Hi, I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to jump to records via a pull down menu.

For example, if I had a database of records each containing a first name field and a last name field. I would like a pull down menu where you see a list of all the last names, and when you select a last name from that pull down menu, you are taken to the record containing that last name.

I've included a basic demo file hoping someone could help out and tweak it so it does what I want. I can get the pull down list to show the names, it just doesn't do anything. Can anybody please help me figure out how to make it work?

PullDownNav.zip

FileMaker does not natively do this, i.e., take an action, such as running a script, after a field is changed. You need a plug-in to do this. There are several available, free, such as at: http://www.softs4humans.com

There are often some things to watch out for when using these plug-ins, trapping that the current record is still the active record, etc.. But using it for what you want is safe and simple. Though I would make that Menu field a global (Storage global); it will work better; there's only 1 choice per table.

Hi

it can be made without a plugin...

Give a try to the attachment.

BTW: What if there are more than one identical surname ? In that case you can only display all the clients with identical surname into a portal and than go to the choosed one.

PullDownNavMod.zip

Thanks for the ideas guys... Fenton, using the EventScript plugin seems like it will do exactly the trick, but getting it to work seems a little beyond my novice FMPro skills

Raybaudi, your method is much more my skill level and works great - but unfortunately I need the pull down menu to exist on the same layout as all the client records I'm trying browse with it, so I can still easily add & edit & use the client records. I tried moving your demo's pull down nav to the client layout but it wouldn't work that way... oh well.

It's not that hard. This file has 2 simple pop-up menus, one based on the LastFirst calculation field, the other based on an auto-enter serial ID. Either works. You're not really using all the capabilities of the plug-in, as you're only changing a global field, which is not "real" data.

The technique was the same as in the "S4H_QuickJumpMenus.fp7" file, which is on their website.

S4H_QuickJumpMenus.fp7:

http://idisk.mac.com/forg99/Public/Dnloads/S4H_QuickJumpMenus_v2.zip

Main page:

http://www.softs4humans.com/index_en.html

P.S. I added a "Go" button; in case someone doesn't have the plug-in they can just click that instead.

[ The scripts are triggered on the global "choice" fields, in Define Database, Fields, by the auto-enter options, by calculation, with [ ] "Do not replace" unchecked.]

Events_PU_Menu.zip

Edited December 27, 200619 yr by Guest
auto-enter calculation

Hi Fenton

just a curiosity...

Do ( on Mac platform ) pull down menus work different from Windows ?

Poke into forgiveness in this:

http://developer.apple.com/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/OSXHIGuidelines/XHIGHIDesign/chapter_5_section_2.html

So...it does and should!

--sd

Hi Soren

thanks for the link...

It seems that pull down menus are under "Selection Controls"

...but I coudn't find a difference there ! ( if there is a difference )

Fenton. Your demo was great! Thanks. I was able to figure out how to do exactly what I needed thanks to your help.

Cheers!

...but I coudn't find a difference there ! ( if there is a difference )

You should click something to make the list appear, while tabbing your cursor from field to field making the list appear not quite is embraced. The metaphor requires a more deliberate action from the user ...that provides a rollback as well.

But to give you some herodotic approaching to the matter, give this some thoughts as well:

http://acm.org/cacm/AUG96/antimac.htm

--sd

Edited December 28, 200619 yr by Guest
added raybaudi to the quote

:thanks: Lee!

--sd