Consolidating / Merging a database

[Curlydave]

I was wondering if someone could help me with this record merging problem.

I'm creating a database where I create the records, and fill in all fields but one, which is a very long text field. I will be distributing the database to a number of different people, who will each modify the field. After that, I want to reconsolidate the database.

What would be the best way to do this? Is there a way to use the import/export command in thsi way? Word has a function that lets you compare and merge documents - is there something similar in filemaker? thanks!

[Wasatch2]

Let's suppose you have received back a copy of your master database from a collaborator. You originally created various fields, some of which presumably have unique contents that would allow them to be used for creating a relationship between the Master and Copy.

A general way to merge from the copy to the master would be to use a script that steps through records in the master and builds up the text field of interest. For example:

Show all records

Loop

Set field(Master::Text; Master::Text & "2 line feeds" & Copy::Collaborator Name & "2 line feeds" & Copy::Text)

Go to Record/Request/Page [Next; exit after last]

End Loop

The Collaborator Name step would add an identifier to each block of input. You can obviously edit this field in any way you want.

Rather than going through all records you could do a preliminary find of only those master records whose related records have something in the Text field:

Perform Find[Restore] where the find parameters are Copy::Text > 0

[Curlydave]

Thanks for the help. I found the problem I was having with import/export. I thought it was overwriting my previous files, but it wasn't, it was just ommitting them. I'm able to do this now by exporting to XML (or whatever), and importing all of the files in a blank database.