checking repeating fields all at once ?

[Steven Cappiello]

Is there a way to check all repetitions of a repeating field for some pattern at once and if it does not exist, go to an empty repetition to enter a new entry for that pattern you were checking for ??

i.e.

check for "Smith"

Johson

Jackson

Sanjay

__

__

so enter "Smith"

or

search for "Smith"

Johnson

Smith

Frank

then add some date of checking to the "Smith" entry in the repeating field notes for that repetition ??

[Søren Dyhr]

First part of your question is pretty harmless, by exploiting that each repetition is behaving as a criteria of a multiline relational key. What it then takes to establish if Smith is in one of them is make an extra criteria from recordID to recordID, the other one should be the seach-entry to the repeater.

But you second part of the question, gives you away.... Here is absolutely no excuse not to ditch repeaters right away, now you're dealing with stuff that obviously needs to be broken out in records in a new table.

This leads back to the first part of your question, where you are about get your feet wet, is that you use peoples names and not a recordID or a reference to record. This is the only way repeaters ought to be utilized ...never ever human readable data only behind the screens manipulation.

--sd

[Steven Cappiello]

sorry Søren,

I guess I missed your point...

I'm using repeating fields to list reference letter writers that will often be new names.. it has up to now worked well for users to just enter the names..

is what you're saying that you think I should have the referee assignments be a join between an applicant and a referee table... ??

[Steven Cappiello]

so... when are repeaters justifiably utilized ??

[Søren Dyhr]

For ushering in images and relational keys, all other uses is breaking 1NF which dictate one atomic fact per field ...this means reserve them for utility purposes only. Never ever store something a user might throw his eyes at or even worse manipulate.

--sd

[Steven Cappiello]

OK.. so perhaps I should have started with..

this is an active system I'm helping out with..

I do use portals and relationships when appropriate I think.. but in this case.. they're using a repeating field to display referees...

I've written a script that just looks at all of them one repetition at a time... dirty but works perfectly.. so I'm happy.

I was just wondering if there was some way to look at all the repeating values in one step.

Thanks Søren

[Søren Dyhr]

Now that I feel you have been appropriately cautioned, could you combine this:

http://www.briandunning.com/cf/250

....and this:

http://www.filemaker.com/help/FunctionsRef-369.html

Pretty straight forward I would say, although it is what it is solving a denormalized problem. Suddenly hearing Contry Joe McDonalds tune "Fixing To Die Rag" for my inner ear!

--sd

Edited September 21, 2006 by Guest