Hello All,

I have an interesting problem that occurred after a conversion from FM5 to 8. Not only is it a problem but I cannot see a way of recreating the original functionality that was available in FM5 in FM8.

For simplicity sake I will name only the relevant fields in the files.

People file – contains Name, URN and two portalled fields from file ‘Orders’

Orders file – contains URN (for link to People) Ordertype1 and Ordertype2 (these latter two fields are the ones portalled back into the People file.

OrderType file – contains two fields, Type1 and Type2. These form the basis of the value list selection for OrderType1 and OrderType2 in the Orders file. The match field being the Ordertype1 in the Orders file and the Type1 in the OrderType file.

The dropdown selection for Ordertype1 in the People file is a ‘Show All Values’ value list using the values in the records in the Type1 in the OrderType file.

The dropdown selection for Ordertype2 in the People file is a value list using the relationship between the Ordertype1 and Type1 in the Ordertype file. The selection here then dictating what values are available from the Type2 field.


Now, the two fields OrderType1 and Ordertype2 from the Orders file are portalled into the People file (via the URNs) so they can be seen and amended by Users in that file.
The Value lists for these portalled fields are:
For the portalled ::Ordertype1 a ‘Show All Values’ from the Type1 field in the Ordertype file.

For the portalled ::Ordertype2 it is a Value list from the file Orders, that value list is based on relationship between the Orders file and the Ordertype file with the match field being the Ordertype1 and Type1 values.

In FM6, not only does this work fine in the People file in Browse mode for amending records, but even when you are doing a Find in the People file, selecting a value in the Portalled Ordertype1 field still provides the appropriate values in the portalled Ordetype2 field so you can select from these also in order to complete the criteria for the find.

Here’s my problem. When the file is converted to FM8, the facility to choose a value in the Ordertype2 field when in Find mode disappears. I get ‘No Values Defined’ message. In Browse mode it works fine however.

I even built a very simple three File database in FM6 along the exact lines above and converted it to FM8 to make it easier to see what was happening. Works fine in FM6 but not on being converted.

I have tried everything I can think of to get this functionality back again by adding/changing relationships, file references but to no avail. Note that the conversion is as Files not as Tables.

Doubtless I have missed something obvious but I would dearly love to know what it is and why on conversion, the value list selection fails.

Sorry for the length of this posting on what is on the surface a simple function but brevity is not a strong point for me. The original FM6 test files area available if any one want to take a look!

Best regards

David

Hi David, I don't believe you can get a conditional value list to work in a portal in find mode in this way. This would work if you were searching the orders file directly, but when you put the conditional value list in a portal it fails.

One work around for this is to script the entry into the second field and use that script to set a global field with the value of OrderType1. A value list based on the global field in people to your ordertype2 will work in find mode. So you'd have two fields for OrderType2 one enterable in browse mode with the existing value list and a second, noramally hidden field enterable in find mode, using a value list based on the global field relationship.

Hi John,

Thank you for such a concise answer from a very long post!

I will put the work around in as you suggest.

One thing though. The original functionality definitely worked in the FM6 version, I am looking at it right now! I wonder if this is something to do with FM8 that one can no longer do this?

Anyway, thanks once again.

David

Hi John,

Just in case anyone else is looking for a solution to this problem, your reply (as always) set me thinking. Below is a quick summary of the workaround I have found that does not involve scripting or global fields.

In the People file I set up two calculated fields that show the Ordertype1 and Ordertype2 data from the Orders file.

The new calculated Ordertype1 field uses the same custom value list as the original Ordertype1 field from the Orders file.

The new calculated Ordertype2 field uses a new value list from the field Ordertype2 in the Ordertype file, based on a new relationship between the Calculated Ordertype1 field and the Type1 field in the Ordertype file.

As the new calculated fields are actually sitting in the People file and not portalled through from the Orders file, the conditional value list does not break when in ‘Find’ mode.

By making the new calculated fields enterable only in Find mode and sitting them on top of the corresponding fields from the Orders file and making the latter only enterable in Browse mode then the user sees no difference whether in Find or Browse mode, the conditional value list works in both modes.

Anyway, trust this may be of use to someone somewhere.

Thanks once again for the inspiration.

Best regards
David