that do not have to be displayed at all to do their work.

I notice in your profile you are moving to FileMaker from access. Welcome to the greatest database software in the world! Queries in FileMaker are done in the Find Mode, which is very well documented in the manual and particularly in the online help system. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind with respect to how searches, finds, queries, whatever, are handled in Filemaker.

In FileMaker you do not find a set of records and then do another find on that set, because in FileMaker every Find request executes on the entire set of records. To isolate records out of a find set, or in other words, to refine your search to more narrowly defined criteria, you create additional requests and use the omit box where appropriate. It is easier than you might think, but it may mean a shift in how you think about how to create your search criteria.

For example, you might want all of the cities in Iowa starting with "D", except for Des Moines and Davenport. You would go to Find, Enter "D" in the city name field and Iowa in the state field, then create a new request, type "Des Moines" in the city name field and click the Omit box. Then one more request, this time with "Davenport" in the city field and again checking the Omit box. Then click the Find button. Filemaker first finds all of the Ds in Iowa, then omits Des Moines and then omits Davenport. One Find. Three requests, in this case.

Sometimes it is easier to find what you do not want, and them immediately execute the command Show Omitted. Show Omitted swaps the records not found for those that are. A particularly useful script uses this technique to isolate the single record you are looking at:

Find All

Omit Record

Show Omitted.

When the Find All is executed, the entire set of records becomes the found set, but you remain in the record you were viewing. The Omit Record removes only that record from the found set, and Show Omitted then swaps the single record for the rest.

I could go on, but may be barking up the wrong tree. Nevertheless, welcome to FileMaker. It really is easy to use, but that sometimes confounds the new user. Hope this helps.

[dmadill]

Thank you very much for this! It's a difficult move from Access to FM pro....at least the developing part.

Thank you again!