Multiple tables per layout

[jwells]

I am a web developer and am fairly new to FileMaker. I would like to be able to use more that one table (and it's related portal records) on the one layout. In other words, I would like to I want to have two or more "starting points" for portals on each layout. Is this possible?

I understand that all the portals on a layout are keyed off the primary table for that layout. But I want to have more than that going on on each layout.

For instance: One layout needs to contain the info about the records I'm using. But that same layout needs to have another "source" table that I can use for menues and layout navigation.

On web pages that use SQL quaries these would be multiple SELECT statements, or multiple calls to the database for sometimes completely unrelated records.

How to in FileMaker?

[jwells]

Me again.

Here's what I'm trying to do:

I am building a very large database that will end up with 40-60 tables (I'm recreating an Access database into a FileMaker database so our companie's info can be cross-plaform). This database will be doing many things for many people in different departments and will require lots and lots of layouts to accomplish everythihng. With so much going on I need to have a rather elaborate navigation system.

There will need to be several overall sections, and each section will need several "sub-menus (Go To Layout "...")." The way I see it so far, I will need to be copying and pasting tons and tons of buttons on to each and every layout.

What I am trying to figure out is how to have my sections and sub-menus in their own tables so I can manage them. On each layout I would like to show only the menus that go with each section.

In SQL I could simply do two SELECT statements, one for the records I want to work with (and the related records) and the other one for the menus.

How is this accomplished in FileMaker? If I can only have the menus show up that are associated with each section - without having to asign a section to the records in my primary table (because the records in that table will be viewed in several different sections of the overall database) - I'll be very happy.

In SQL this would be very simple. But in FileMaker I'm completely stumped.

How do most of you handle complex layout navigation?

Thank you if anyone can help.

[LaRetta]

I understand that all the portals on a layout are keyed off the primary table for that layout. But I want to have more than that going on on each layout.

Some ideas - others will have more, I'm sure:

In vs. 7, a layout IS a table occurrence. One layout can have many portals. You can create temp relationships using globals, etc. But I think your direction is a bit different. You want to split the layout into TWO (or more) main tables with portals.

The only way I know of is by using windows. Don't laugh ... it actually is quite nifty. Because a window can be the identical layout (and record set or single record) OR it can be a different record (or set) based upon the SAME table occurrence OR it can be based upon any other table. And each window can have portals also. You can script the whole thing ... 3 windows open (boom, boom, boom), sized and positioned in a 1/3 x 1 screen size side by side, displaying ... well ... anything you can imagine. And being Mac, you may not have those ugly scrolls and wasted window headers like we do. And buttons can open (replace) each prior window in a series effect.

Just some thoughts!

Update It seems you slid another post in on me while I was napping. So I'm unsure if my ideas will be useful to you.

LaRetta :

Edited July 29, 2005 by Guest

[jwells]

Thank you LaRetta. That helps a lot. It's given me an idea that may just work. I haven't worked it out yet. But it involves setting up a relationship between the primary table and the sub-menus table where the primary table is a global value based on the name of the current window. Then hopefully, each time a user clicks on one of the sub-menues, it changes to the requested layout but also sets the WindowName to what is appropriate for each section. I don't know, but I hope it works.

[LaRetta]

Actually, I've done something quite similar before.

And, you being Mac, I think it'll be even easier that we Windows' people deal with! Good luck and I'd be very interested in seeing the results of your vision!

[jwells]

Hi LaRetta,

I've almost got it working, but am still having trouble. Is there some way to do this without setting a global field with the window title? It all works fine except that the global field stays at the last value (window name). If I clear the value after using it to match records for the sub-menu, then the sub-menu isn't restricted to the found set I want anymore.

Plus, the global field affects other users.

I'm just baffled!

Here's a screenshot of the project I'm working on. It's just in the beginning stages, but will be very large eventually. The sections are across the top in the green bar and some example sub-menus are on the left under the graphic. Each section will have it's own set of sub-menues.

http://www.StudyUSAmagazine.com/downloads/files/FM_ScreenShot.jpg

What was it that you did in the past that was similar?

John

PS. We're almost neighbors!