Automatically update dropdown menus

[shaneferguson]

[color:blue]

Hello all,

Sorry of this post is in the wrong section.

Also, hopefully the following makes a bit of sense. (I've attached a zip file containing the database/layouts that i refer to in the following text).

I am trying to create a database for the organisation that i work for. With a lot of help from fellow forum users, i'm beginning to create something useful. Being very inexperencied with FileMaker, i'm having a spot of trouble completing the next stage of my task.

I have a membership database that lets me add new members (very useful ), and that uses portals to create a scrollable history of all amendments made to each members details. (This ability is essential. The users of the database will do more searching/viewing than adding/amending).

This part is working OK.

In the main layout/screen, a few of the fields use Dropdown lists to allow users to quickly input their data. Some of these fields are: 'Factory', 'Occupation', 'Lodge', and 'Group' - and contain 10's of items to select/choose.

For straight-forward data input, these are OK as is, however - what i'm after is to be able to use a 'Maintenance Screen' for each of the above-mentioned fields that would allow a user to update the database (for example, add a new factory or occupation etc). All the relevant data - name, address details, telephone numbers etc would be entered on this screen.

But what i would like to do is have the information from two fields on the 'Maintenance Screen' (on the Factory maintenance screen, these fields are called 'Factory' and 'Group' , on the lodge maintenance screen they are 'Lodge' and 'Group' etc..etc...) to be automatically added as a selectable choice in the Dropdown menu for the relevant field on the main layout/screen.

Firstly, can this be done?

Secondly, if so - how..?

If anybody could please offer advice/help me do one of the screens, i would appreciate it.

Once i've got one done, i could use that knowledge/layout to complete the other similar screens. (Payment could be made for help in completing this task).

Many thanks for your time.

Shane

contact: [email protected]

database_copy.zip

[Zero Tolerence]

What you do is create a table for your Valuelist. I looked at your database there, it seems that you manually typed, or copy/pasted your values in, this is almost always bad practice for huge lists.

I took your values, threw them into a seperate table, and set up your value list for "Factories" to point to that table. Take a look at the value list "Factory New", then Look at the Layout Factories. If you add a new Record to the Table Factories, then a new item will appear on your value list.

210905.fp7.zip

[shaneferguson]

Many thanks for the help.

I'll have a look as soon as i get home.

Kindest regards,

Shane. :thumbup:

[shaneferguson]

Hello Zero,

Many thanks for the file - it's exactly the type of thing that i was looking to do.

One thing though, i hope you could answer

I select 'New Record' in order to add another Factory.

I enter my new Factory ID

I enter my new Factory Name

Select another layout (i.e: Start Menu) to exit out, and save new Factory record.

When i go to add a new member or amend a member's details, if i select the Factory field - the new Factory does indeed appear as required. However, only the Factory ID appears, not the complete ID and Name.

Am i doing something wrong when adding a new Factory..?

Any advice, again would be most appreicated.

Regards,

Shane.

contact: [email protected]

[Genx]

Only the first part in that value list is added i.e. the factory id... the second bit is just tacked on so that when you are choosing it from a value list you know what it means...

i.e. factory 1 = Ford Construction

But it stores only the factory ID not the name itself... if you want it to store the name swap the fields around in the value list.. goto define value lists, edit the value list in question, click specify field and swap them...

make sure this doesnt break down your relationships though...

[shaneferguson]

Thanks.... i'll have a go, and post how i got on.

Kindest Regards,

Shane.

contact: [email protected]

[shaneferguson]

Hi,

As suggested, i've now amended the Value List to suit, and now when i enter a new factory (from the 'Factory' Layout) - both the ID and Name show up on the dropdown list on the main layout as required.

However, now that i can add new factories that appear in the dropdown - i have a problem.

After i've added a new factory, it appears in the dropdown list as required. However, it does not appear on the Factory List shown on the 'Factory' layout (the layout that is used to add a new factory).

How do i go about making the newly added factory show up on this list ?

For reference - I have attached a copy of the database as is.

(Note: Use Membership number '1' to 'Find Member', from here you can amend details and view the dropdown menu mentioned above).

Many thanks for your taking the time to help.

Kindest Regards,

Shane

contact: [email protected]

amended.zip

Edited September 22, 2005 by Guest

[Genx]

... righto, the thing is that 'list' of yours in the factory management section is just a text box... the only way you can add it to that list is:

a) manually copy the result of the "tdrop down value calculation".

specify a script step to do this for you when you click the 'finish' button.

or c) just make glist a drop down list just so you can view what you've entered...

hope that helps...

[shaneferguson]

Thanks - i'm having a look now.

Kindest Regards,

Shane

contact: [email protected]

[shaneferguson]

Thanks for your help in sorting my previous question out.

Now that the 'Factory' part of the database is getting somewhere, i'd like to continue with other parts of the database.

I have 4 or 5 other fields (Occupation, Benfits, Lodge, etc) that i'd like to do the same as what you provided for me with 'Factory' - ie: Add/Amend/Delete.

I can copy the layout and change it to suit each of the new ones, however - and forgive me for yet another dumb question - how did you input the list of factories into the layout to produce the list of existing Factories shown on the right-side of the 'Factory' layout?

Did you use the original value list that i produced, and if so what did you do/how...?

(Told you it was gonna be a dumb question...)

Kindest Regards,

Shane

contact: [email protected]