I have made a file that is supposed to have several lists which are represented on different layouts. On layout 1 my list has a field with 30 items (records). When I go to layout 2 my list is supposed to have a different field with 10 items (records) but instead shows 10 items and 20 blank fields. How do I get rid of the blanks that I do not want to see??

Thank you

Your description of your problem is a little confusing. When you say "list" do you mean you are viewing your layout in the List mode, or perhaps in the Table mode? Did you use the Layout dialog to create the new layout by selecting the option Columnar List/Report? Perhaps all you need to do is enter the Layout mode, select the "blank" fields or any field you don't want and hit the "delete" key?

If this doesn't answer your question, please expand your explanation of the problem.

I think you have some basic confusion about how databases are organized. For all except global field, every field exists in every records, whether it is populated with data or not. A simple example is a single file is like a rolodex. Each record is a rolodex card. Each rolodex card has a phone number field, whether you fill that blank on the card out or not.

You have a file with 30 records. Each of the 30 records has your "field" and "different field" whether they have entered information or not. You really only have one "list", set of 30 records. Layouts are just different views of these records, the records and fields still exist whether you have 50 layouts or none and whether the layout displays one field or all fields.

-bd

If you want to find only the records in which a given field contains data, you first go into Find Mode, then type an asterisk (*) in the field and click continue. Or, instead of the asterisk, type an equal sign (=) and click the Omit checkbox.

I'm going to take a stab in the dark here and make the assumption that your lists are data contained in portals.

It sounds like you have the portal (list) on layout 2 set up with the correct field(s), but still using the relationship from layout 1. Make sure you change the relationship on the portal to match the relationship on the fields.