Is it Possible to Show/Hide Object Based on Account Name

[dmontano]

I would like to control whether an object is showing or hiding. Objects like fields, text objects based on merge fields, portals, etc.

What I am trying to accomplish - without building additional developer layouts - is the ability to show or hide information about the file based on Account Name.

For example, I have kludge a calculation that will display "developer" helpful information that will display if the User logs in with the Developer Account. Seems to work - but the layout gets extended to the right to display this information because the merge field that displays the data needs to exist.

So, in "Developer Mode" this is great. However, in normal User mode, the layout is extended to the right (showing nothing on this right side because it exists to display developer data). The calculation properly hides or shows the information as I wish - however, the objects presence is really what I would like to control.

I have explored the conditional formatting options but both conditional formatting and the "If (" statement within the calculation I am using for the fields data do not have the ability to either vaporize or create the objects existence.

The only solution I came up with is to "bind" the object on all 4 sides in layout mode, make the field as tall as possible, the narrow the field enough to exist on the far right of screen. Then if in Developer mode, the screen can be extended to show the data. This works, but seems hokey and not very precise.

Any thoughts on how to do this? Or better yet, is it possible to vaporize the display of the object based on Account Name?

Thanks

[David Jondreau]

Have a tab control with the tabs set to 0 width. Name the tabs "User" and "Developer" and on layout load have a script that checks the privileges and Go To Object[] to the appropriate tab.

[dmontano]

Thanks DJ - I will explore that.

[Vaughan]

Put the extra information in text objects, then use conditional formatting to change the text colour to the background colour to "hide" it.

[dmontano]

So I am guessing there is no facility to conditionally have an object disappear. I understand what is available is conditionally "format". I can see object control being helpful - like the icon in the portal that shows up when the portal is set up to allow creation of related records. Am I missing a feature that would allow me to do this - control the object form appearing / not appearing?

[Vaughan]

There is an invisibility portal trick which uses a portal to do just as you deduced, but it may require a lot of extra fields and TOs and work to make happen, and IMHO such things increase complexity and reduce the ability to maintain a solution.

There is a time when it is easier to create separate layouts, and switch between them.

[LaRetta]

Hi Vaughan!!

As you know, if using vs. 11, the visibility trick takes NO additional relationships or calcs by using a filtered portal.

dmontano, you might consider upgrading. Filtered portals make the upgrade well worth it and there are many other cool features as well.

[dmontano]

Vaughn, thanks for the input. I absolutely do not want to clutter things up and I recall there being some discussions in the past about the invisibility thing you mention. Frankly, I really do not like jumping through the hoops as you describe.

LaRetta, thanks and good to know 11 has some facility to take care of this.

[Vaughan]

LaRetta... I haven't had a chance to use FMP 11 yet, so I'm not aware of how wonderful filtered portals are.

Thanks!

[LaRetta]

I know you've been busy on projects but when you get a chance, check out the Articles, Tips forum where Comment and Mr_Vodka have posted some cool tricks about them! They will rock your world! :laugh2:

[Vaughan]

LaRetta, thanks for the info. I will take a look. :)

[dmontano]

Hi LaRetta

I re-read your comments about the filtered portals in 11. I am currently knee deep in trying to understand how to display related records in portals in a variety of circumstances and I have a slew of TOs - and value lists. Still trying to grasp it.

Does the filtered portals feature have any applicability to what I am trying to learn? For example, I have a table that is a one-to-many recursive hierarchy and I have built quite a few portals with TOs to support the display of various configurations like:

Show all records

Show all records except current record

Show all children

SHow all grand children

Show all great grand children

Show all peers

Show parent

Show all grand children

Show all great grand children

I am doing this not to waste time, but to get my head wrapped around how to build these displays and structures. Which inevitably works it way over to the value lists based on related records... and on and on.

Thanks in advance.

[LaRetta]

I suggest then that you download a trial of vs. 11 and then go here to the Articles, Tips and Tricks forum and download the demo files so generously donated which have to do with filtered portals. There is a series of them by Comment (which handle probably most of what you have listed) and a few by Mr_Vodka and even one by me (visibility).

They all demonstrate how simple our lives have become, replacing many TOs and calculations and filter keys. Portal filtering can now take place on the primary relationship ... all through using filters. And I doubt we've discovered all the possibilities even yet.