I'm trying to make a container field that is filled or not depending on a calculation.

If I have a Table "MyTable" with a field "N25", I can do a calculation:

Substitute ( GetFieldName( Self );"MyTable::N";"")

and that will put the characters "25" into the field.  It doesn't seem to matter if the field is number or text.



But what I want is a container field that takes the contents of another container field if the numerical part of its name matches the contents of a third field:



Example:



I have 3 fields D25; N25; Dot.  D25 is a number field.  Dot is a global container field containing a graphic object. N25 is a calculated field that returns a container object.



Basically, if D25 equals 25 then N25 should equal Dot.

or more generally: if Dx = x then Nx = Dot.



The point of this exercise is to create a bunch of fields that all have the same calculation, but respond appropriately to data input.



So the idea is that I put a number into field Dx and if x is equal to the number I entered, then container field Nx will equal container field Dot.  Otherwise Nx will be empty.  



The purpose is to convert numerical data into dots on a form.  Each dot has a field Nx corresponding to its location.



So this is what I came up with, that doesn't work-- look at Nx's "x" and compare it to the contents of Dx to choose whether to populate Nx with the contents of Dot.

If (GetField ("D" & Substitute ( GetFieldName ( Self );"MyTable::N";"")) = Substitute ( GetFieldName ( Self );"MyTable::N";"");Dot;"")

Why doesn't that work? Do I have to convert text to numerical?

An alternative I found is conditional formatting, but the problem is that I have hundreds of dots. I don't want to have to edit the code in every calculated field. It's much more efficient if the name of the field controls the calculation.

Thanks for any help...

If (GetField ("D" & Substitute ( GetFieldName ( Self );"MyTable::N";"")) = Substitute ( GetFieldName ( Self );"MyTable::N";"");Dot;"")

Why doesn't that work?

I don't know - it worked for me when I tried it (see attached). However, this could be a LOT simpler using repeating fields.

atest.fp7.zip

Hey thanks.

As for the idea of using repeating fields... that's something I've never looked into.

At first I thought your example didn't apply because your "Result" field and "N" fields were not container fields. But changing them in your example database gives me the desired result.

Then I change "Result" to a Global field and the calculation no longer works. Annoyingly, it continues to fail if I turn off global storage.

I cannot reference a Globally stored Container field in a calculation. I get no error, but the stored image never appear.

Is this a bug or a feature?

Edited October 14, 200916 yr by Guest

Yes, it seems there is a problem with using GetFieldName ( Self ) in an unstored calculation:

http://forum-en.filemaker.com/fm/board/message?board.id=aut&thread.id=2111

Anyway, I'd suggest you try the attached instead.

atestR.fp7.zip

Edited October 14, 200916 yr by Guest
Added a reference to previous bug report