validate by Value List and more

Records in table Projects and table Expenses are in relationship
when the values in fields "projects name" are the same. I created a
Value List that contain all values from Field "projects name" in table
Projects. So can i make a drop down list in table Expenses that display
all values in field projects.

Now come the tricky part. I wish to make a validation via
calculation that include the values from the value list and the string
"not a part of any project". I could make a validation only by the value
list, but, but when I make reports, and have a subsummary that is sorted
by the projects field, it will not make the subsummary because the
projects field is empty. Is there any solution? I played with
ValueListItems and some other functions, but no success.

Regards
Tom

--
Pozdrav
Tomislav Car

Re: validate by Value List and more

In article <1iemua2.1uq85h8a2zdx0N%tomislawDELETE@gmail.com>,
tomislawDELETE@gmail.com (Tomislav) wrote:

> Records in table Projects and table Expenses are in relationship
> when the values in fields "projects name" are the same. I created a
> Value List that contain all values from Field "projects name" in table
> Projects. So can i make a drop down list in table Expenses that display
> all values in field projects.
>
> Now come the tricky part. I wish to make a validation via
> calculation that include the values from the value list and the string
> "not a part of any project". I could make a validation only by the value
> list, but, but when I make reports, and have a subsummary that is sorted
> by the projects field, it will not make the subsummary because the
> projects field is empty. Is there any solution? I played with
> ValueListItems and some other functions, but no success.

Records with no data in the summarising field will simply be sorted to
the top (or bottom, depending on the order) and summarised as a group
just like any other record. The hiccup could be if you are using a
custom sort order, I'm not sure what happens with blank records than
since I've never had to use custom sort orders.

What you could do is set the field to Auto-enter a data value of "Not a
part of any project". That way every records has data, but users can
change it via the drop-down list.

Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)

Re: validate by Value List and more

Helpful Harry wrote:

> Records with no data in the summarising field will simply be sorted to
> the top (or bottom, depending on the order) and summarised as a group
> just like any other record. The hiccup could be if you are using a
> custom sort order, I'm not sure what happens with blank records than
> since I've never had to use custom sort orders.
>
> What you could do is set the field to Auto-enter a data value of "Not a
> part of any project". That way every records has data, but users can
> change it via the drop-down list.

Thanks for your answer, but I was little unclear. The summarizing
work if it is done by the subsummarize par on the layout. But when its
done via GetSummary calculation to see it in the Browse mode, then are
the empty field snot treated as an group. I am not sure, is this normal
or is this a bug in FMPAdvanced 9 (latest update applied).

The autoenter of "Not a part of any project" is an option. But this
could bee a troublemaker if the field is validated by the value list
that contain all project names. If somebody clear the autoentered "Not a
part of any project", they can't be set again the value "Not a part of
any project" because FM will post an Error message.

Anyhow, thanks for Your answer.
--
Pozdrav
Tomislav Car

Re: validate by Value List and more

In article <1ierh6i.s5hds120n861N%tomislawDELETE@gmail.com>,
tomislawDELETE@gmail.com (Tomislav) wrote:

> Helpful Harry wrote:
>
> > Records with no data in the summarising field will simply be sorted to
> > the top (or bottom, depending on the order) and summarised as a group
> > just like any other record. The hiccup could be if you are using a
> > custom sort order, I'm not sure what happens with blank records than
> > since I've never had to use custom sort orders.
> >
> > What you could do is set the field to Auto-enter a data value of "Not a
> > part of any project". That way every records has data, but users can
> > change it via the drop-down list.
>
> Thanks for your answer, but I was little unclear. The summarizing
> work if it is done by the subsummarize par on the layout. But when its
> done via GetSummary calculation to see it in the Browse mode, then are
> the empty field not treated as an group. I am not sure, is this normal
> or is this a bug in FMPAdvanced 9 (latest update applied).

I'm not sure, but Get Summary appears to work behind the scenes along
the same lines as a Relationship by grouping together records with the
same value - just as you can't define a Relationship with empty fields,
you can't use Get Summary either.



> The autoenter of "Not a part of any project" is an option. But this
> could bee a troublemaker if the field is validated by the value list
> that contain all project names. If somebody clear the autoentered "Not a
> part of any project", they can't be set again the value "Not a part of
> any project" because FM will post an Error message.
>
> Anyhow, thanks for Your answer.

There's little point in validating a field formatted as checkboxes,
radio button or pop-up menu / list since the values are by design
pre-defined anyway - by definition users can't enter any other data.
The only real need for validation would be "not empty" to enforce users
making a choice.

To get around the problem of a user changing from the default "Not a
part of any project" and not being able to change back, you can put a
"Clear" button next to the field that re-enters this value for them.


Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)