Hello all,

Apologies if this has been asked already. I searched the web and these forums to no avail.

I have an older filemaker solution with 4 different tables converted to filemaker 7 files. I use filemaker pro 9 advance and I know it can be done.

Invoices, Clients, Daytimer and appointments. It's a cludge, but it works.

I need to merge, so to speak, all these tables into one table and use either tabs or buttons to change the view of the table. Is there an easy solution to this? Thanks for any pointers:)

Check out FMRobot:

http://www.newmillennium.com/index.php?submenu=Developer_Software_FMrobot&sr%20c=directory&view=products&srctype=display&id=72&category=FMrobot

Since your profile doesn't speak of the advanced version, are you probably bound to use the import dialog, the way shown above...

--sd

Just import the tables into one file (using new table as the target each time). Then modify your relationships graph by pointing table occurrences to the new tables.

I use filemaker pro 9 advance

But it should be done by importing anyway, since the data needs to be moved too.

I have an older filemaker solution with 4 different tables converted to filemaker 7 files. I use filemaker pro 9 advance and I know it can be done.

Invoices, Clients, Daytimer and appointments. It's a cludge, but it works.

I need to merge, so to speak, all these tables into one table and use either tabs or buttons to change the view of the table. Is there an easy solution to this?

Just to clarify, I believe you want to merge 4 files into one file with 4 tables.

Yes, you need to Import the data. But copy/pasting the entire table into the new file first will bring in all the fields WITH their calculations, auto-enter options and validations. If there are relational dependencies within the calculations then you will need to do a bit of fixing; because you can't create the table occurrences (TOs) on the Relationship Graph until their table exists.

One way to deal with that is to copy/paste only the data fields (sort by Type), then create the relationships, then copy/paste the calculation fields. In any case FileMaker will /*comment out*/ the broken calculations, so you can see what they were, and fix them by recreating the TOs they need.

I guess which method you use, copy/paste Tables first, then Import, or just Import, depends on how many calculations, auto-enter options, etc., you have.

copy/pasting the entire table into the new file first will bring in all the fields WITH their calculations, auto-enter options and validations.

So will an import into a new table.

So it does -] I didn't know that; hadn't tried it for ages.

Hello again and thanks for responding:)

My problem is that I have very limited experience with filemaker. I should add that I do have filemaker advance 9 (bit the bullet thinking it would be easier to modify my solutions myself instead of paying someone thousands to do it for me-yeah right).

Could you please explain it to me with a little more detail. Take me by the hand, so to speak, if you have the time:)

I understand I need to rearrange relationships and calculations, but I don't know how to import the table "Clients" into "invoices" and vice versa.

And thanks to all for being so forthcoming wih help and suggestions. Unfortunately, you're much too advanced for my limited skills;)

I wish I had the time to learn fmp, but unfortunately, professional and family obligations prevent me from doing this:(

The image I attached was a snapshot of the Import dialog, here should you not accept the default mapping but instead take the popup choice "New table"

but I don't know how to import the table "Clients" into "invoices" and vice versa

Perhaps it's here the chain breaks, you have to decide which file should survive the merger, and then import the rest of the tables into the survivor file. Basicly should the file end up look like this:

http://www.databasepros.com/FMPro?-DB=resources.fp5&-lay=cgi&-format=list.html&-FIND=+&resource_id=DBPros000717

When the deed is done ...

--sd

Thanks

I'm still at a loss. I'll try to work at later, but I believe I'm missing some fundamentals here.

It isn't what a developer by and large do the most - it's certainly not fundamental knowledge, pay attention to when Fenton say this:

I didn't know that; hadn't tried it for ages.

Is actually quite creditable ...because neither have I! You seems to be barking up the wrong tree here, if you think you should blame yourself for not getting something so rarely performed by any of us.

But since you have 9adv, then open one of the files select a (the) table by clicking and issue a copy. This is the daft alternative - Then open the other file where you wish it to reside again in the tables list press the parse button ... et viola. But Michael have point there, you then need to import the old tables data with the proper mapping via the import dialog ... anyway!!!

--sd