Searchable field of checkboxes

[FreedomFighter]

Hello,

OK, here's what I have:

A database where each record lists 10 assignments, each with it's own field.

Next to each "assignment" field, there's a 2nd corresponding field with a checkbox "DONE," indicating if that assignment was done.

Say I want to search for all assignments that haven't been done. Is there a way to search checkboxes, to only call up the one's that are "on" (checked) or "off?" (not checked).

I realize that I could have people manually enter "Y" or "N" and then search all "Ys" or all "Ns," but I think the checkbox solution would be cleaner and leave less room for typos.

Thanks!!!!

[Vaughan]

quote:

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Originally posted by FreedomFighter:

OK, here's what I have: A database where each record lists 10 assignments, each with it's own field.

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Bzzzzt. I didn't even read past this point because your data design is incorrect. Instead of ten separate fields you should have created a related file for the assignments, and displayed them in a portal in the master file (the student).

It's a really common mistake. Change it now before you do any more development. No excuses: do it.

[FreedomFighter]

Hmmmm...

I'm happy to change it, since I'd be the first to say it's not the perfect solution for my needs (see below), but what's the thinking behind doing it that way?

(I'm very much a FM design newbie, even though I've been a user for years, so please bear with me).

A little more description of what I'm doing:

Each assignment is a journalism/book research assignment for a particular client. As I (or members of the workgroup) complete the research, we check them off. Separating into different fields in a table cleary isn't the perfect way of doing it, since they're not collectively searchable, but here's the idea:

Each record has 10 research fields, such as what you see below. A new record is a new project or publication. The headings on each individual record go like this for 10 items each record:

How to set it up?

[ January 22, 2002: Message edited by: FreedomFighter ]

[Vaughan]

What happens when the 11th assignment needs marking?

You have a relational database with a one-to-many relationahip: one "student" can have many "assignments." These are the easiest to implement.

Read the chapter in the FMP manual about relational database design.