How to setup a layout to get data from a related table

[empedia]

Hi,

I am pretty new to Filemaker although I am experienced in developing for Access and SQL Server etc. Anyway I'm trying to setup a simple database to track backups using Filemaker Pro 8.

I have two tables - called Media and Tapes with a relationship between the two through the MediaID field which I have setup to allow new Tape records to be created through this relatinship etc.

The Media table also has a field called Media Label. I want to setup a layout for Tapes which allows me to create a new tape record with an associated MediaID but by selecting a Media Label rather than a Media ID in the layout.

I have setup a value list for Media Label using Media ID as the first field and Media Label as the second and I've added this as a popup menu on my Tapes layout.

Here is where I start to get confused. I want the user to be able to select a Media Label from the popup - the resulting Media Label value should then be displayed in the field however the value which should stored in the tapes table should obviously be the corresponding media ID.

I would have thought this should be relatively easy to do but I'm getting confused with the terminology I think.

So firstly I specified the field for the popup menu as the foreign key field in the tapes table for the media ID.

Secondly I specified control style as Popup Menu presumably specifying Display Values From as the Value list I setup earlier - I didn't tick the Other... box as I don't want users to create new values here.

However now is where I have a problem I think as I don't know what to specify in the Display Data From option - what does this actually mean as it seems very ambiguous to me - I thought I already specified to display data from my value list. Anyway whatever I try doesn't seem to work - either the value for Media Label is overwritten in the Media table or the foreign key field contains the text of Media Label and not the ID.

Is there some kind of tutorial on setting this kind of thing up anywhere. I don't want to use a portal to do this btw because strictly this relationship is a one to one - Tape is a "kind of" Media and only one record in Tapes can be associated with a record in Media.

I realise this is a bit long-winded but I'm really struggling here so thanks for any help.

[aldipalo]

Take a look at this file for an example. Specifically, go to Jobs layout and create a new record.

HTH

Al

Sales_Rep.zip