need layout to display related fields

[mopai]

I have three tables in my database

they are

conferences

invitations

comments

conferences is related to invitations via...

conferences.confID --< invitations.confID

invitations is related to comments via..

invitations.invID --< comments.invID

I just want to display all comments per invitation per conference

some thing like as follows

--conference 1 title

----invite_1_LastName Invite_1_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

----invite_2_LastName Invite_2_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

----invite_3_LastName Invite_3_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

--conference 2 title

----invite_1_LastName Invite_1_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

----invite_2_LastName Invite_2_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

----invite_3_LastName Invite_3_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

--conference 3 title

----invite_1_LastName Invite_1_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

----invite_2_LastName Invite_2_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

----invite_3_LastName Invite_3_FirstName

--------comment_1

--------comment_2

--------comment_3

This is so easy to do by simple SQL query. Why am I having such a hard time figuring it out in FM. So much functionality in FM Im not sure where to begin.

PLease point me in the right direction.

I have tried to use both a portal and grouping related fields

I cant seem to get eith to work the way Id like to

[aaa]

If you have Conf_Id and Inv_Id in Comment table it is easy to do your wish by Subsummary Report or you can export to new file on your wishing view.

[mopai]

Thanks for the replied but.... I have to be honest. Im not that impressed with FileMaker's "easy" to use interface.

perhaps you could give a little more detail.

Sub summary report? From what I have read a sub summary take values from one field across multiple records and summarizes them. How do I pull into the layout records from a related(one to many) table and display them with in the parent record?.

I have tried using a Portal, and it works. But Id would like to get the portal to resize itseld according to the number of related records that are returned. The box with the scroll bar thingy dont quite work for my purposes...doesnt work at all in preview mode.

Im coming form a mySQL php background. One simple query wth a JOIN is all it would take. Why all the mystery in FM?

Please help if you can

Thanks

[bruceR]

Thanks for the replied but.... I have to be honest. Im not that impressed with FileMaker's "easy" to use interface.

perhaps you could give a little more detail.

Sub summary report? From what I have read a sub summary take values from one field across multiple records and summarizes them. How do I pull into the layout records from a related(one to many) table and display them with in the parent record?.

You don't.

You create your report in the Comment table. You use sub-summaries for conferenceID and InvitationID. Try using the layout wizard to create the report. It's really quite simple.