Basically, what I am looking for is a custom function that can take a value list and create every permutation of the items in the value list. Say I have a value list "cat;dog;mouse", I want to be able to feed the custom function that value list and get:

cat dog mouse

cat mouse dog

dog cat mouse

dog mouse cat

mouse cat dog

mouse dog cat

The order of the permutations doesn't matter as long as all the permutations are returned. Also, the number of values in the list I feed it is variable. One time it may be three values as above, another time it may be four and so on.

Anybody help? I have been staring at my screen for hours. I am hoping this is easy for someone.

Let ([

a = ValueListItems ( flName; List Name ); /* get the items in your list */

b = PatternCount ( b ; "

Thanks for the thoughts. I was hoping someone would have a recursive function that would eliminate the need for all that code. I am actually currently hard coding it, but it's not very flexible.

Try adapting this custom function from Jed Verity:

http://www.briandunning.com/filemaker-custom-functions/detail.php?fn_id=230

There's also a sub function that's required:

http://www.briandunning.com/filemaker-custom-functions/detail.php?fn_id=231

I don't understand what a recursive function is or what it does or means? Anyone?

A recursive function is a function that calls itself until a condition has been meet. Excelisys has a good pdf on this subject on their web site. http://www.excelisys.com

A recursive function recurs, i.e. loops until a condition is met. Somewhat similar to a looping script with Exit Loop If[]. In Developer7 you can write custom functions, and a custom function can call itself, thus being recursive.

Example:

Custom Function:

CountFromTo ( start ; end )

Returns a comma-separated list of integers starting from start and ending with end.

Case (

start <= end ;

start & ", " & CountFromTo ( start + 1 ; end )

)

Try adapting this custom function from Jed Verity:

http://www.briandunning.com/filemaker-custom-functions/detail.php?fn_id=230

There's also a sub function that's required:

http://www.briandunning.com/filemaker-custom-functions/detail.php?fn_id=231

That did the trick!!! Thanks.

Hi,

attached my little contribution to your problem...

two custom functions: one for five characters and one for five fields.

permutazioni.zip