I'm trying to set up a layout that will enable the user to select reports and enter search criteria for these reports. My approach is that this layout has a number of global fields on it (e.g., report name, date of service, principal investigator).

Each of these global fields has a drop down list showing values that are appropriate to each field. For example, g.reportname shows the names of all the layouts for each report I have created.

Another example, the drop down list for principal investigator shows the names of all of the principal investigators (people).

I want to be able to select a value for each of these fields, and then perform a search to find the records to be included. Once the records are found, I want to go to the layout the user selected in g.reportname and preview the report.

I've done this in FMP 5.5, but it appears that you cannot search for a global in FMP 8.5. That is, I want to search all records for the value in g.principal investigator.

I hope this is clear... Thanks so much to everyone who contributes to this forum!

try this... (warning - caffeine deprived )

goto the "layout with globals"

allow the user to interact with the globals filling in the required details.

then have a submit button attached to a script.

in your script:

go to appropriate layout that you wish perform the find on.

enter find mode

set field [your real principal investigator field; g.principal investigator]

then perform find.

if [Get(current found count) > 1]

go to layout by calculation [g.reportsname]

else

halt

endif

Thanks. I'll give it a try... Will let you know