I am constructing a file that includes several tables, including these: 1) an Events table, and 2) a Client table. The purpose of the database is to construct a life-history database which is made up of events (records from the Events table) in a client's life, arranged chronologically. The file will contain data for several clients, but I will only be working with data from one client at a time.

I want to tag the individual records in the Events table (each record is one event in a person

Condition Value List by using relation.

Attach here part of your files we will try to help you if you want.

First of all the Theme_list field related to the Client must be of the correct format - descriptions with each description on a new line. You can then make the value list in the Theme table = values of Theme_list from related table Client, Show only related records.

{edit} sorry just noticed that you are using FMP5 I do not know if this works in version 5 as I have no experience with it.

SlimJim,

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Thank you for your help; I have tried to follow SlimJim's suggestions. I had defined the Theme field in the Events table as a calculation field, which was not working. I have now defined the Theme field as a text field with 4 repetitions, using a value list defined from the Theme_list field from the Clients table using related values only. Seems to be working now.

I'm sure I will have more questions as I continue working on this project, and I will post them. Thanks again for the support.

One question: Would it be a better or more elegant solution to use a portal instead of a value list? I have never used a portal, but I would like to know how.

Thanks,

Frank

P.S. In case my signature shows up incorrectly, I am using FM Pro version 7, not 5.

Glad to see that it is working. I am not sure why you have defined your Theme field to have 4 repetitions. When you choose a theme for an event for a given client will you in fact be choosing more than one theme? and if that is the case can you be sure that 4 will always be enough? If the number of different themes for a client is relatively small it might be easier to format the theme field as a checkbox with the value list as defined and then just check all the themes which apply to the event.

SlimJim

From a pop-up menu you can choose multiple options by {shift}-clicking. This has the same effect as multiple checks in checkboxes, and will produce the themes as a list separated by carriage returms. The advantage over the repeating field method is that you do not need to make advance decisions which will limit the number of choices.

See the attached for a different approach.

lifeThemes.fp7.zip