Choosing Multiple Options from Drop Down

[Nagasaki]

Hello,

Where I work we have a database of items, and when possible, we note how things are made. Instead of having people free hand write down what the decorative processes of an item are, we want them to choose from a menu listing the processes (like cross-hatching, stippling, incising, etc). The purpose of this is maintaining vocab control.

Is there a way to choose multiple options from a drop-down menu? I want the user to be able to choose as many options as they need, but without have to show the entire long list of terms on the page (like I know I can choose multiple things using radio buttons, but I don't want to have 20 + terms displayed outright on the page because I think it would look inelegant). If I can clarify, let me know.

After this, I tackle conditional value lists!

[mr_vodka]

Try using a popup menu instead in conjunction with the shift key.

[LaRetta]

There is possibility that the User's finger will slip off that shift key and they will lose all their choices. It might be irritating. And if they just once forget to hold the shift (whether initially or if they change their mind and go back to the field), they will lose their selections as well. It might be worthwhile to use an entry field from which selections are made (List) and an accumulative field (RealList) to hold all selections. You would establish an Auto-Enter calculation to RealList thus:

RealList & List & ¶

... then be sure to UNCHECK 'Do Not Replace Existing Value'. Just place both fields on the layout; turn off 'Enter in Browse' from RealList field behavior. It seems a bit more forgiving and it could be used with drop-down (but it will allow duplicates). Is it worth another field? Well, List can be global. I'm unsure if this might work for you but here's an auto-enter calc which would eliminate possibility of duplicates from RealList and would accomplish the task:

FilterValues ( ValueListItems ( Get ( FileName ) ; "YourValueList" ) ; RealList & list & ¶ )

With slight modification, RealList could accumulate the selections in comma-separated list instead (which would take up little space) and User might appreciate seeing all their selections at a glance. I'm a power User and even I've forgotten to hold the shift when I select. And I've gotten irritated at the Developer (me, blush). There are many ways to go here, depending upon your need.

LaRetta

[Ender]

I think the best solution here is to use a portal of related "selected items". You can still use a menu selection for the item within the portal, but the portal will only show those items that have been selected. This is very understandable to users (much more so than a multi-selected pop-up that only shows the first value).

Another advantage is being able to then generate sub-summary reports or counts of the selected items. This is not so simple with a multi-line field.

[Søren Dyhr]

This is not so simple with a multi-line field

But only just!

http://fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/186012/post/246988/hl//

Anyway I fully with you to avoid the dropdown for the entire selection process, and would usually solve such matters in the vicinity of what I just made a template showing:

http://www.fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/186050/post/247162/#247162

--sd

[Ender]

But only just!

Thanks for the reminder, but let's not encourage it for this typical design. The discussion and solutions in the first thread were for a unique case. But data entry in general should stick with 1NF.

Anyway I fully with you to avoid the dropdown for the entire selection process, and would usually solve such matters in the vicinity of what I just made a template showing:

I assume you're agreeing with me, but again I can't figure out what the referenced template has to do with anything. :qwery:

Maybe in the future, you should just stick to agreeing with me, and leave it at that. :(

[Søren Dyhr]

But is it gadflying??

--sd

[Nagasaki]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I just tried LaRetta's and it worked like a dream, except I can't delete the selections once they've been made... does anyone know what to do about this? I asked LaRetta, but she (or he? ) is traveling and suggested I post it here to see if I could get some other feedback.

Thanks!

Edited April 13, 2007 by Guest

[Nagasaki]

Just so I can learn how to do this multiple ways, I am also trying the portal route...let me know if I am way off here - I tried to set it up by have a self join through the field "decorative process options." It is a pop-up field attached to a value list of all the decorative process options we have. However, I can only select one item to show up on the portal - I try selecting multiple, and instead of adding it, it just replaces what I had selected previously. I know I am doing something (many things?) wrong, the question now is what?