Concatenating from two records

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

The value list is defined to show only values from related records. Only documents with the same DocumentID are related.

Is this defined somewhere? Or is it just the way value lists work.

Won’t the value list be alphabetized whether I want it to be or not?

Yes. If you need a different order, then this method is not suitable. You could use the List() function, but that will not delete the duplicates. You may need a custom function to accomplish this.

Can the value list be tricked into putting the comments into the order they were read?

[Genx]

Is this defined somewhere? Or is it just the way value lists work.

There are three types of lists:

1) Static

2) From other file

3) From Field (these can be relational)

- Take a look at how the list has been defined (go into layout mode File -> Define -> Value lists.

I don't get the second q.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

File > Define > Value Lists is where I was looking. I'll brush up on value lists in the help and elsewhere.

Second Q: The value list is going to alphabetize the contents based on the first characters of the value. If each line of the contents carried a different character (- | # $ etc.), number, or letter as the initial character(s), it would alphabetize on that initial character(s). Do you clever guys have a way to do that?

[comment]

I wouldn't go that way. If you absolutely must have them in the original order, use a custom function to de-dupe the list - or go back to meticulous looping.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

Just to demonstrate what a comment field might look like when sorted, here's my previous reply to Genx sorted...

• and elsewhere.
  clever guys have a way to do that?
  File > Define > Value Lists is where I was looking. I'll brush up on value lists in the help
  of the value. If each line of the contents carried a different character (- | # $ etc.), number,
  or letter as the initial character(s), it would alphabetize on that initial character(s). Do you
  Second Q: The value list is going to alphabetize the contents based on the first characters
  
  

The only field that really needs to retain its integrity is the comments field.

[comment]

I think the problem is clear. Using a value list eliminates the duplicates - but it also sorts the values. I don't see a way around that, so I suggest again you look for an alternative method.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

I'm trying to figure out how I could loop on the comments without deleting the extra records, then use the value list in a second process to group the names. Interesting puzzle.