hi, i am fairly new to filemaker and am wondering if there is a way to select an item on a value drop down list and have that automatically go to a different layout?

example: I have a drop down value list in a contact list database made up of: Client, Freelancer, Employee... and so on. i want to be able to select client in that drop down list and then have that automatically navigate to the client layout in the contact database or if i select freelancer to have it go to the freelancer layout in the contact database. Is there anyway to do this without selecting additional buttons?

You will need a plugin. You can search aaround for zippscript, doscript, eventscript.

Event Triggers are not natively supported in FileMaker 9.

i want to be able to select client in that drop down list and then have that automatically navigate to the client layout in the contact database or if i select freelancer to have it go to the freelancer layout in the contact database.

If selecting a contact type is all that the layout is doing, instead of using a drop down list, create a new table with records representing each of the contact types. Your layout will be based on this table. The Contact Type field can be a button and when the user "selects" a contact type, it will activate a script taking the user to the appropriate layout.

thanks for the replies, i'm really trying to avoid plugins, is there anything else i can do?

Yea i'm using the contact database for all sorts of other information such as addresses and phone numbers and everything else. I just have different layouts because certain information doesn't need to be shown depending on the type.

ex: a client i need to show outstanding balances through a portal but a freelancer i don't need to show this but i do need to show what we are paying them through another portal, and employees i don't need either of these but i do need SS # and DOB and pay rate.

anything else i can do?

thanks

rob

Perhaps this trick can help you.

Visibility

John's link may work for some info, but you won't be able to put a portal on a portal.

I'm not sure why you're looking at a value list. It would help to see a screen shot of the layout you're navigating from, but you could simply place a "More Details..." button and use a script parameter to navigate to the proper layout. The user doesn't need to choose a contact type, the type is defined by the record.

If a contact can be more of one type, you can place a button over each type as shown in a checkbox list.

Or you could make separate layouts for each contact type a la David Graham. Search this forum for "Graham" for more info.

Edited September 16, 200817 yr by Guest

...Or you could make separate layouts for each contact type a la David Graham. Search this forum for "Graham" for more info.

Sorry for the late reply, but I thought it appropriate to highlight this post. Your desire for simple navigation is likely less important than the proper data model!

DJ is right on in recommending a proper sub/super-type data model for these different so-called "parties". In addition to creating separate layouts for each unique party, these layouts should also be based on subtype tables so that -- for instance -- when you are on the freelancers layout you will only see freelancers, etc. Then if you need to perform a mass mailing you could do so from the PARTY table and select any or all types of party records.

Following the KISS principle you could simply use the layout pop-up selector which already exists in the status area; no plug-ins required! ;-)