Filtering Repetitions

[paperbag1]

I have a form that I use to order material from suppliers. It has many repetitions for the quantity, unit, desc., price, etc.. It works great for what we use it for and finds are a snap. What I would like to try to do is after I perform a find of say

[Søren Dyhr]

Give the repeaters a rest, they're by and large not particular good for anything but storage, when it comes to filtering and reporting must a real relational designs be utilized. You have fallen in the greatest pitfall of them all in filemaker!

--sd

[paperbag1]

OK. I'll go out back and shoot myself.

Phil

[Søren Dyhr]

OK. I'll go out back and shoot myself.

I gave you some guidance, ....nothing included messing around with firearms!!! You might wish to solve the problem at hand by studying this template:

http://www.filemakerpros.com/TYPEAHEAD.zip

--sd

[Fenton]

Pretty funny :-] I rather think that you will shoot yourself sooner if you continue trying to do reports with repeating fields however.

If you create another table, with all the same fields as the repeats, then Import the repeats,* checking the option "Separate repeating fields into their own records", then you will have the correct structure for reporting. Just remember to import the Invoice ID, so they can still be tied together, and targetted from the Invoice table.

You can just use that table for reporting. But you could also fairly easily replace your repeating fields in your layouts with the related fields. It can look just the same.

Your totals calculations will need a little tweaking, to use the related fields; but they use the same Sum() function, not much different.

You do lose a little speed for some operations, especially lists of balances. But version 7 is much faster than 6 at this.

In the case of your Find, you would not lose any speed, just flip to the "line items" table to do that search. The list of records will be only the

[paperbag1]

Thank you gentlemen. I appreciate the solutions you put forth. I have been exposed to filemaker for only a few weeks and have been using a modified template that came with filemaker for creating Purchase Orders. I am moving forward the only way I know how to at present. I use 75 repeations so I can order up to that many items. I cant beleive that I am supposed to create 75 different fields to do the same thing. Once I understand how certain things are done, I'll try using them. As much as the repetitions are hated, it is still a far cry better than the spreadsheets we were using. Oh, by the way... I have no intention of shooting myself.:-)

Thanks,

Phil

[Søren Dyhr]

I cant beleive that I am supposed to create 75 different fields

Certainly not, one field a relation away, split into child records!!!

--sd

[Fenton]

Yes, as S

PurchaseOrders.zip

[paperbag1]

Fenton, You have certainly given me something to look at. I haven't any idea how to use a portal, but I am already using a "Material" table. I'll read up on "child" tables. Thanks!

[Søren Dyhr]

but they don't really teach beginners how to use FileMaker properly

But they do apparently see a sellingpoint in having prefab solutions - that works intuitively to the user, within the first hour after opening the foilwrapped package.

When you look at all the sites/fora where people post their filemaker problems is the lions share (90% :?) of the times:

Repeating fields, Copy/paste and the need for event-triggers ...and why is it so?? It's always down to the reluctance to embrace the relational approach fully.

I've been a keen jumper to the soapbox every time a friendly soul in propellerhead fasion seek tries to remedy such problems instead of disuading from the use of these 3 right away.

Filemakers urge is to prevent the user from saying "crappy" at an early state, and by it do they create a false sence of productivity or even worse indulge people to think you actually develope things sitting next to you computer and the thinking comes flowing just in time ...

... only employers are that stupid to belive that a staff bend over their keyboards are the sole ingredience that prevents his companys functions being outsourced to Asia.

New thinking is caused by being challengend on you previous ways of thinking ...a process more like hunting/chasing than gathering and eating the first nut that comes into perimeter of sight.

--sd

[paperbag1]

Fenton,

I started looking at the file you posted and I think I'm starting to see a little of how it works. I however, still don't understand what you did with the items_report. I see it in the relationships but I don't see a table for it or a layout used to pull out the required information. What am I missing?

Phil

[Fenton]

It does have a layout, "Items," which is a different table than the other layouts. Just go there and do your search. I just left it in table view. You can make it a List view, put buttons and/or script to go there. I just did the structural changes needed.

Edited July 19, 2005 by Guest

[paperbag1]

Fenton,

Thanks to your help I just might get this thing working. Many thanks!

Phil