drop down menu - list of records

[Juba]

I am doing an invoice and I want to have the client list on a drop down menu and then just select it, I have done it.

But when I change the name of the client it does not update in the invoice, how can I get this done? Thanks,

Juba

[Johnny5]

Well when you set up the value list it uses the values that you have entered or referenced. So when you have a field that you define with that value list, and then select a value from that list, the field data will be whatever you set it to be at that time.

Just because you change a value later on in that value list does not make every record which you have set to that value change.

Lets say you have a value list with: Bob, Jack, Sara in it. Once you select lets say the value 'Bob' into the field 'client', the data in that record will now be 'Bob'.

So if you then go and change the list to be Kate, Jack, Sara, all the records that you have already set to Jack will not change to Kate. Only going forward, will you be able to select Kate now from the list.

There is a way around if you need to do it that way even though i dont fully understand why you would have to. If you create a table and have a value for each name, and then in your select box you set that value instead of the name, it would reference back to the original table.

So ID 1 - Bob, 2 - Jack, 3 - Sara. Now in the original table, if I change the data field to be 1 instead of the name itself and then havea relationship to that Names table, then if I change the value of ID 1 to 'Kate', since it is only a reference, it will change across all records.

[Juba]

Well I am doing an invoice system and what if I want to pull all the invoice from Bob? and since the name has changed how can I do this?

Thanks,

Juba

[Juba]

I have done this:

Select from a list then it displays the id number, how do I tell a text object (this is how I call it) change the content of it to the name of the client getting the id from the other box? Thanks,

Julius

[mr_vodka]

Juba

Try this to see if its what you are looking for.

invoice_pulldown.zip

[Juba]

That is what I need, but will have to check it slowly since I am new to this, is there another forum for FM? Thanks,

Julius

[mr_vodka]

There are a few different forums out there but i like this one. }:|

On the sample file that I posted, it basically breaks down like this. I have a table for the invoices. In the invoices, there is a field for ClientID Number. If someone wanted, you can type in the actual ID number of teh client but since that is not practical, there is a value list that is created.

When Defining of the value list there is an option to display values from a second field and also a checkbox showing 'Show only values from second field'. If this is unchecked, you will see both the ID number and the name so it would be '00001 Bob' in the value list. By checking this, you allow the user to only see the value from the second field.

Now when you select a value from the value list, either through a drop down, popup, or radio button etc, it will change the value of that field to the PRIMARY field, not second field value of the value list, which in this case is the Client ID. So, the field is changed to '1' not 'Bob'.

In the case for a popup list, it will not show 1, but rather will show the second field value 'Bob' to the user but again actually the value of that field is 1 not Bob. It just displays as 'Bob'

But in the case of Drop Downs it will show the actual value of '1'. So since you dont want your users to see that, you would put the related field on the layout from the Invoices table. This field would cover up over the field that has the value 1 and you would make it non enterable so that the user cant click in it. This forces the user to click on the field in the background which is enterable with a drop down. So, to the user, when they click the field, there are actually two fields there. One that is enterable in the background with a drop down option and the other which is NOT enterable that sits on top of it; and since it is related to the value of the background field, as soon as you change the value of the background field from lets say '1' to '3', the name will change on the related second field. This makes the user feel like they have changed it directly. So it is a little trickery.

I hope that this clears a little up for you.

[Juba]

Ok I am putting it in my file, but I get a new layout and then put the id: and the droplist and then when I want to add the portal setup when I want to select the show related records from the invoice table is greyed out? Any idea? Thanks,

Julius

[Juba]

Ok now I am getting closer, but when I select another clien on the list it changed the name or the data I am displaying with the data on the old invoice on the list, something is wrong somewhere and I cannot find it, let me know, thanks,

Julius

[mr_vodka]

Why dont you post your file and I will take a look. It seems as if you are possibly using the wrong relationship.

[Juba]

Thanks for the help, here it goes.

SolucionLogica.zip

[mr_vodka]

Maybe I am missing something. Please walk me through the process of where you are having trouble. As you wanted, when you change the name of the client from Juan to Pedro, it sucessfully display for all previous records 'Pedro'. This is what you had wanted to achieve no?

[Juba]

Please do that a couple of times, select one and then the other, then go to the clients database and you will see it changed the names or the id sometimes, let me know, thanks,

Julius

[mr_vodka]

Currently on your 'Facturas' layout the nombre field is enterable. This field should not be able to be entered. Take a look at the modified file.

SolucionLogica_nuevo.zip

[Juba]

I am trying to modify on mine so I can learn but I do not get the dropdown menu, how do I get it to? thanks,

Juba

[mr_vodka]

just move the top field out of the way.

[Juba]

Currently on your 'Facturas' layout the nombre field is enterable. This field should not be able to be entered. Take a look at the modified file.

How do I get this done:

This field should not be able to be entered.

Thanks,

[mr_vodka]

Right click on the field in layout mode.

Go to 'Field/Control' --> 'Behavior'

Uncheck the checkboxes for allowing field to be entered.

[Juba]

I did this so that in browse mode it does not accept change but I do not get the menu then?

This is crazy for me.

Thanks,

[mr_vodka]

You are doing it to the wrong field. The field that should not be allowed to be entered is the one that is on forefront / top! The background field must still be allowed to be enterable and has the popup value list.

[Juba]

Did not know they were to fields there, I thought it was only one , I am learning, slowly but learning, I will look at it now, thanks,

JBarber

[Juba]

Could you check this for me and see if its like this, it looks like its working ok , thanks for your patience :P

SolucionLogica.zip

[mr_vodka]

I thought that I had made it clear enough in the original sample that I posted and the followup post that there were two fields. I guess there was some misunderstanding.

Taken from previous post

So since you dont want your users to see that, you would put the related field on the layout from the Invoices table. This field would cover up over the field that has the value 1 and you would make it non enterable so that the user cant click in it. This forces the user to click on the field in the background which is enterable with a drop down. So, to the user, when they click the field, there are actually two fields there. One that is enterable in the background with a drop down option and the other which is NOT enterable that sits on top of it; and since it is related to the value of the background field, as soon as you change the value of the background field from lets say '1' to '3', the name will change on the related second field. This makes the user feel like they have changed it directly. So it is a little trickery.

As for your file, yes it seems to work but I would suggest two small things.

1. Change the text of field 'idcliente' (background field) to the same text color as the color of your body background. It is some shade of yellow right now.

2. Change the same field 'idcliente' (background field) to have no fill (Go to fill pattern option and select the first one where there are two white squares)

[Juba]

Thanks that really helps!.

Will open another topic for another question I have. thanks,

JBarber