FM14 - Portals within portals and Hidden Attributes Help

[Mallen]

Hi all.

Very new to Filemaker. Have in the past used MS Access as a gap filler when organisations I have worked for didn't have software that does whats needed. This current company I am working for is the worst. They don't even have a basic CRM. And Im finding that MS Access doesn't cut it anymore. I needed Access supercharged. Then I found FMP. One word. Wow!

Im not a developer. As mentioned, I am creating Apps to fill gaps urgently. But after a bit of a play with FMP I have decided I want to learn a little more. Who knows, one day I might be developing software for my own business. Pretty good skill to have.

OK, so I have started to develop a reasonably complex app. For Stage 1 of the development I mainly want it to be a Cable Schedule and ITP (Checklist) for equipment being installed in a job site. We install Electronic Security Equipment. For Stage 2 I want to turn it into a quoting tool as well.

I am working on Portals within portals. Trying to have one page for basic entry. Setup as such;

1. Job List

2. Location List

3. Device List

4. Cable List

I have set up this way because each level below could have multiples. For example, 1 device might have 2 cables run to it. 

I have sort of got this working by using some scripts and information I found online. But its not perfect. Below is a link to the FMP file to be downloaded.

But a little bit more complicated. A device will always belong to one location. But a cable might belong to 2 devices. For example, a PoE device connects to a Switch. So if possible, the cable should only be removed when all linked devices are removed. But this is not overly important at the moment so if its not achievable it can be scrapped and cable removed when the single device is removed.

Two problems currently.

1. Each level above needs to be able to delete everything below it thats associated. For example, if I delete a Location, devices and cables associated with the location should be deleted at the same time.

2. I have seen that you can set it up so that you have to press a button before you can enter a record. Something about Hidden fields. I cannot figure out how to to do this. So currently my + button is sitting over an entry field. 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_yKIsi1VSUyNUp5cjJOSE1oX28

Any assistance that could be provided would be greatly appreciated. Unfortunately I am on my own with this one. The company owner is the biggest tight arse I have ever worked for and if I want something to help me with my job, I have to do it myself.

Thanks,

Mike.

Just having a look around the forum to familiarise myself. I see that there a fair few sub-topics and this post is probably sitting between two of them. If Im not in the right place, please let me know and I will split up the post accordingly. 

But being that I am sharing my file, would be confusing for one person to look at one problem and another to work on the other problem.

[Kris M]

Portals within portals will not work in FM.

You can enforce cascading deletes in the relationship graph.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Kris M