Immediate Update of Summary Display

[Bill Leppo]

I am selecting one of four named products through four buttons on a layout in the "Selection" file.

Selecting a product using one of the buttons creates a record in the "Items-Ordered" file. These records are then displayed via a portal in the Selection file layout.

The Items-Ordered records contain option fields which are effected by check boxes that appear in the portal on the entry layout of the Selection file. (The numerical values in these fields are the actual costs of the options selected)

Each record of the Items-Ordered file has a calculation field, called Cost, that is the sum of numerical values in the various option fields.

And there also is a summary field called Total Cost that is the sum of the individual fields called Cost. There is also a field called "order number" so that items from a particular order number can be "found." And a summary of the Cost fields can be calculated for a unique order number.

I show that Total Cost value on the Selection layout.

However, the Total Cost value displayed on the Selection layout does not update immediately as I click on various check boxes which effect the options fields. I find that I must click anywhere on the layout to have the value updated. Otherwise the value is blank.

There is a clue: If I open the related file "Items-Ordered" and even hide it behind the Selection layout, the field Total Cost is updated immediately. However, in the Kiosk mode of FileMaker Developer the related file is not open and viewable.

Can anyone help me get immediate viewable results of the Total Cost related summary field?

[Søren Dyhr]

You're not able to watch genuine summary fields from a relation away before upgrading to fm7 or fm8, but Sum( over the relation will do ...eventhough they hang as well. I guess thats what you're refering to, aren't you??

The solution is to use this method:

http://www.dwdataconcepts.com/dl/tm/UPDATE_CALCS.sit

--sd

[Bill Leppo]

Thanks for the response.

To answer your question, the sum of the found group of related files remains blank until I click on the body of the current layout.

I am encouraged by your statement that fm7 or fm8 will accommodate my needs.

[Søren Dyhr]

Files??? I'm not getting it... Must be fields isn't it??? But again do you by script jump to the found set via a GTRR(SO) sort it and procede to preview mode ...or is it a Sum( that can't freshen on alterations made in the portal???

--sd

[Bill Leppo]

IT is a Sum( that can't freshen on alterations made by clicking on check boxes in the portal.

Your help is most appreciated.

[Bill Leppo]

To try to complete this topic I willindicate that Soren Dyhr has been helpful in isolating and solving my issue. When displaying a summary of related fields in a layout it is sometimes necessary to first define a calculation field in the current data base whose equation uses fields from the relative data base. The resulting current field will show related field summaries immediately after those related field summaries change.

Before implementing the layout as described above, it was necessary to click on the layout in order to cause the related information to be updated. If you have further questions about this issue, you can email me and I will try to explain.

Thanks again Soren