Hi -

I'm trying to create a way for a user to choose a surrogate primary key (serial number) but only see a more descriptive field. FM has the ability to show a value list based on a field, and only show a second variable. However, this seems to only work correctly with popup menus. With a drop down, you see only the second field when you click the field, but when you leave it, you see the actual variable assigned to the field (in this case the surrogate key). This will be confusing to user, but I prefer not to use a popup because it doesn't allow autofill by typing first letters.

Any way to do this? Or some other way to hide the primary field so I could show the descriptive field in merge field?

Example:

Person ID = P00001

Person Name = Michael

Want to assign the ID field, but have the user only see values in Person Name field both when choosing, and after leaving field. Or else not see anything when leaving field, since I could show the Person Name elsewhere.

Not sure why it works in Pop Up but not in drop down.

Thanks!

Michael

It's really very simple. Take your Id field and set it to transparent and set text to the same color as background. Place your name field on top of your ID field and set behaviour so that you cannot change in browse mode. Place the name field on top of the id field. Now when the user clicks on the name field they get a drop down of the ID + Name field. They choose the correct entry and all they see is the name.

HTH

Al

Edited November 20, 200619 yr by Guest