[Samples] View Selected Child

[dansmith65]

File Name: View Selected Child

File Submitter: dansmith65

File Submitted: 22 Aug 2012

File Category: Samples

FM Version: 11

This is a modification of comment's sample file found here: http://fmforums.com/forum/topic/71867-getting-more-out-of-filtered-portals-2view-selected-child/

This version uses custom functions to manage the selected values in a single global variable, and a calculated field/relationship instead of a filtered portal.

The goal was to provide access to the selected child via a relationship, and to define a default selection, if no child has been selected.

This should work with versions older than 11, but I didn't bother to test with any older versions of FileMaker.

Click here to download this file

[bruceR]

Why not just use a global field?

[dansmith65]

Because the selected child would be selected for all parent records. This method allows each parent to have it's own selected child.

[bruceR]

Well, no, the selected child would only be visible to the associated parent record.

But with a global, other parent records would not have a selected child; so - aha - I see the point of your method.

[comment]

Why not just use a global field?

Because the selected child would be selected for all parent records.

I am not so sure about that:

ViewSelectedChildGlobal.fp7.zip

[dansmith65]

That's a cool way to accomplish the same result. So, to compare your global field method to mine...

ViewSelectedChildGlobal by Comment

• requires initialization on file open
  

View Selected Child by Dan Smith

• requires Custom Functions
  
• script requires Refresh step, which causes flashing on Windows
  

Ok, I thought I would find more differences than that, but they both use a single field, a single "select" script, per-user selection storage method. I wouldn't even know how to go about testing performance differences. My guess is that there's not a big enough performance difference to worry about.

[comment]

ViewSelectedChildGlobal by Comment

• requires initialization on file open
  

Well, I wouldn't say "requires". It's merely a quick way to provide a "default" selection. I am not convinced that's a good idea, but I wanted to match my file's features to yours.