The X Relationship

[Morley Chalmers]

I'm an old hand at FMP6 and before, recently migrated to FMP9. I've yet to figure out the functionality of the X relationship.

I'm looking at a file with a TO to a TO, both using the same table, both relating to the same table, same serial ID field. The relationship is X rather than =, ≠, >, <, etc. One of the TOs is used for a portal to a layout using the same table.

I've yet to see any documentation of this, for me, strange new-to-me relationship. I'm particularly interested in what functionality this relationship provides to FMP. Are there other uses than a portal into itself?

Kind regards,

Edited October 6, 2008 by Guest

[comment]

This type of relationship (also known as 'Cartesian product') makes every record in "this" table related to every record in the "other" table, and vice-versa (relationships in version 7 and higher are - or can be - bi-directional).

In previous versions you could achieve the same thing by defining a "constant" field (e.g. a calculation = 1) in both tables, and using it as the matchfield.

One common use is to show a portal of all records for the user to choose from.

http://www.filemaker.com/help/07-Related%20files8.html

Edited October 6, 2008 by Guest