Validation?/Calculation?

[osiris612mb]

I am not sure what I need here for this to work, but I am assuming it is some type of validation criteria.

I have two fields in question here, one being dependant on the first

Field1 - for the most part will be blank but on some occasions will have info in it (a flag basically) When this flag is set Field2 needs attention.

Field2 - will only need info in it IF Field1 has the flag set. Otherwise NEEDS to be empty. The data that gets entered into Field2 comes from a value list.

My first attempt was to set filed2 to validate by "member of a value list" but this does not work since there is a good amount of time that this field will need to be empty.

So- I made a calculation

Field2= (If Field1 ="flag" ; "[color:red]need to enter in something for Field2) This was hoping to say that if Field1 had the flag set enter, it will enter in "ned to enter in something for field2" to 1)let the client know the field needs data, and 2) not validate since it does not match anything in the value list. Otherwise do nothing since the field needed to be left empty anyhow.

Does this all make sense?

I added in a field into the value list that is just a period"." and tried to auto-enter in the period"." on creation to field2 - this would satisfy the validating by value list, and through an auto-enter calculation if the flag on Field1 is set to "flag" then change field2 to "need to enter..." as was the calc orignally.

But when I add the validation for member of a value list, the auto-enter calc does not work nor does the valiation on the field.

Can anyone help me? Let me know if this is clear, or more info is needed.

Thanks in advance

[sbg2]

Validation calcs always trip me up but I think the calculation you are looking for is:

If(

(IsEmpty(Field1) and IsEmpty(Field2)) or

Field1="flag" and not IsEmpty(Field2);

1)

[David Jondreau]

sbg2 looks right, but just to clarify, ditch the validation by value list entirely and just validate by calculation.

[osiris612mb]

And just keep that field a drop-down menu in the layout?

[osiris612mb]

Yes that seems to work just perfect!

Thank you soo much sbg2 and David J.