related fields

[Jessica]

I want to make a contacts table with First Name, Last Name, Title. These fields are repetitive and my form should display a table showing all with a scroll bar beside it. Can anyone help me please?

Jess.

ps. I heard that related fields are not good. Why? Is there limitations? Alternatives?

[Jessica]

I guess I wasn't clear.

I have a DB with a list of Companies, and for each record, I need another list of Individual Contacts (ie. FirstName, LastName etc) to be displayed in EACH Companies form.

What are the ways to do this? (Records within a record)

How do I actually implement something with related fields/files. (portals? )

(I meant "i heard repeating fields was bad")

THanks a lot.

Jessica

[Ndesaint]

I got the same problem...

Since the reference to a related file is as simple as <<Relation::Field>> how do you make FMP find more than one (and a priori unknown number of) related set of fields?

Thanks for help...

Nico

[Kurt Knippel]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ndesaint:

I got the same problem...

Since the reference to a related file is as simple as <<Relation::Field>> how do you make FMP find more than one (and a priori unknown number of) related set of fields?

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You basically just need to add the Portal object to the FMP layout. You set the Portal to the same relationship and place the related fields within the portal. This will then display the list of all the related records.

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Kurt Knippel

Consultant

Database Resources

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.database-resources.com

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[Kurt Knippel]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jessica:

ps. I heard that related fields are not good. Why? Is there limitations? Alternatives?

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Related files and fields are a good thing! It is the REPEATING fields that you have to watch out for.

Repeating fields are an old flat file based implementation of a relational type of data. They have been replaced by true relational functionality and were left in for backwards compatibility.

Though they still do have some use in the hands of skilled developers, I recommend that you stay away from them as they will make your life MUCH more difficult in the long run.

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=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Kurt Knippel

Consultant

Database Resources

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.database-resources.com

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

[Ndesaint]

Oh, yes, this even was in the documentation. Thanx Captain, and hoping this also solved Jessica's problem.

Happy new year!

[Jessica]

Thanks Captain!