Same globals on multiple visible layouts.

[jtoshkov]

Hello everyone,

First post, please bear with me!

In the database I took over the original developer had designed it as one visible window with layouts switching inside it, with no pop-ups. The Client now wants to take advantage of the FM10 dynamic reports and have them pop-out and have two or more windows open.

However all the global fields on the layouts are the same so when entering in the global on one layout you also visibly enter on second, third etc layouts. Which will drive the users crazy. Any ideas how to show the globals being entered only in the foreground layout and not enter in the rest.

Thank you.

I know I can put different globals on different layouts, but having 150 layouts using the same 10 globals it will be difficult.

[bcooney]

Hello and welcome to the forums.

Before changing anything, I believe you should fully understand what you have.

Many times, multiple windows are not used in solutions, because a record can only be edited in one window at a time. If a second window of the same record is opened, the user will encounter record lock issues. Wanting sub-summary reports in browse mode really has nothing to do with multiple windows.

Global fields are used to display/store the same data across all records in a table. You should understand what the intention of the existing global fields is before you change them.

[jtoshkov]

Thank you,

I understand the dangers of having multiple windows open. The main issue is that the way the reports are built in this solution is:

new report window pops up,the user enters their criteria in globals 1 and 2 (for example) hits run, and the report displays in list view. However the client wants to have more than one report window open (for comparison), so with 2 windows open with the same global 1 and 2 on both, entering in one, also enters in the other. i was wondering if there is any validation that would prevent the global from being entered if it is not on the active window?

[Slobey]

Hi and Welcome,

If your globals are only being used to set fields in a script or to perform a find then they only need to be visible before the report is run and not after, in which case you can scriptit so those global fields clear when you open the new report window. If the globals are used in the report itself, then if you change them in the second report window it will change the first report.

[jtoshkov]

Hi,

That is what they are used for.I tried setting a script to clear the globals on Layout Load and that helped a lot. There are still occasions when they show up, but they are not just sitting there like before. Thank you.

[Slobey]

I have found that it is useful to have a separate layout just for the report request criteria that only has the globals on it. Or if I only need 3 or less globals I use a dialog box. That way, I can gather the info and then perform the find and go to another layout to display the info and don't need to have those fields on the report layout at all.

Good luck to you

Mike