2 value list related questions

[sean o mac]

OK, I am FINALLY moving a fairly involved solution from FM6 to FM8.5 and in the process consolidating about 8 files into a single file with 8 tables instead. For the most part I am getting just how much better and easier it is to do what I need to do, but even with dozens of great workflow improvements, I still have 2 things are still eluding me.

The first is that I can't seem to figure out how to redo the conditional value lists I had working in FM6.

A simplified version of what I am trying to do:

I have one table (events) that was related to another table (venues), the name of which I used to have show up in a value list which was conditional to Country (so I could keep the list of venues to a reasonable length). The Country field wash a field located in both tables. For some reason, its eluding me how to duplicate this in FM8.5, though its either a change in terminology or something with how relationships are established that is making it obscure to my FM6 trained mind.

The other is something I HEAR you can do in FM7 (and above) and I am just trying to find out how to do it if its possible.

Very simply, in my consolidation of the files the table Venues is related now to the table Events with a simple pk_record id::fk_record id relationship. I want to be able to use a value list like the one mentioned above to identify the record I wish to choose and also to fill in the rest of the related fields. It was my understanding that in FM7 and above, instead of typing in the record ID number (which achieves the result I want), I can either pull from a value list or type into a field (say the Venue Name in this case) and it will do the same thing. In other words, I don't need to use the fk_record ID field at all to locate the record I am looking for. I also understood that in a simlar fashion you can start typing into the field and that it will autocomplete if the record already exists (as well as filling in the rest of the related fields. Please let me know how to do this if you can as once again this detail is eluding me at the moment.

Other than that, I'm really LOVING FM8.5 advanced and I am really finding that migrating and converging the files is a lot easier than I expected (thank god).

thanks for you help if you can offer it...

Edited February 28, 2007 by Guest

[Vaughan]

I'd recommend doing the conversion in two stages: first, get the multi-file system working. Then and only then consider reducing the file count.

I've done some big projects this way, and it's the most efficient by far. It's also good because after stage 1 is done the clients have a working system again.

[sean o mac]

To clarify, the system IS working as a fully functional converted FM8.5 file with all file references intact. I have since archived it and am in now in the process of consolidating one file at a time. With that in mind, any input as to the original query would be greaty appreciated.

thanks

[comment]

I don't think there's a fundamental difference between the versions in this regard. You need TWO relationships from Events to Venues, one based on Country, the other on VenueID. The first relationship is used to filter the values, the second is the 'real' link between event and its selected venue.

You need to have two occurences of the Venues table on the relationships graph for this (make sure it's not the other way around, because layouts are tied to TO's).