Cleaning up Relationships/Creating Records

July 10, 200619 yr

Hello FileMakers!

*big breath*

...Alright, I've got this database halfway there (sorry it's in such a mess), but I have two questions. Firstly, I feel I have far too many different layouts, but I don't know what I should do to trim them down. Most of the ones I feel are extra could, I suppose, be condensed into value lists, as all they do is power them, but something's kept me from doing that because I'm scared some behaviour will change. I think value lists are probably the way to go, but some assurance would be more than welcomed.

Secondly, I realize it was already sort of started here (so is my understanding)

http://fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/177813/

but that thread is so long it confuses me to read through it all. I can't follow the entire thing.

I have a main data entry point that I want to power two (three in the future) other layouts. I can get it to automatically create records of them by tying variables through them (there's a portal on Data Entry, which is indexed to Draft Spec [through Item Number], which contains information in Blends which is entered in data entry, that's a breathful ). Now I know I should be doing/needing to do this. I just want the Draft Spec to automatically create itself when a new Item Number is created in Data Entry, and leave all things (Draft Spec, Blends, etc.) related to Data Entry. I think.