Layouts spanning multiple pages (20-40)

[Matt Hayes]

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post so please be gentle with me.

I want start by saying that I appreciate your help. It’s amazing to me that people are so willing to take time out of their busy lives and help. I appreciate it a lot.

I’m a Filemaker novice but I’ve been working hard to learn. I’ve been watching the Lynda training series and doing a lot of reading. I’m starting a home inspection business and would like to make my own inspection software. There is good software out there but I love being able to customize it for my needs.

Here is where I start running into problems. An inspection will be one record. The house might have 500 fields that I need to checkoff. Some have comments, some don’t. But in the end I need to print a report totaling 20-50 pages complete with pictures.

I started with a test database to try to understand and ran into problems. The test database is just one small section of the house. When I go to print the report, items span pages and because I have sliding turned on to get rid of white space and not have a 100 page report, items are cut off.

I’ve read and read. I’ve played and tried everything I can think of. I don’t know a solution so I’m humbly asking for your help.

Here is a small test of the file so you can see what I’m talking about. I’ve taken out all of the other layouts so they don’t distract.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0ZBZ9IUrP68ejhWS0ZRZko5LWc/view?usp=sharing

Here is what the printout looks like. Please notice the cutoff pictures:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0ZBZ9IUrP68d3NrenN5UWRIbXc/view?usp=sharing

I worked on it for hours last night trying all kinds of different things. I assume I’m overlooking something but I just don’t know enough. I want to figure this out since because of the sliding and length of the report this could happen on LOTs of pages.

Thanks for your help,
Matt 

[comment]

An inspection will be one record. The house might have 500 fields that I need to checkoff.

Typically, you would use a three-table arrangement for this: Inspections, ItemsToInspect and Results (for lack of better names). The ItemsToInspect table would have 500 permanent records - one for each of your current fields. Every time you inspect an item, you create a record in the Results join table, with links to the current inspection and to the relevant inspected item. With this in place, the report becomes merely a list view of the Results table.

There are many variations possible on this scheme, but the main idea is to have more records and less fields.

 

 

Edited August 14, 2015 by comment

[Matt Hayes]

Thank you for your help. 

Would the list view allow sliding and shrinking? Here is why I ask, 90% of the items might have 'inspected' with nothing else but 10% might have two or three paragraphs explaining the situation and what needs to be done. Along with that each section (electrical, indoor, garage, grading, appliances...) will have multiple pictures. I need the pictures to show up in the right place along with a lot of 'disclaimer' language. 

Do you know of a place where I can see an example that might help or watch/read some training. I kind of understand the 'flat' part of a database but the relational stuff still hurts my brain. 

Thanks again,

Matt

[comment]

Would the list view allow sliding and shrinking? Here is why I ask, 90% of the items might have 'inspected' with nothing else but 10% might have two or three paragraphs explaining the situation and what needs to be done.

Yes. If the Results table has a text field (or several text fields, such as Issues and Recommendations), you can place it on the report layout and set it to slide up with reducing the enclosing (body) part.

 

Along with that each section (electrical, indoor, garage, grading, appliances...) will have multiple pictures. I need the pictures to show up in the right place along with a lot of 'disclaimer' language. 

That may be more difficult, especially if the number of pictures varies. And it depends on what exactly "the right place" for a picture is. If it's next to a specific item, then it could be just as easy as the text field/s.

[Matt Hayes]

Ok. It looks like I have a lot to learn. 

Yes, "the right place" is next to the item that needs correction.

Thank you for your help.

Just to be clear, If these tables relate and I set it up correctly, container fields will not print over a page break? 

 

Thanks,

Matt

[comment]

If these tables relate and I set it up correctly, container fields will not print over a page break?

I am not sure about that. I believe only an entire part can be prevented from being split across pages.