Restrict calculation result to unique values

[Lougee]

Is it possible to restrict the result of a standard (not auto-enter) calculation field to unique values only?

[comment]

How would that work? You give it an input and a formula, and it calculates a result. Suppose there is a way to check if the result is unique (I assume you mean within the records of the same table), and it turns out it's not: what now?

[Lougee]

Yes, and yes. If it's not, unique, the inputs aren't accepted. Some wort of dialog on the order of: your data doesn't generate a unique result. Please check your data and reenter. Or words to that effect. The point here is to be able to join a contact ID (one input) and a participation year (the other input) and generate a unique identifying 'participation year/person'.

[comment]

Then why not use an auto-entered calculation in Text field - which can then be validated as unique? Using a calculation field won't work here, because you need a list of all existing values as one of the inputs - and that means the calculation will not be stored.

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See also:

http://fmforums.com/forum/showtopic.php?tid/214938/post/357126/#357126

Edited May 25, 2010 by Guest

[Lougee]

I would if these records were always going to be created new in this table. But they might also be imported from several other files and auto-enter calculations don't work on imported records. Looks like I need to rethink this.

[Raybaudi]

auto-enter calculations don't work on imported records.

??

Sure ?

[Lougee]

Am I wrong? OK, I understand now. The options dialogue when performing an import -- apply serial number, etc, gives me this option. I've NOT been doing this because I didn't want to break any calculations, serial numbers, relationships, etc. The calculated participation/person field doesn't have that problem. Which is the reasoning for using the calc.

Thanks for bringing my misunderstanding to my attention. I'll go back and try it.