Multiple Date Input...

Hello all,

I have an interesting problem I think. Any assistance would be
greatly appreciated.

Here's what's going on:
FMP9Adv
Using IWP

I have a database to schedule medical appointments and right now I
have to set up each appointment individually.

But now some people are going to appointments every weekday and I'm
trying to figure out a way to input/create a bunch of records at once.

So I have a table with Claimants (those who need rides) and
Destinations and then a third table combining the claimants and their
destinations into appointments... where each record is a date.

How can i set up say... 15 dates at once for someone, with different
variable information...

example:

John Smith's related information carries over to the appointment table
but on ONE FORM I want to be able to do something like this:

Name (chosen from a drop down list)

File Number (which is copied over to each date in the appointments
table that is entered below)

Date 1 Time Location Type (where each variable is a field)
Date 2 Time Location Type

and if I need more dates... a script to add another blank set of
fields... and so on...


It's a basic scheduling concept, the way I see it...

it would be the same if you wanted to schedule a sales person's daily
appointments in one shot... i just cannot figure this out.

It would be such a huge help to have any input... maybe I'm missing
something...

THANKS!!!
B
then a submit button that really just tells the user the dates have
been entered.

Re: Multiple Date Input...

In article <1193419965.372001.245130@v3g2000hsg.googlegroups.com>,
"wilsonistrey@gmail.com" wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I have an interesting problem I think. Any assistance would be
> greatly appreciated.
>
> Here's what's going on:
> FMP9Adv
> Using IWP
>
> I have a database to schedule medical appointments and right now I
> have to set up each appointment individually.
>
> But now some people are going to appointments every weekday and I'm
> trying to figure out a way to input/create a bunch of records at once.
>
> So I have a table with Claimants (those who need rides) and
> Destinations and then a third table combining the claimants and their
> destinations into appointments... where each record is a date.
>
> How can i set up say... 15 dates at once for someone, with different
> variable information...
>
> example:
>
> John Smith's related information carries over to the appointment table
> but on ONE FORM I want to be able to do something like this:
>
> Name (chosen from a drop down list)
>
> File Number (which is copied over to each date in the appointments
> table that is entered below)
>
> Date 1 Time Location Type (where each variable is a field)
> Date 2 Time Location Type
>
> and if I need more dates... a script to add another blank set of
> fields... and so on...
>
>
> It's a basic scheduling concept, the way I see it...
>
> it would be the same if you wanted to schedule a sales person's daily
> appointments in one shot... i just cannot figure this out.
>
> It would be such a huge help to have any input... maybe I'm missing
> something...
>
> THANKS!!!
> B
> then a submit button that really just tells the user the dates have
> been entered.

I have a Diary system that has a similar function. Users can enter
meetings, etc. individually directly into a portal or there is a
"Multi-Add" button that allows them to add a meeting that is regularly
held.

This "Multi-Add" button takes the user to a separate layout (in the
related fiel under FileMaker 5.5) where they enter the constant details
into Global fields (eg. time, venue, who, etc.). The layout also has
Global fields for Start Date and End Date, and another to let the user
choose how often the meeting takes place (eg. daily, weekly, monthly).

The user enters all the details into these Global fields and then
clicks on the "Add" button which runs a script that then loops through
the appropriate dates creating the necessary records by incrementing
the date.
eg. a script something like:

Set Field g_LoopDate, g_StartDate]
Loop
New Record / Request
Set Field [RecordDate, g_LoopDate]
Set Field [RecordTime, g_MeetingTime]
Set Field [RecordVenue, g_MeetingVenue]
...
# Set all the record's fields
...
If [g_HowOften = "Daily"]
Set Field [g_LoopDate, g_LoopDate + 1]
End If
If [g_HowOften = "Weekly"]
Set Field [g_LoopDate, g_LoopDate + 7]
End If
If [g_HowOften = "Daily"]
Set Field [g_LoopDate, Date(Month(g_LoopDate) + 1,
Day(g_LoopDate),
Year(g_LoopDate)
)]
End If
Exit Loop If [g_LoopDate > g_EndDate]
End Loop

There is no "error checking" in there to make sure the dates are not
weekends or holidays.

Instead of an End Date, you can have a set number of appointments. You
then decrease the g_NumMeetings by 1 each time through the loop and
exit the loop when you reach 0.

For your database system you might have to perform a similar script (or
call a sub-script insinde the loop) for each table to create the
appropriate records. You also need to remember to properly set any
non-user fields needed for relationships by storing those values in
other Global fields.





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