Repeating Fields

[Nemo]

Ok trying to Explain as best i can...

I have a data base consisting of 4 fields, Data Link, CSI number, Trade name, and Com number. Each is a repeating field with 30 repetitions. In a related Table I have the four fields copied with the same repetitions. I have the com number set as a drop down list with the Value list being the trade name and com number. When I try to populate the related repetitions based on which com number and trade I do, it automatically fills all repetitions. Is there a reason why this occurring or is there a trick to using related fields in this manner? In our solution we need to be able to choose a variety of trades to import; the com and csi numbers are used externally to track and identify the trades. Any Ideas?

[Reed]

Why are you using the repeating fields rather than just setting up related tables? Repeating fields are only left as a holdover from the old days of Filemaker when it had no relational capabilities. They are still here because certain developers had made use of them for certain display techniques, but they shouldn't be used to store related data... that will only cause problems down the road.

[Nemo]

Were not actually using them to store data, were using repeating fields to retrieve data. In our schema we have 30 sets of fields consisting of Trade, CSI, Com, and the data link, In the table "CSI codes" they are mearly stored, However in our other Table "OCO" wich is using repeating fields, we need a way of holding 30 different instances of the information, We were hoping we could use repeating fields so that we didnt need to define 90 seperate fields. Is there an easier way of doing this? Or am i just going to have to define the 90+ fields as holders?

[Vaughan]

No, don't define 90+ fields as holders.

Read up on relational design and use related records to store the data.