Dug Hole with Relationships

[GarrettD78]

I have been designing a database in FMP 5.0. I built a database that has 6 seperate tables. The master table has an SSN and a first and last name. This the SSN is a unique identifier for the entire database. The master has relationship with that SSN for all tables so the identifier in each table is also the SSN. My problem is that these relationships should all be one to many relationships. Well I have a form that I built in the master database where you need to enter most of the information for the tables. Every time I change the data it only changes it in the one record for all the databases instead of creating multiple records in the lower databases. Is ahtere anyway that I can save this database.

[Kurt Knippel]

quote:

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Originally posted by GarrettD78:

I have been designing a database in FMP 5.0. I built a database that has 6 seperate tables. The master table has an SSN and a first and last name. This the SSN is a unique identifier for the entire database. The master has relationship with that SSN for all tables so the identifier in each table is also the SSN. My problem is that these relationships should all be one to many relationships. Well I have a form that I built in the master database where you need to enter most of the information for the tables. Every time I change the data it only changes it in the one record for all the databases instead of creating multiple records in the lower databases. Is ahtere anyway that I can save this database.

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First off the SSN is NOT a unique number and should NEVER be used as a unique identifier. It is fine to use this as the general reference to an individual, but do NOT use this as the PrimaryID for you records.

Realize that this applies to EVERYONE. SSN is NEVER, EVER, EVER unique. The Federal govt will be happy to explain why.

I recommed that you use an auto-entered calculation such as Status ( CurrentRecordID ) & "-" & Status ( CurrentTime ) & "-" & Status ( CurrentDate ). This will insure a unique ID for each record. Make this a Text calculation.

Second it is up to the programmer to define how related records are created. FMP will not do this for you. If you have fields from related records on a layout, those fields will contain the information of the 1st record in the relationship, nothing more.

You will need to use some combination of scripting and/or portals to insure that you are adding/editing the correct records.

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Kurt Knippel

Senior Filemaker Developer

http://www.database-resources.com

mailto:[email protected]

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