How to relate multiple databases

[Barry F-H]

Hi!

I have inherited four databases that are used to track teachers' attendance at workshops.

All four databases have a common field, namely the teachers' names.

One database has all teachers in it, the other three have subsets of teachers.

If I relate the teachers' name field in the "main" database with the corresponding one in one of the other three databases, everything works properly.

What I need to do next is to relate the teachers' name field in the "main" database with the corresponding one in *all three* remaining databases, so that the information in all three is displayed (lookup) in the "main" database.

Is FileMaker Pro capable of allowing this, and if so how (what are the specific steps)? I have looked over the manual, and its examples do not include a scenario like the above. I suspect that FMP can allow only one of the three remaining databases to be linked through the "teacher name" field at a time, not all three simultaneously.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[Chuck]

Create a relationship from your main database to each of the three sub-databases using the name as the match field. You'll then be able to look at data in the sub-databases. To do this, there are two possible routes. If there can be many records in the sub-databases for a single record in the main database, you'll use a portal to view those multiple records. If there can be only one record in the sub-database, then you just place the related field on your layout.

Does that help out?

Chuck

[Barry F-H]

Many thanks for the helpful reply. Your suggestion sounds like it should work.

But will the information from all three "sub" databases show up simultaneously in the "main" database?

I will try it out on Monday and report back.

Barry

[Vaughan]

I'd advise against using people's names as match fields. There will be two people with the same name. People change their names. Either of these will cause the relationships to fail and result in major heartache.

instead, create a serial number in the "master" file, like a teacher ID. Create similar fields in the other files, and enter the vaues where appropriate. It's a bit of work but will make the solution much more robust.

[Barry F-H]

Vaughan:

Many thanks for the thoughtful suggestion. I agree with you completely. Actually, we had already decided to acquire teachers' ID numbers for use exactly as you suggested.

In the meanwhile, for the purposes of getting some feedback on the problem I originally posted, I "kept it simple" by referring to the teachers' name as the match field.

Barry

[Barry F-H]

Chuck:

Your suggestion worked perfectly.

Many thanks!

Barry