Re: Portal to text field?



johannax@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
Hi!

I've been tearing my hair out over this problem for longer than I like
to think about, so I figure it's time to ask people who are better at
Filemaker than I am.

Here's the thing: I have a portal with names related to a specific ID.
I'd like to somehow extraxt ALL the names related to the ID from the
portal and display them in a text field, preferably comma-separated.
Just to be clear:

Portal:
John Smith
Abe Jones
Paula Wright

Text field:
John Smith, Abe Jones, Paula Wright.

I don't care how workaround-y or scripty the solution is, I just have
to get it to work. Any help would be much appreciated by the entire
office :-)

I'm using FM Pro 7, if it makes any difference.

It does make a difference.

In 8.5 and up, we have a List function which returns just what you want: a return-separated list of all values in a related field.

In 7, you're limited to a scripted workaround, using a temporary holding field (pseudo):

Set Field [ TempField ; "" ]
Go to related record [show only related records]
Loop
Set Field [ TempField ; TempField & YourFIeld & "¶" ] (if the character didn't show, that's a FileMaker return, a/k/a "pilcrow")
Go to next record [exit after last]
End Loop
Go to layout [ original layout ]

Now use the contents of TempField as you wish.

Matt
--
Free FileMaker Technique Demos: http://www.VirtualVermont.com/FMP

My Custom Functions: http://www.briandunning.com/filemaker-custom-functions/results.php?keyword=wills
.