I'm trying to create reports from a simple database that keeps track of
student evaluations of workshops that are part of a summer research
program here at Truman. First, let me describe the tables. Then, let
me describe the report I would like. If anyone can help me figure out
how to coax FM7 into realizing my dream, I'd be grateful.

First, the tables. There are two. The first table lists the
workshops. Each workshop has an ID (the primary key) and a set of
fields including presenter, date, and location. The second table lists
the contents all the evaluations of all the workshops. Each row is
paired with a particular workshop using the workshop ID. As I
understand things, this is how the two tables are "related" to one
another. Each row of the second table has several field, some of which
are numerical (scores in different categories) and some of which are
text (written comments).

In the summary report for each workshop that I'm creating, I've been
able to calcualte summary statistics of the numerical scores, so I
think I have the relational aspect of the tables working properly. Now
I want my report to include lists of all the student comments for a
given workshop, grouped according to field (i.e., questions on the
workshop evaluation form).

The two things I've tried are using portals and "the body." The
portals don't flex (a.k.a. slide?) in length to account for the varying
number of responses to each of the questions, especially between
workshops. Also, the rows in the portals don't seem to slide the way
I'd expect. This results in much wasted space in many of the reports.
If only I could get them to flex, the portals would be the natural
solution to my problem. I've also tried using the "body" as a way to
get the information into a document, but this would require that I have
one layout per question for which I want a report. Also, when I tried
this, the rows didn't slide the way I thought they should.

Can anybody suggest an alternate approach that might be more successful
for me? Certainly this has been done before by some teacher or school
district or University that depolyed a course evaluation system.

Thanks in advance.

Jason

Let's say, in the Evaluations table, there's a field called
"Nasty_Comments".

Create a value list called "Related_Nasty_Comments", which uses values from
the Evaluations::Nasty_Comments field, and only shows related values,
starting from Workshops.

Now, in Workshops, create a field called "All_Nasty_Comments". Define it as
the following calc:
valueListItems ( get ( filename ) ; "Related_Nasty_Comments" )

The field "All_Nasty_Comments" will include all nasty comments about the
workshop, separated by pilcrows (returns).

Place "All_Nasty_Comments" on your report as a merge field. Make the field
HUGE, but tell it to slide.

Hope this helps.

--

Shadenfroh
shadenfroh (AT) yahoo (DOT) com

"Jason Miller" <millerj (AT) truman (DOT) edu> wrote