Summary of portal items...

[JaySee]

Hi there all,

I'm sitting here going crazy trying to figure this one out!

Can anyone tell me how to achieve the following?

I have a database called "A" which contains all the serial numbers for any item ID in another db called "B". What I have done is in a third database called "C" made a portal that sees these serial numbers. This is all working fine, all i need to do now is be able to generate a list of the serial numbers in a different field in file C so that I can look into it from another file (D)'s portal.

Any advice on how to do this? I've racked my brains!

thanks,

john.

[danjacoby]

Am I missing something important, or is "C" totally unnecessary? Can't you just use a portal in "B" to see all the list items from "A"?

If that is so, it's possible that you don't need "D" either, depending on what you're using it for. Of course, you can set up the same relationship with "A" that you have in "B"; then you'll see the same results.

Or is this more complex?

[Fitch]

I'm also not understanding this clearly. Can you give us more specifics, John? I'm not sure what you're after... all the serial numbers put into one field? I can't tell if we need a calculation or a script here, do we just import the data, or pipeline it, or do we just need a constant relationship... can't tell without more info.

[JaySee]

Ok, here's the way the system works:

A = the stock file. this is essentially a set of records, each one corresponding to an item / serial number that is in stock in the company.

B = the items file. this is the items database, the itemID links to the stock file, i.e. looking at the stock file tells us how many of a given item we have in stock... items holds the info regarding item description etc.

D = the transactions file. this is where all the invoices are stored. they have a unique transaction item, but do not have the actual goods being sold on them. These are viewed through a portal to file C

C = the transactions items file. I.e. this is where each item on a sale has an record. On each record, there is a portal into the original stock file, that gets the serial number and item code. because on any given line all the codes must be the same, i have a simple calculation field that is actually IN file C to show the code, which is portaled into the transactions file (D).

The problem is this. I need to generate a list of all the serials on a given record in C, such that I can look at it through the portal in D. So I have a list of records (and hence serial numbers) in a portal in C, which I need to sumarize into one field (with ";" between them or something) so I can look at it from file D.

Arrrrgh, if only i could look at a portal through a portal!

thanks,

john

[simon1663]

Listen Mate, you gonna need a script - no doubt about that. Because it sounds ( If I understood it properly) you want to show various values in a single line/field separated with "," or ";". Filemaker calculation fields do not allow iteration unless you are using Plugins. And plugin's can be very complicated- so try sticking to scripts.

Create a script which will loop through those values and append them in a desired field or globalfield with ";" in between them. I can't really catch your description - but I will take a hunch: You want see this list in a portal of file D - but the portal shows related records of file C. This list hence is a part of file C.

Based on my above hunch - I suggest

1. you create a Text field on File C

2. Create a script in File C which does the following

- goes to the related record (Must select Show related record only) in whichever file the list is supposed to come from

- updates parent files text field (created in step 1) with the values as you loop through record.

You can create this script as Openning script/exit script/Behind buttons to make sure the list is always kept updated as per items.

I know that this is not a nice solution - but hey - the problem you have given does not seem nice either. I will be very interested to know if there was a filemaker automated function feature to do it - but so far in I have not seen something like this. Every now and then people talk about protal in a portal but I don't think filemaker allows you to do so. Standard way of accessing value from a third relation file is via calculation fields.

[signal]

http://www.databasepros.com

has at least one script that does what you want.

[JaySee]

Thanks for the reply. I had sort of resigned myself to a script of some sort...

<<<You can create this script as Openning script/exit script/Behind buttons to make sure the list is always kept updated as per items.>>>

What do you mean by this exactly? How do you create a script to work this way?

Thanks,

john.

[simon1663]

Which ever file you have designed the script in, go to that file and open the menu item Edit>Preferences>Document

There specify the opening script and closing script.

I assume you know how to assign scripts behind buttons (if you can create a script u should be able to do this anyway).

[JaySee]

I've not come accross "behind buttons", can you enlighten me? maybe I'm just calling it something different...?

thanks,

john.

[simon1663]

Behind buttons:

Draw a button on your layout - give it a name or label. Now right click on the button and go specify button.

And select the script that you designed.

When user now clicks that button it will execute that script.

This is what I meant by behind buttons.

I should have said assign a script to a button.

So, if you are viewing that list and you want to update the list with most recent data - have a button next to the list which updates list.