record size question

[krempch]

What are the size limitations for a FileMaker record? How large can a single field be?

I am looking for ways to create a text field for 'notes' where the field can have additional data appended after existing data instead of creating individual notes records for each update in a related table.

Thank you.

[Stomp]

Text fields can contain something to the tune of 2 gigabytes of data.

You'd have to be a pretty prolific note-taker to bump that ceiling.

[Vaughan]

I am looking for ways to create a text field for 'notes' where the field can have additional data appended after existing data instead of creating individual notes records for each update in a related table.

There are pros and cons to both methods of storing notes. With the "single field" method there is no way to ensure that old notes are not modified, and no way of tracking who created and modified the note and when it was done. However it's simple.

Using a separate notes table means that each note can be locked-off to prevent modification, and it's visually easier to see separate notes and how they have been added.

I prefer the separate notes table.

[krempch]

COOL! Thank you!

}:(

[krempch]

We have the seperate note table, and it's a pain in the butt when trying to dump to EXCEL. Each note gets its own row in the report and the users find this confusing (they are NOT tech-savy).

I had the concern about notes overwrites ... I guess I'll have to experiment with some sort of logic that writes the previous note to a temp field, appends the new data, then writes it back. Not sure what that will look like yet, but gonna give it a try.

Thanks for the feedback on both methods. I don't feel so off-in-left-field now.

[Vaughan]

We have the seperate note table, and it's a pain in the butt when trying to dump to EXCEL. Each note gets its own row in the report and the users find this confusing (they are NOT tech-savy).

Since you're using FMP 9, use the List() function to concatenate all the related Notes records into one calculation field in the parent record, and export this field.

I had the concern about notes overwrites ... I guess I'll have to experiment with some sort of logic that writes the previous note to a temp field, appends the new data, then writes it back.

Oh, it's not hard to do (sorry if I gave that impression) but doing this requires that the records be editable by the current user, and that IMHO is the security/access problem. It's easy for the previous note to be changed and that could be bad.

[krempch]

I will give the calc a go. I am running this with

admin privs, so will watch how the security works.

Many thanks.