Key relationships

[John_pp]

He everyone! I’m fairly new to filemaker pro and we use filemaker pro 9 in a client-server environment. I’m working on a old FMPro database that the truck dealership has used for years. The main db is Units. Units holds the truck info UnitID (our key ex. 06FOR1234), Year, Make, Model, VIN, etc. This db also runs the dynamic web site for the inventory (so I’m afraid to change it drastically). I was trying to make a sales.fp7 that would access the main file and use its information. Sales.fp7 just has a UnitID field in it. I then made a script that deletes all records then re imports the records form Units.fp7 so they can cycle through the inventory, run searches, and do everything. It works but its not the right way to do it (I believe). I would like this to automatically update this without deleting and reinporting all the records each time someone launches the sales.fp7. The main reason for Sales.fp7 is its password protected for the sales guys and has the interface that they need. We only want certain people to have access to only the things that they need.

I tried a relationship exampled in a thread I read about defining a value list for the UnitID in Sales.fp7 . This would eliminate the deleting and importing. So now there is only 1 record in the sales.fp7 but now the search functions don’t work and they have no way to switch between all the records from Units without using the UnitID drop down box. Not exactly right. I know that their has to be a better way.

I’ve been wondering if I could move the layout to Units but then how do I only let them have access to their Layout only with the forms layouts that they need? That would eliminate the whole problem….

Also I’m designing a shop.fp7 and a Parts Inventory as well. I’m going to encounter the same problems there as well.

Any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

John

[Delta Tango]

You can limit their privileges to see certain fields. This is the great thing about privilege sets.

So if they are only supposed to have access to 2 of 3 fields on a layout, you don't have to redesign a new layout for them.

It will look like this:

Field 1: abc123

Field 2:

field 3: 123abc

To set up privileges in filemaker 7, go to file, manage, accounts.

Then go to the privilege groups and set it there for the records of a table.

Hope this helps.

[John_pp]

Thanks for the Ideas! I'll try this method If I can't get the first method of getting the UnitID key in Sales to auto update from the UnitID of the Units db. I still wish to keep trying for the other method first. Maybe my idea is bad but If I cant make it work then I'll switch it back and do it your way!

Thanks again!