Hello!

We have aquired a Filemaker database (ver 7, windows) and want to make a
small improvment.

We have a field called [lastnamne child], as we enter that namne we want
it to also automaticly copy itself to [lastnamne parent]as it usually is
the same. Idealy it would copy it self letter by letter but it's not
critical.

Some time we would import namnes from an excel file and it should do the
same then.

Also it happens that parents have a different lastname so it has to
accept manual entries as well and keep those.

We have tried to make a link and a simple script but we could not get it
to work.

This is our first contact with filemaker and I'm sure it's doable. I
just don't know how.

Thank you for your time.

/Jonas Pärtma

You have a choice.

1. Manually: write a script which copies [lastname child] and pastes it
into [lastname parent] at your discretion. Place a button on the layout
which invokes the script when clicked.

2. Automatically: write the same script as above, but trigger it
automatically upon change to [lastname child]. FileMaker does not do this
by itself: there are a couple of free plugins that will provide the
capability.

EventScript from http://www.softs4humans
zippScript from http://homepage.mac.com/jkornhaus/

The importing will work slightly differently:

A separate script could do the importing, then loop through the new
records to copy and paste.

When you say the parents' name is "usually" the same (that's how it is in
my home, funny how that works), you raise an issue about automatically
copying, especially in an import situation. Does the Excel file contain
the parents' name? You may have to include a test to see if the field is
already populated before you paste something into it.

Matt

Jonas Pärtma wrote:

You could make the parent last name auto
enter a calculated value.When you do the
import make sure to update auto enter
operations.
If auto enter is not flexible enough
for your solution I have had good luck
with zipp script that Matt Will recommended.
BD

Jonas Pärtma wrote:

Hello Jonas & Matt,

There is another method which can be used - with care. That is setup the
[lastname parent] field as Auto-enter calculation = lastname child.

I have tried this and it seems to work if the lastname child field is in
front of the lastname parent field on the layout tab order. On the other
hand, if the parent name field is before the child name field on the layout
tab order it doesn't work. I have no idea what happens with import. I would
guess it deends on the field order when importing.

(This behavious is quite logical. If the child name field hasn't been entered
when you come to entering the parent name field then there is nothing there
to auto enter)

Thank you for your input. I found them helpful and vill try them out.

Matt:
No, the Excel files don't contain the parents name. Well legal guardian
might be a better word for it. Not all children are under the care of
their parents.

I think I can manage the importing script. (knock on wood)

To buy a plugin I need to convince my boss. I'll have to try the other
things first.

Dan:
This might work for us. I'll give it a shot.


Dan wrote:

Jonas Pärtma wrote:

Then give careful consideration to how the guardian name entry will
function.

You can assume the name is the same and do it automatically, either by the
plugin/script or by Dan's auto-calculation suggestion. This means that
whoever is doing the data entry has to be attentive enough to make sure
that the guardian's name is correctly recorded.

Despite admonitions to the contrary, everyone has to make assumptions, and
this is no different. Personally, I prefer to assume in favor of what
might go wrong: "You can't make anything foolproof, because fools are so
ingenious" (I thought that was Mark Twain, but I can't verify it).

In this case, I would opt for a simple convenience: if the child lives
with parents, click a button and the last name is copied and pasted. If
not, enter the guardian's name. It eliminates the very real possibility of
allowing something to happen automatically and failing to correct it if
called for.

At the very least, if you opt for a triggered script, build in a custom
dialog that asks for confirmation that the last name is the same.

Either way, a click is a click.


Re-read next line:


Matt

The first thing I'll do is to learn how to read. I have downloaded the
plugins and vill try them out.

Thank you for your help and beeing so kind about my reading abilties.

I consider this problem solved, all that is left is for us to decide
which solution to pick.

/Jonas Pärtma

BD wrote:
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