Sorting a manually entered Value list ?

[xoomaster]

I have been searching for a method to let my users alphabetically sort a value list. Finally It occured to me !

You can creat a field and have the field be set to the value of ValueListItems ( fileName ; valueList ) of that value list and then use that field's content as a value list.

Or an easier way is to set up a table and have only one record in that table, and keep a field for every Value list. Then make valuelists using the content of the new table's fields which will be automatically sorted.

I hope this helps.

Xoomaster.

[ThatOneGuy]

Hi xoomaster:

You can creat a field and have the field be set to the value of ValueListItems ( fileName ; valueList ) of that value list and then use that field's content as a value list.

Kinda cool.

Have you tried?...

• Define new Value List

• Use values from field ... select the proper table occurrence and field

• Under Value List Contents, activate Include all values

• Without using any sorting options available when we have two fields involved in the value list, FileMaker automatically alphabetizes the target field's values.

Does this deliver similar results, or am I overlooking a nuance of your technique?

Nonetheless, Value Lists have some abilities that are less apparent. The day I discovered I could reference a field which is populated with pilcrow-separated values was the day I solved an "Addressee" picker situation for correspondence. The field is a calculation that contains assorted permutations of an individual's name, ranging from casual to formal. A separate table occurrence to isolate the individual is required.

... as long as we're throwing out ideas! :beertime:

[xoomaster]

This is usable for VL that are manually entered and are not sorted. Usually this happens when a Value List grows much bigger than intended and then one realizes that finding a value from the list is not as easy as used to be. That is when sorting becomes a neccessity.

The method above is almost going backword, meaning that you already have a VL and now you want to display a sorted version of it !

Another thing that can be done is to sort a value of a Field X by setting its value to a VL and resetting the Field X back to the sorted values.

This one is a bet confusing but can be done.

Edited November 9, 2006 by Guest

[ThatOneGuy]

Usually this happens when a Value List grows much bigger than intended and then one realizes that finding a value from the list is not as easy as used to be. That is when sorting becomes a neccessity.... The method above is almost going backword, meaning that you already have a VL and now you want to display a sorted version of it !

Okay, I can see where that would be useful. Thank you for taking time to distinguish it for me.

Another thing that can be done is to sort a value of a Field X by setting its value to a VL and resetting the Field X back to the sorted values. This one is a bet confusing but can be done.

Kind of a "preventive maintenance" tool, isn't it.