portal records different via IWP

[winklestork]

If the relation between table A and table B is an equjoin on the primary key, then all related records in B show in a portal on a layout from A, on both the client and IWP. As expected.

If I add a status field to the relation, intending to show only "Open" related records in the portal, it works on the client but shows nothing via IWP. In table A, I'm using a global calculation set to "Open."

Am I doing something wrong or is IWP doing something wrong?

[Reed]

Try not setting the calculation field to global, just make it a constant calc field with the result "Open"

Since it doesn't have any field references, it will be the same for all records w/o being a global field.

If you set a global field from one client machine IWP or not, that global field value will not be seen from other client machines, as they are session specific. The only way to set a default value for a global field is to set it while the file is opened directly on the local machine by FMP, and then close the file.

[winklestork]

That worked, thank you. But I'd like to understand why. It seems I have a fundamental misunderstanding.

I often use global fields for relations. In this case, the global was a constant so I defined it with a calculation thinking all sessions would see the same value. They don't? Do you have to have an initialization script, say at logon, that sets constant globals?

In this case, it only adds (I assume) a bit of storage overhead since "Open" is stored in each record. But for other purposes I have a "session" table that has no records, only globals, defining things I want to be constant for all sessions, like the mailserver address. I know it has to be set for each session, but I thought defining it as a calculation would do it.

The basic question is, if I define a global as a calculation, is it only calculated for the "server" client and not remote clients and IWP? Is an initialization script required?