populate second drop-down list depending on another drop-down

[Wayne0412]

Hello again,

I am sure this is possible, but I just can not get the following to work!!!!

I have a contact database, and sales database. Both contain the usual fields that you would expect, but I want to use two fields - "Company Name" and "Company Contact Name" (both of which appear in each database) - as lookup fields. Both fields are drop down lists in the sales module.

So, in the sales module, I want to select the "company name" from the first drop down list. Once selected, I want the second drop down list to have only the names associated with that company in the contacts database appear in the list.

Each company in the contact database is a record...

Record 1 is Company A - Jane Smith

Record 2 is Company A - Tom Jones

Record 3 is Compaby B - Freeda Davis

Record 4 is Company C - Paula George

etc etc etc.

In a nut shell, based on the above table, if I select "Company A" in the first drop-down list, the second drop down list will give me "Jane Smith" and "Tom Jones", if I select "Company B" from the first list, the second list will only present me with "Freeda Davis" and so on.

I hope this makes sense, and I am sure I am missing something very obvious, but any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[Matthew F]

Take a look at this solution and see if it helps.

test.fp7.zip

[Wayne0412]

Thanks Addict, but I can't use the example because the contact filed is not modifiable. I can use the comapny name field, but I get the error message after I make a selection.

Do I need to do something to it to use it?

Cheers

[Adam Dempsey]

It sounds like the file is read only, are you opening it directly from the zip file? If so extract it first then open it.

[Wayne0412]

Thanks Dempsy, that was it, thankyou.

I had a look at the test zip that mfero did for me, and it is exactly what I need, but unfortunately I can't work out how he did it

I can work out the obvious relationship "=", but I don't know what is happening with the "X" relationship.

Also, I can't figure out how the relationships "relate" to the data files.

Is there any way you could explain this solution to me please?

Cheers

WT

[Wayne0412]

Hello again.

I think I have worked out this test that mfero kindly did for me, but I don''t think it is what I am trying to achieve ( however, maybe it does and I just can't relate it to my application?). I'll try to explain a little better what it is that I am trying to do...

I have several databases in the solution, and "Project" is the main database where everything comes together. It contains client details (taken from the Customer database), Staff Details (Staff Database) and Product Details (taken from the Stock database).

The Stock database has 5000+ stock items in it. I have a field in the Stock database that is called "Category". Each stock item belongs to a category (I6 Post, I6 Base Plate, I6 Beam, Longspan Post and so on), and there are dozens of stock items in each category.

I have attached a screen shot of the data entry page in "Projects" with red circles around the fields I am trying to manipulate to illustrate what it is I need to achieve.

What I want to have happen is...

When the uses drops down the "Upright Type" drop down list, it uses a lookup based on the field "description" taken from the Stock database, but instead of it retuning all 5000 items, I want it to only show items that relate to the category "I6 Post", simmilarly, when the "Beam Type" drop down is used is shows only stock items that relate to I6 beams, and when the user drops the drop down list at "Base Plate Style", it will only show items that have the category of "I6 Base Plate". I am basically trying to avoid the user having to scroll through 5000 items to get to the item they need.

I hope I have explained this well enough? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Wayne

[Wayne0412]

Thanks to all who helped with this - I have solved the issue. Infact this is the first time the Filemaker website has been useful in offering a solution !!!!

[littledigger]

Thanks to all who helped with this - I have solved the issue. Infact this is the first time the Filemaker website has been useful in offering a solution !!!!

Thats great news, though, could you tell us how you solved the problem.

cheers

[Lee Smith]

Hi Littledigger, and welcome to the forums,

You may be waiting a long time for old Wayne to come back, as he hasn't been active since November. I would suggest that you start a new topic and explain what your problem is and wi'll try and help you that way.

Lee