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, 200817 yr by Guest

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, 200817 yr by Guest