Find interface suggestions

[mr_vodka]

Hi all,

Lets say there is a customer layout that has a portal that shows all records from a category table. This category table only has two fields, category_name and CategoryID. There is a third table that serves as a basic line items table. This table stores the CustomerID along with the CategoryID.

So, the basic functionality on the layout is that there is a portal on the left side that shows all the records from 'Category' (relationship Cartesian Product). When a user clicks on one of the portal entries, it basically adds the CategoryID to the line Items table for that associated CustomerID. The portal on the left then shows the related records from the current customer record to the Line Items table.

This solution will be multiuser. Ok thats the background.

My issue is trying to find the best interface and backend scripting for allowing users to perform a find. I had a few different approaches that I had in mind but I wanted to see if you guys could recommend a better solution.

I was thinking about having a similar looking layout with a mock checkbox button next to each record int he portal (graphical checkbox) that when envoked would run a script to add to a new table, a new entry with the User specific ID and CategoryID. Then I would just use the new FM8 GTRR match all records in found set feature to basically mimick a find.

Your thoughts?

TIA.

[Zero Tolerence]

For my finds I have actually been using a "type ahead portal Filtering" Technique.

Where by the user types in

abc

and the portal shows only things that start with abc and my end users have loved that.

[mr_vodka]

Hi Zero,

Thanks for your input.

The problem with that is that method would require multiple entries for multiple finds.

Basically, if the user wanted to find lets say all the customers for 30 different categories, it would take too long. It would be much more convenient to just select the 30 categories from a portal or something and then one clikc find.

[Zero Tolerence]

Then perhaps this might be what your wanting.

Have a portal with all the different Catagories in it. Have the field, when clicked, trigger a script. Something like this.

new field tRelationship_Data1

If(Get (ActiveModifierKeys) = "Whatever shift is"

Set Field tRelationship_Data1 = "¶" & table::tCatagory

Else

Set Field tRelationship_Data1 = table::tCatagory

End If

relate tRelationshp_Data1 to table::tCatagory. Since they are both text fields having them return separated makes the tRelationship_Data1 field related to every field that they click on. Show a portal based off of this relationship and that will show you all the customers for every catagory they shift+clicked on.