Searching and reporting

[saralee]

I would like to search for a set of records based on some criteria in one layout, and then omit some records in another layout (which is related to the previously) and finally display the records in the latter layout..

For example, I need to search for babies (in the baby layout) who are 100-120 days old, hear 90% of English and not premature, and then I need to exclude households (in the household layout related to the baby layout) who do not want to be contacted, and finally display those households that meet with all the above criteria.. Since the criteria based on the babies are related to info only in the baby table, I cannot perform all the searches in the household layout. I have to do the first search in the baby layout and then switch to household for the omitting part.

How should I switch between layouts and implement searches in different layouts in one single search? Thank you!

[Matthew F]

How should I switch between layouts and implement searches in different layouts in one single search? Thank you!

You will need to create a script since you want to do multiple things sequentially (changing layouts, sequential find steps).

There are several possibilities:

1. Create a script that does the first part of the find in the Babies layout. Go to the related records in the Households layout and conduct the second part of the search (the omit step) there with a 'constrain found set' script step.

2. Alternatively, you could conduct both finds sequentially in the Household layout if you include a portal to the Babies table.

It becomes more tricky if you want the user to specify critieria for the search. You'll then need to capture them in a custom dialogue or in a global field devoted to this purpose.

[comment]

Since the criteria based on the babies are related to info only in the baby table, I cannot perform all the searches in the household layout.

Yes, you can. Enter the baby criteria in related fields, e.g.

Go to Layout [ Households ]

Enter Find Mode []

Set Field [ Babies::DOB ; ... ]

Set Field [ Babies::Hearing ; ... ]

...

Set Field [ Households::Contact ; ... ]

Perform Find []

[saralee]

Thank you both!

Now I'm able to perform searches by setting up fields values in the household layout.. I didn't set the user input variables as global variables. That was the problem.

Now I need to perform the last set of searches which is to omit certain records in the household layout. Should I use the function "omit record/omit multiple records" in the script?

Please advice. Thanks a lot!

Edited August 4, 2010 by Guest

[Matthew F]

Use 'Constrain Found Set'

[comment]

Now I need to perform the last set of searches which is to omit certain records in the household layout. Should I use the function "omit record/omit multiple records" in the script?

You should make a new request and set it to omit. For example:

Enter Find Mode []

Set Field [ LastName ; "Smith" ]

New Record/Request

Set Field [ FirstName ; "John" ]

Omit Record

Perform Find []

will find all records with last name "Smith, except those with first name "John".

[saralee]

Thank you!! That works

One final question about how to place the search panel for users. Right now I'm having it in the footer area of my household layout, but since each record would have an individual search panel, the search fields could get messy (with multiple versions and hard to go back to the original input). So I tried to create a new table which is not related to the rest of the database and have users input search values there, but the search didn't work.. It seems to me having a separate search panel is a more user-friendly approach, but I have no idea why the same logic didn't work there..

Could you enlighten me here? Thanks!

[comment]

I'd suggest using global fields for user search criteria. These can be in any table.

[saralee]

Great! Thanks, comment :)