Update Records

[Francis P.]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forums and pretty new to filemaker as well. I'm trying to accomplish the following, I have a list of serial numbers that have no one assigned to them, I'm looking to have to boxes in filemaker one will have the name of the individual I’m assigning these serial numbers to and the other will have the serial numbers being assign. I want to have a button that when i click on it will update the list for me. But I have no idea how to even start. Can someone please help me? Thanks in advance.

[Søren Dyhr]

I want to have a button that when i click on it will update the list for me

...straining the list for the ones already used?? For the found set only or all records?

We need context and purpose to give anything worth a solution to your problem. What do you mean by box BTW...

--sd

[Francis P.]

Maybe I wasn't clear enough sorry. I want to update the serial numbers that I have typed in field. Let’s say I have a table filled with serial numbers and dates, these serial numbers don't have owners at the time of creation or import. So I would like so somehow scan w/ a bar code all the serial numbers into one file and put the name of the individual I'm issuing the serial numbers to in another field click a bottom and have the matching serial numbers update in the table mentioned above.

[mr_vodka]

Explaining your true setup rather than an abstract sample would help us understand your situation better.

I am guessing here but I think you have one file that that has a bunch of records with some records already assigned to a name and other that do not. Then you have another file that you use to update the data on the first file.

If you create a relationship keyed on the serial number from file 1 to file 2 you can loop through and Set Field [] to file 1. Or you can try using an Import with update records.

That being said, I still think that you may be going about this the wrong way. It does not seem like an ideal solution to what you may be trying to achieve. Please let us know what exactly you are tying to do here.

[Francis P.]

You are right I have a file with records some assigned some not. I have another file that I want to use to update. I understand how to do a relationship. But I want to be able to scan all serial numbers on the same field rather than a different field for every single i want to update. Not sure if i'm clear, I setup a barcode reader that does an auto space. so lets say the field were the serial numbers are scanned would have the following data. Serial1 Serial2 Serial3, all on the same field. I know how to do this with VB but can't seem to figured it out with filemaker.

[mr_vodka]

I am still unclear. The past barcode readers that I have used usually pass along the barcode information seperated by a comma or pilcrow delineator. Depending on your process you could download all the data at the same time into a text file or something.

If you are doing a batch update as it seems you are doing, it seems as though you can set a global field with the data and parse it.

Sorry but I am still unclear on how your process works or how you are getting the data via the scanner.

[Francis P.]

That's exactly what i want to do. Can you give examples?

[Francis P.]

Any help anyone?

[mr_vodka]

You still have not provided adequate information. In what format is your scanner supplying the info? Like I said earlier, we need more specific info.

It seems easy enough to update the info, but please be specific in how your raw data is.

[Francis P.]

I'll admit I'm not the best person when trying to explain something. But here it goes, I have a table filled with serial numbers and no one assigned to them. I want to have two fields, one where I input the name of the person being assigned the serial numbers and the other where I will input all serial numbers being assigned. I want to be able to put more than one serial number at a time. Then I want a button that will update any serial numbers in the field with the name of the person that being assigned to.

[mr_vodka]

If you create a relationship between the two files keyed from the field where you have multiple serial numbers assigned, and each one is seperated by a carriage return, it will match each related record.

So then it you are on the MASTER file and want to update that list with the other file (which has the multi-line key that is indexed) a simple loop or replace field contents should get you the related name.

[Francis P.]

John,

Thank you so much! That worked great, exactly what I needed.