Jump to content

Portal Problems


This topic is 8288 days old. Please don't post here. Open a new topic instead.

Recommended Posts

I am doing an inventory of this publishing company. I have One database to list computer ID, serial number, ram, etc, and a portal to a second database that has software title, it's version, and its serial number.

I want to use web companion so that I can go to each computer in the company, and enter all of the data for that machine over the web. The problem is, I go to make a new record, I fill in all the data, but I am only allowed to enter one item of software. When in Filemaker, I can enter as many software titles as I want into the portal, but on the web, it only lets me edit existing entries, not create new ones....

Can anybody help me?? I'd really appreciate it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • Newbies

I'm having similar problems with Portals.

Through Web Companion, I can't enter any data into the portal unless something is already there (the only way to input to begin with is FMP directly).

Have you had any luck finding an answer?

I am using 5.0v1.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use FMP 4 things might be different with FMP 5.

The way that I do it is to locate the master record first, then completely break out into the related database and avoid using portals (I use portals just for listing options, not for adding and editing records -- it people want to edit a record they've got to click on it forst which takes them into the related database.)

The flow is a bit like this: through the web the users search the first database and find the computer, the software will be listed in a portal with links on each line that go to the related record (this works well). To add or edit a software record they have to click on the link which takes them out of the master db and into the related db.

This completely avoids the use of portals and make for a slightly less confusing interface for the user and the developer since work in different databases appears on different pages.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

Vaughan (or anyone else who can advise me):

I hope you see this post (it's a year later than the last one). I like Vaughan's method of linking from a portal in one format file to another format file to work with related records. It's a good idea which would be much simpler to understand (for maintenance folks later down the line) and/or modify than other methods I've heard of.

After I read his post, I tried to implement something similar. But I can't figure out how to go to the correct related record in the second format file. How do you pass the related record's record ID or other key to the second format file?

Thanks!

Skye

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The easiest way (& this I learnt recently thanks to Jeff Spall) is to carry the value of the link field forward in the URL.

That is, FMP Field Name in Link file = value of link from current file & -new.

If there are any other values you wish to carry forward, you can either carry them forward as mentioned above (though that can make your URL very long), or set them up as Lookup fields from the main file.

Trust this makes sense.

Rgds, Partha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks very much for responding!

I had indeed read the post in which Jeff Spall responded to your questions. In fact, that's how I got the idea to try the code below, set up as a button within a portal, to allow the user to link to the format file which will display and allow editing of the related record.

<A HREF=FMPro?

-db=NRT%20Contacts.fp5&

-format=manager_contacts.htm&

-error=manager_error.htm&

-lay=All%20fields&

-op=eq&

ContactsRecID=[FMP-field: NRT Contacts::ContactsRecID]>

<FONT SIZE="+2" COLOR="#CC0000">

<B><IMG SRC="images/update_this_recd.gif"

ALT="Button: Go to update this record"

WIDTH=165 HEIGHT=21

X-CLARIS-USEIMAGEWIDTH X-CLARIS-USEIMAGEHEIGHT BORDER=0

ALIGN=bottom></B>

</FONT>

(NRT Contacts.fp5 is the related file; the master file and NRT Contacts have a one-to-many relationship. ContactsRecID is NRT Contacts.fp5's unique "key" field.)

When I view my format file's source code via a browser, here's what it looks like:

<CENTER><A HREF=FMPro?

-db=NRT%20Contacts.fp5&

-format=manager_contacts.htm&

-error=manager_error.htm&

-lay=All%20fields&

-op=eq&

ContactsRecID=1043>

<FONT SIZE="+2" COLOR="#CC0000">

<B><IMG SRC="images/update_this_recd.gif" ALT="Button: Go to update this record" WIDTH=165 HEIGHT=21 X-CLARIS-USEIMAGEWIDTH X-CLARIS-USEIMAGEHEIGHT BORDER=0 ALIGN=bottom></B>

</FONT></CENTER>

This looks like exactly what I wanted, but when I try to use it, I get Error 4 (Command is unknown).

I'm obviously doing something wrong. I would certainly appreciate your feedback on this!

I would also love to be able to see sites where things like this are up and working. I learn a lot from examples. Can anyone point me to a site where someone successfully jumps from a format file which looks at a portal to another format file which allows editing of related records?

Thanks!

[ July 19, 2001: Message edited by: Skye Ridley ]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dear Skye,

It's easier to pick up the value from the portal.

Presuming that the portal is called "Link_Contact", and the unique value in the file is "ID_Contact", then the most convenient way to pick the record up is: -

<A HREF=FMPro?

-db=NRT%20Contacts.fp5&

-format=manager_contacts.htm&

-error=manager_error.htm&

-lay=All%20fields&

-op=eq&

ID_Contact=[FMP-field: Link_Contact::ID_Contact]

& -Find>

If you want to find ALL the related records, then just use the common contact value to find data from the related field, which will be easier as then you pick up the value from your main file, and run a search in the field that you are relating it with.

I would also suggest removing the spaces (%20) from the file and field names as this has caused me some wierd problems once in a while - especially with Netscape which is not as forgiving as Internet explorer!

Aslo, does the 'manager_contacts.htm' refer to fields from 'NRT_Contacts' or the master file ?

If you still have a problem, do let me know, and I'll mail you the files that Jeff had so kindly forwarded me for refering to.

Rgds, Partha

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is 8288 days old. Please don't post here. Open a new topic instead.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.