Deleting a Value List Entry

[gcovert]

I have a value list currently displayed in a portal with related records. The value list uses values from the field that's pointing to it, but there are several items in the list that don't have any data associated with them. For example, if I want to find the name of a company in this field, say ABC Company, I select ABC Company from the drop down list, but it returns the message 'No records match this set of find requests'. So if there are no records matching, how is it even showing up in the list if it's set to only use values from that field? I'm trying to delete these values from my drop down list since they're not being used but it won't allow me; there's no way to 'edit' the list.

[bcooney]

If the value list is generated from all values in a child table, then you are probably best off troubleshooting this on a layout based on the child table.

I never use this type of value list. Why can't you use a value list that consists of a record ID and a text value (and just show the second value)? What is this a list of?

[gcovert]

The field is for 'Partners.' Its value list is generated from all entries in the field, and the field happens to be from a related table. Like this:

Main Table

Related Table

Portal of fields from the Related Table

One of these related field is called 'Partner'.

Partner uses a value list that is generated using entries made into the 'Partner' field. So, it follows that only entries that have been made into that field should show up in my drop-down list as choices. However, there are no record entries for some of the items on the drop-down list.

I did create a dummy layout so I could work directly with the field, but no luck. Also, when I add a new item into the field, it correctly shows the new item in the drop-down. It also lets me delete the new item and it disappears from the drop-down list. But it does not let me delete any of the previously existing entries. I'm thinking that I may have originally set up the value list to Use Custom Values and then changed it later to pull from the field itself, but that doesn't really explain the problem.

[bcooney]

Did you Find for the field value in the Related Table (using a "dummy" layout that is based on the related table)?

You could also try turning indexing off on the Partner field, but set it to Auto. Rebuilding the index might help.

Edited October 25, 2010 by Guest

[gcovert]

That was it! I did the find in the dummy layout, and DID find some 'ghost' records in there. I deleted the contents of the field (and the entire record in some cases) and they've disappeared from my value list. Thank you!

[bcooney]

Well, it is close to Halloween...