Value Lists

[Guse]

Hope this is the right forum and that I'm able to describe this properly.

I have a question concerning making a dynamic value list. This is for a purchase order requisition system.

I already have a table of "requestors" that also contains a field with the maximum dollar value that they're allowed to authorize. There are, of course, many more $0 authorization amounts than not. The "Name" field from that table is already a value list for "requestors".

I'd like to somehow make another value list based on that table which would only include the "names" of people that have approval amounts over $0.

I know I could make another table of "Authorizers", but using the same table again would limit the amount of administration needed when an authorized amount changes... well, half the work.

If this is possible, great! If not, I understand. I'm not sure if you can use "If" statments in value lists.

Thanks.

[Søren Dyhr]

If this is possible, great! If not, I understand.

This a weird kind of understanding you have there, where I come from does understanding require knowledge ...quite opposed to believes as such.

Basicly is slicing and dicing data to requirements what databases as tool does and dynamic valuelists have been posible ever since fm3, although some spit and polish indeed were required back then in 1995 to make it work. Ever since fm5 have dynamic valuelists been included straight away over relations sans workarounds. So if you datastructure exhibit such virtues should it be smooth sailing.

Should the list be strained during the entry of orders? So outstanding bills disqualify a customer from buying before paying outstanding invoices??

--sd

[Guse]

It doesn't exactly matter when the list is filtered.

Basically, list 1 has... say, 60 names in it. 10 of those have corresponding values greater than 0. The resulting value list should only include those 10 names associated with values greater than 0.

Can you use a calculation when defining a value list? I've never had the desire/need to try this before...

[comment]

Seems very similar to this.

[Søren Dyhr]

The usual way to build dynamic valuelists is by defining a relation and here would non equi-join (theta) relationships type make the selection:

http://www.filemaker.com/help/07-Related%20files8.html

...and here would 3rd thru 6th jointype shown be relevant. The question is just how versed you are in relations. Do you need a template or are you able to make it via these instructions only??

The ugly denormalized way, is to make an extra indexed calc'field to build your list on, containing this:

Case ( Int ( theMax );aName )

But it's very very naugty to do so, because you both introduce a redundant field as well as a new index to maintain.

--sd

[Guse]

I ended up just creating another table called "Approvers" and used the Name field as the value list.

It's what I was trying to avoid, but I've already wasted enough minutes to cover years of maintainance on that value list trying to come up with a way to avoid maintainance.

THanks for all your help.