Seperate tables or portals (HELP) - please read details

[Kelly Fisher]

Okay, I don't know how well I will describe what I want to do, but hopefully someone full of knowledge will help me.

I want to create seperate tables that categories distinct bits of information.

For example, it is a bunch of products. I want everything in product A to be in its own table, everything from product B to be in its own table, etc. I want to be able to have a title distinguishing them. Then I want to be able omit things that have been either canceled or complete. How do I create portals? and a script for these. I want it so I can easily print and see what is is currently in production by product line.

My last boss did this, but I don't know how he did and I"m teaching myself filemaker.

Okay thanks.

[Wim Decorte]

Don't use different tables for this. You want one Products table, one record per product.

[Kelly Fisher]

I have one record per product.

I might not have been clear. I want to group the PRODUCT LINE (all the records/products that go under that product line).

Is there a way to create 7 (or so) different "portals" or something that would lay out all the products in one product line together. I want to be able to do so I can sort by the product line (name, number, etc) and have obvious groups of each line? I am not sure if "table" is the correct terminology. In word I would create different tables. In excel, I would have different spreadsheets or tables on one spreadsheet.

Thanks.

(in a new layout, can I create a portal that would have these in table layout format, and then when I go to browse show in list layout?)

[Vaughan]

Do you mean a summary report, where items are grouped under separate headings?

[Kelly Fisher]

Yeah, that sounds right.

To clarify, here is my new question or new way of explaining what I want to do.

I want to create 7 distinct portals. I have 7 different product lines and want each portal to hold all the products from it's own product line. How do I set it up to reference and list only the products from it's product line?

Edited February 15, 2006 by Guest

[Wim Decorte]

How about adding a "product line" table and each product gets a ProductLineID. Relationship between the products table and the product line table on that ID.

Now from a layout based on the product line table you can set a global to a chosen product line and a new relationship between that global and product line ID in the products table will show you all products for the chosen product line.