Slider /scale for survey

[KirkR]

I believe Average ( field1 ; field2 ; field3 ; field4 ; field5 ) would return the same result, with a little less effort.

The problem with this, is that the average changes, based on valid results, hence the calculation to eliminate N/A from the denominator. (an IF not "N/A' for each field1-5)

But for the 1 answer per record approach ..........

I must be brain dead (too many weeks of 16 hours consecutive days to think clearly), but now that I have this DB restructured, how do I perform this same calculation, but for a set of 5 non-consecutive records, for a particular survey? Do I script a found set with the right stuff in it? If I do that, how would I incorporate this into a report with the other records, some of which are (TBD) aggregation calc for the same client across other records along with some single record responses?

Should I create yet another table occurrence (YATO) with the subset of records? The TO approach seems to be a better method for select, being static and not requiring a find to run, but the calc across records still evades me at the moment.....

What I have now for the calc is a set of 6 non-sequential records (on as many layouts - not that this matters) for a given survey (fk_SurveyID) that need to be averaged for valid responses (any record with a response N/A excluded from the average count). Is this a new calculated field? How? In child or parent TO? I can't see how this would be performed with a summary field, either, as that function is across all records, not some defined subset (a scripted find, then summary field (in the matchfield TO for this question subset), figure out how to exclude N/A (excluded in the scripted find?), and tie it back into the TO where the rest of the reported data goes? ARGHH!

[comment]

The problem with this, is that the average changes, based on valid results, hence the calculation to eliminate N/A from the denominator.

Perhaps I am missing something: under what circumstances would this

Sum ( n1 ; n2 ) / Count ( GetAsNumber ( n1 ) ; GetAsNumber ( n2 ) )

return a different result than this?

Average ( n1 ; n2 )

Note that I am speaking about the Average(), Sum() and Count() AGGREGATE FUNCTIONS. You may get different results when using SUMMARY FIELDS:

http://www.fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/139030/

how do I perform this same calculation, but for a set of 5 non-consecutive records

If you need to include this in a report that includes other records, then you wouldn't want to use a found set of the 5 records only. If they must be non-consecutive (why?), then you probably should do the calculation from the parent record.

You could use another relationship to isolate the 5 records, or - if you know where these records are in the order of the existing relationship - you could use GetNthRecord() to get their values. Or - if these records can be somehow identified by an attribute - you could use a custom function to go over all related records and get the 5 that fit the description.

I can't see how this would be performed with a summary field, either, as that function is across all records, not some defined subset

That is not an accurate statement: a summary field summarizes separately for each sub-summary part AND for the total found set. If you look at the "example report" in my previous post, all the percentages would come from a SINGLE summary field.

[KirkR]

This definitely gives me some things to ponder on. GetNthRecord is something that I had not considered (new?). I know which question IDs are the ones that I need, and now that I am script pre-populating the entire survey, I can be assured that the associated nth record actually exists. Nice!

On the average thingy; my warped brain was thinking that the returned value from a radio button set was numeric, and not the value defined in the list. As such (erroneously!), a N/A would have a numeric equivalent, screwing up the calculation.

The non-consecutive aspect is created as a result of the same question asked 5 different ways, in different contexts, to minimize the phycological influence of a question context on the answer. e.g. This ends up in records 25, 82, 175, 202, and 241. I could sort the records, as fields are there to define not only layout and object context, but field name (occupation1, occupation2, etc.) XRef to the older, Access version (IV&V on the output).

I'll try these out later - buried in my other FM project during the day, and this survey project at night. THANKS!!

[comment]

GetNthRecord() is "new" as of version 8.

The non-consecutive aspect is created as a result of the same question asked 5 different ways, in different contexts, to minimize the phycological influence of a question context on the answer. e.g. This ends up in records 25, 82, 175, 202, and 241.

That would be at the presentation stage. But since each answer is a separate record, you are free to sort/group them any way you want, when it comes to reporting.

[kerenptl]

There are no slider features in FileMaker that you can add to the layout. However, perhaps you can do something like this.

mr_vodka...

That's...amazing. :

I tried to fudge with it a bit to make it a "1 to 5" rating scale... and things went a bit funny (i.e. the "dummy button" still being pressible, and also uncompressible)... Could you post a quick how-to or an example?

Thanks a lot!

[Lee Smith]

Do a search of the Foroum for Progress Bar, or http://searchfilemaker.com/ for Progress Bar, and you should find a few examples and how to's.

You can also find examples at www.databasepros.com and Here

HTH

Lee

Edited November 5, 2008 by Guest

[kerenptl]

Hi.

Firstly thanks for responding so promptly :

Erm... I am actually looking for a grading system (i.e. a 1 to 5 grading scheme-like thing) so a process bar per se really won't help so much... Unless I'm totally missing the idea and that the progress bar techniques can be modified...?

I think mr_vodka's example was great because I can select a number for each record. I just can't manage to make it any smaller. Thanks.

[Lee Smith]

See if this is what you mean.

Link

If so, I did a search of the Forum for Stars, and got over a hundred hits.

Lee

Edited November 5, 2008 by Guest

[kerenptl]

Hmmm... that's actually really good (and so are a number of other ones I found whilst searching)...

I just don't know how to get into my existing database while keeping it working

Thanks for all your help, in the mean time!

[mr_vodka]

This thread seems more closer to whta you are looking for.

http://fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/184684