Arranging entries as steps in a procedure

[Andy James]

Please forgive the newbie. I'm a classroom teacher and not a hardcore FM user.

I'd like to have a table of small actions for the classroom. "Write down a word," "make a drawing," "change one thing," etc. The details are not important. You could, if you like, think instead of the steps in ScriptMaker: "Go to Field," "Insert Text," etc. Each of these steps would be a record in the table.

I'd then like to be able to combine those steps in a particular order into a sequence, just as you would arrange steps in ScriptMaker. The sequence gets a name and itself becomes a step.

Then those steps can be combined with other steps to make more sequences, which can become steps used to make more sequences, and so on to any arbitrary amount.

I haven't the foggiest how to implement this. My sticking point -- there may be others -- comes in arranging the steps in a particular order (I assume they can't be dragged around within a portal the same way you drag steps around in ScriptMaker.)

Any help, especially a general strategy, will be a great help and of use in the classroom.

[Tim W]

Hi Andy,

What you describe seems simple enough, until you add "Then those steps can be combined with other steps to make more sequences, which can become steps used to make more sequences, and so on to any arbitrary amount.", which greatly complicates the hierachy. Upto this point the relationships can be static, but past this point the relationships become dynamic. Quite a jump for any developer.

What do you mean by an "arbitrary amount"? Infinite levels deep?

A structure could be designed such as to allow: tasks, proceedures & projects. But such a structure would be defined (not infinite), however very powerful if used creatively.

I will think on such an idea, but to group groups of groups together can easily become infinitely confusing for humans to think about.

If I can produce such a demo, I will return and make it available.

Tim

[bruceR]

This is really just like a manufacturing problem, creating assemblies out of individual parts, then creating other assemblies from assemblies; and that is probably the area where you will find helpful information. It will involve a join table and once the basic structure is set up it then extending it to N levels requires no further work.