Inserting a hard return into text in a field

[GusCoombes]

Hallo,

I have the same problem I have had a couple of times before - maybe you can help.

I want to take text from a number of fields and concatenate it in one field. This is the easy bit =)

But I want to insert a return between each of the entries I am adding, because otherwise the text all ends up on line and is - for a human - very difficult to read.

I have searched around here and no-one seems to have an answer for this...

I cannot use related fields, as the text entries I am dealing with are contact reports and range in length from a couple of lines to a couple of paragraphs. Therefore I can't make a field that will accommodate them all - FM does not allow the creation of flexible fields that size themselves to the content.

Anyway, I am sure this should be really simple - a sort of one liner in Perl. But how do I get a return in there? <br> nl :

Cheers

Gus

[djgogi]

f1 & "

[LiveOak]

Ah, but FM does allow the creation of field which size themselves! You can use the merge function to add fields to text and it will flow and wrap. In layout mode, using the text tool use Command-M or Control-M (Mac or PC) to insert fields.

-bd

[Kundinger]

Hi Gus,

Yes, you can 'merge' data from many fields that are 'separated by 'returns'. You can also create large text fields with 'flowing' text.

I have a client who wanted a 'notes' field where their users could enter a variety of misc data.

I created an "Entry" field where they initially enter the note. The user then clicks a button which in turn performs a script to append this data to the beginning of the "Notes" field. The script also appends a date and time to the beginning of the note. Here is the basic formula:

SetField["Notes",DateToText(Status(CurrentDate))&" "&TimeToText(Status(CurrentTime))&"

[Kundinger]

Hi again,

This is a follow-up to my previous message. Here I will discuss the use of a 'related' file for storing 'notes'.

First, there were many reasons the client and I wanted to make changes to their current 'simple' system. They want to implement a level of 'security' in their information systems. They want only the user who created a note to be able to 'edit' the note. They also wanted only certain users in a certain 'group' to 'view' the note. They also wanted to know who created and edited notes and when this happened.

The biggest change to their system will be the implementation of a 'log-on' and 'authentication' system which maintains 'user & group' privileges. This entails the 'utilization' of 'PREFS' files. Once users are 'authenticated', they will be 'allowed' certain capabilities within each file/layout/record based on their assigned privileges.

Each computer will have a "Main" file to 'log-on' with. This "Main" file also has many layout with 'portals' that display data through 'relations' from the other files:

- Organizations

- Members

- Member Payments

- Member Events

- Member Notes

- ETC. ETC. ETC.

When a user creates a new note (in the "Create Notes" layout of the "Main" file), they click a button that runs a script that will create a 'related' record and enter certain data. The script will enter dates, times, user name, record privileges, ETC. The user will then enter the 'note' data. Based on the user/group privileges, the user & their group can perform certain tasks with this note. The user/group can 'view' & 'print'; 'search'; and the creator user can 'edit' & 'delete' the record.

In the "Main" file are a number of "Notes" layouts. A 'list' layout with: All the notes belonging to an Organization. All the notes belonging to a certain member. All the notes created by a certain user. All the notes created by a group. A 'search' layout. A 'create' & 'edit' layout. ETC. ETC. ETC.

In addition, there are MANY scripts to 'automate' these functions.

Preliminary testing has gone well, and everything looks good. This will provide a much more 'efficient' and 'secure' solution for my client.

Hope these ideas help...

Bob Kundinger

[GusCoombes]

Just wanted to say thanks to djgogi and Bob for the tips.

I have a limited budget for what is now the next phase of a long project - but Bob, I will give your further ideas some thought and the script is definitely a winner. Thanks for sharing your ideas here.

One thing that LiveOak mentioned: fields that size themselves? Maybe I could use that to help me decide whther a letter is so long that it needs to split over several pages or fits on one when printed out?

Any ideas in that direction?