Due to some bad design decisions and the 50 file limit, we have a few files
that contain records representing completely different things, each record
type using different fields. Get my drift? A file containing info about
movies and cats might have these fields, for example.

Id
RecordType (= "mov" or "cat")
movTitle
movYear
movRating
movSummary
catName
catDateBirth
catBreed
catLivesRemaining

This file has a few layouts designed to view movie records, and a few
layouts designed to view cat records. The navigation scripts ensure that
the found set includes only the right records. Most layouts also have a
button attached to a "Go to find mode" script, that switches to find mode
and sets the (hidden) RecordType field. However if the user enters search
criteria that don't match any records, and performs the find, FM offers them
the chance to cancel the find, and shows them _all_ the records. This is
not only unsightly, but leads overconfident users to think "Look at all
these empty records! I might as well delete them."

So perhaps I'd better not let the users into find mode at all, but create
some global fields, put them on a "Find" layout, and script it. This
thought is unpleasant because (a) There are a lot of places where I'll need
to do it, and it doesn't seem like much fun, and (b) if I don't let the
users into find mode, they'll have to push a button to perform the find,
rather than hitting "Enter".

So does anyone know of another solution?

Hi Thomas,

If you script your find correctly, then the User experience can be
pleasant AND safe to use. You would Set Error Capture [On] and
then test various things, such as:

You can test for specific Error #'s or conditions, such as no records
found (with: not Status(CurrentFoundCount). Then you Show Message
giving Users a choice of what to do, ie Message to re-find (OK) or
return to Browse mode (CANCEL) and another layout (or whatever you
wish). And then use Status(CurrentMessageChoice) to control what happens
when they select each button on the message box.

Oh, and don't forget to set Allow User Abort [Off] or your work
will be fruitless. But you might want to wait until you've made sure
your scripts work perfectly first. Or set your Access Privileges
password to be the only one that can abort all scripts manually.

So if you have any questions as you're working on these scripts, let
us know!

LaRetta

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((snipped an excellent post))

And Thomas, your html post was very hard to read. If you are going to use html
(bad for newsgroups!!) don't use such a crappy font like MS Mincho (at least
that's what your particular post came up as)
--
"When the darkness comes, those who once lived in the shadows will need to guide
the lost ones."
-till next time, Jameson Stalanthas Yu -x- dolphins-cove.com
consul (AT) INVALIDdolphins-cove (DOT) com ((remove the INVALID))