Match Fields using Formulas rather than exact value matches

[jwmickelson]

In the FileMaker Help I ran across this paragraph in the 'match fields used to create a relationship' section. But this seems unheard of to me, read the following (the ending sentances is where it gets interesting)

The match field in either (or both) the master file or related file can contain a calculation formula. For example, the formula Unit Price in the match field of the master file establishes a relationship to a record (or records) in the related file whose match field contains the value of the Unit Price field in the current record of the master file. You can also define a calculation formula for the match field to match multiple records. For example, the formula Unit Price < 100.00 in the match field of the master file establishes a relationship to all records in the related file whose match field contains a value less than 100.00.

-Copyright

[LiveOak]

I think the description is more than a little deceptive. I think what they are referring to is the creation of relationship with a calculated match field based upon a formula, not the ability to define a key as a formula (and have an inferred range). They might be suggesting:

Key (calculation, number) =

Case(

Price < 100, 1,

Price < 200, 2,

Price < 300, 3,

4

)

This clearly ISN'T the same thing as:

Key (calculation, text) =

"Price < 100"

especially as a real interpreted function.

If there was a way to do this you wouldn't see all of the plug-in activity in the area of entering huge numbers of values to create multi-keys.

-bd

[rogermax]

I know I have tried to duplicate what they outlined for quite some time in many different ways...without success. I can create calculations with a single result and have relationships but not a calc that would give a less than or more than result.

[LiveOak]

You can create calculations that have "more than one result" if this means multiple entries in a multi-key. To display a date range of three days, you can create a multi-key using a calculation that will create in a calculated field:

6/1/2001

[ChrisE]

This doesn't help but, in a way, I'm gratified to find that I was not the only one who encountered that paragraph in the online help and then spent several frustrating days trying to figure what the hell they meant by it .......

It would appear from the posts to date that you CAN'T do "less than" and "greater than" through a portal/relationship, which seems a shame, as it would be sooooooo

useful ......

Cheers

chris