How do you find data from specific field contents?

[stephaniellawless]

TWO questions from a newbie to Filemaker Pro.

 

Question 1:

 

How do I write a formula that performs a calculation on only one type of field content? For instance, in a field that I call, "unit_type," I have many text values (pool, riffle, glide, rapid, cascade). I only want to make calculations from the "pool" data. 

 

I already know how to use the "find" button to find all of the records with "pools" in that field, but I want to write it into a formula (preferred) or a script so I can create a more complex calculation for a summary page. 

 

Question 2: 

 

This is a question about using the Summary function when setting up fields. How do I set it up so that I can find running totals of data of a field in a set of records while simultaneously finding running totals of only a specific value in that same field in the same set of records? For example, I want to find the total unit area of all of the stream units I monitored while at the same time finding the total unit area of only the pools. I have a field called "unit_area" and a field called "unit_type." I created a field called "Total_Survey_Area," which is a running total of all of the unit areas, but how do I create another summary field that only grabs that same info from pools (without having to to "find" all the "Unit_type" fields that say "pool")?

 

 

Thanks for the help!

 

[Wim Decorte]

How important is it to see the summary data calculated live at any moment?  Or are you looking for something like a report you can run on demand?  Calculations and summaries calculate whenever they are displayed, which may be many times more than necessary.  And the resulting fields can be slow to search on.

 

Whereas a scripted flow would gather the data and calculate only when the report is called.  And the summarized data can be stored statically and would be fast to search on.

[stephaniellawless]

Yes- it seems like I need a script. I don't need the running subtotals (of pools) to be shown on the layout. I need it for a more specific calculation, and yes, for a report. 

 

Ideas? 

 

Thanks!

[eos]

Yes- it seems like I need a script.

 

Ideas?

 

You really got to be kidding …  In that other thread of yours, you were not only offered ideas, but complete script-based solutions (incl. a sample file) that only need minimal adjustment; so why start over with a new thread for the same question?

 

If you ask people to familiarize themselves with your specific situation and data in order to provide a viable answer, why not do them the same favour and spend some time on learning how to implement these answers?

 

The answer on how to summarize only values of records with specific characteristics can be found in the very first response of the other thread  … incl. the suggestion to summarize that field. The script in the sample file you received had comments that explained how it works … etc. 

 

Don't take this the wrong way  ; we know you're a newbie, and try to adjust our answers accordingly. But you need to put in a modicum of effort yourself … if you can't, or won't, you need to hire someone who delivers a bespoke solution.

[stephaniellawless]

Yes- we are actually are on our way with the other script. Thanks for your help on that one. This is actually a different question. 

 

Thanks. I will keep working on it. 

[the Otter]

Yes- we are actually are on our way with the other script. Thanks for your help on that one. This is actually a different question. 

 

Thanks. I will keep working on it. 

 

Stephanie,

 

Perhaps I’m missing something, but I’m also not getting how the question in this thread differs from the one in the other thread.

 

As was said over there, the answer to question #1 is to create a Calculation field (let’s call it unit_area_pool) with the following calculation:

Case ( unit_type = "pool" ; unit_area )

The answer to question #2 is to create a Summary field that displays the total of unit_area_pool.

 

Please let me know if I’m not understanding this correctly.