I have a multiple file database I converted from FM6 to FM7, retaining
the multiple file structure. A calculated field (SubgenusP) in one of
the files (Specimens) uses a related field from another file as follows:
If( IsEmpty(Shells::SUBGENUS) ; "" ; "(" & Proper(Shells::SUBGENUS) & ") ")

All old layouts that were in the converted FP6 files display the values
for SubgenusP properly in the FP7 files. If I use the field in any new
layout in the corresponding FP7 file, as ordinary or merge fields, no
values appear. I have even tried copying & pasting the field from a
layout where it displays normally into a new layout.

How can a field work in the old layouts but not in the new?

How can I use the field in new layouts?

The SubgenusP field is used for specimen labels. If a specimen belongs
to a subgenus, the name of the subgenus (from the Shells file) needs to
be displayed in parentheses. If the specimen belongs to no subgenus,
the calculation insures that no space appears on the label for the empty
field.
--
Cecil N. Bankston
Baton Rouge, LA
USA

In FileMaker 7 a layout references a table occurrence. If you copy a
field form 1 layout to another layout but the layouts are referencing
different table occurrences then the field may not display any data.

FP wrote:


I don't understand how the problem you mention would apply to my
database. Because it was a simple conversion from a FM6 application
that consisted of 4 files, the FM7 version has the same 4 files, each
with only 1 table. Only 2 of those files are related by a single match
field that occurs in each. Thus each file has only 1 table occurrence.
The calculated field (SubgenusP) in one of the files (Specimens) uses a
related field from another file as follows:

If( IsEmpty(Shells::SUBGENUS) ; "" ; "(" & Proper(Shells::SUBGENUS) & ") ")

All the old layouts that do show values for SubgenusP and all the new
layouts that don't are in the same file (table), Specimens, and are set
to show records from Specimens. I made a test layout in the Specimens
file (table) that included SubgenusP. The SubgenusP field did not show
values in any view mode. I included 2 other calculated fields that
referenced only fields from the Specimens file. Those fields showed
values in Browse mode but not in Preview.

I'm surprised I have not gotten more replies, as I am sure many FM7
users are working with or have worked with applications converted from
previous FM versions.
--
Cecil N. Bankston
Baton Rouge, LA
USA

Cecil Bankston wrote:
From your description, each file must have at least two table
occurrences -- one for the table that lives in that file and one for the
related table.

Are you sure the layout you are using is based on the intended Table
Occurrence? What kinds of fields is the relationship based on -- maybe
there is a data type mismatch that is more important in FM7 then in
previous versions?

There must be something going on here, as such things don't just stop
working upon conversion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Howard Schlossberg (818) 883-2846
FM Pro Solutions Los Angeles, California

FileMaker 7 Certified Developer
Associate Member, FileMaker Solutions Alliance

Howard Schlossberg wrote:
You are correct. I should have said there is 1 table occurrence for the
single table in the Specimens file that is related to the table
occurrence that represents the Shells file. In other words there is
only 1 relationship between the 2 files (each of which consists of a
single table).

The match field is a calculated field, a concatenation of the Genus and
Species fields that exist in both the Specimens and Shells files
(tables). All the fields related to the problem are Text type.

Actually the converted layouts in the Specimens file that included the
SubgenusP (calculated) field worked flawlessly in FM7. Only the new
layouts created in FM7 failed to display data for the SubgenusP field.
I worked around the problem by adding the SubgenusP calculated field to
the Shells file (with the calculation edited to change the Subgenus
field to a Current Table field from a Related Table field) and using it
as a related field in the layouts of the Specimens file. The big
mystery is why the old layouts worked in FM7 with the SubgenusP field
but the new ones that appeared to have identical properties didn't.

--
Cecil N. Bankston
Baton Rouge, LA
USA