Hello,

I have a sort of checklist application...there are topics A B C with
questions 1-4 for each let's say. When I sort by Topic, I have it set
up where it will show a sub-summary line with the 4 q's for each topic
below it and so on in the preview mode.. It works fine, allowing them
to print out a nicely formatted checklist and take it with them.
However, they have to come back and edit the checklist (which would be
in browse mode) to input their answers. While in browse mode, it'll
sort by topic still, but there is no leading sub-summary telling them
what topic they are on. Is there a way to do this, or will I have to
add another field next to it overtly saying what topic it is?

Have: (in browse mode)

Want:

Don't Want: (if i can avoid it)


Any help would be wonderful...

In article <1171907617.972532.224380 (AT) k78g2000cwa (DOT) googlegroups.com>,
"EP" <ericp023 (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote:

As you have discovered, Summary sections and fields aren't really
designed for use with Browse mode.

There are two ways to get something similar to what you want ... as
long as there are always the same number of questions per topic
(Sliding gaps closed definitely doesn't work in Browse Mode).

Technically with either of these new Layouts in place you could delete
your original layout that uses Summary parts, and simply print the new
one instead.


CALCULATION FIELD
The first way is the easiest to set-up. If the questions are numbered
in some whay like "q1", "q2", etc., then you could get around it with
an extra Calculation field.

Create a new Calculation field which is given the Topic text only for
the first question.
eg.
c_TopicHeader {Calculation, Text Result, Unstored}
= If (Question = "q1", Topic, "")

You can then create a Layout that is along the lines of:

[c_TopicHeader] [Question] [ResponseField]

which, when the records are sorted properly, would give you a Browse
mode using List View that looks like this (you may need to view this
with a monspaced font like Courier so that columns line up properly):

Topic A q1 response field
---------------------------------- <--- Record break
q2 response field
---------------------------------- <--- Record break
q3 response field
---------------------------------- <--- Record break
q4 response field
---------------------------------- <--- Record break
Topic B q1 response field
---------------------------------- <--- Record break
q2 response field
---------------------------------- <--- Record break
q3 response field
---------------------------------- <--- Record break
q4 response field
etc.

This isn't quite what you want, but it is close without being
complicated to set-up.


RELATIONSHIP & PORTAL
The second way is exactly what you want, but is more complicated to
set-up. It would need a separate Table / File that uses a Relationship
and Portal to gather together all the questions for each topic
together.

This new Table / File only needs one field called TopicID and then one
record for each Topic each with their own unique ID code. The original
Table / File will also need new a TopicID field added to it, into which
you type the same ID codes, but this each question within a topic is
given the same ID.
eg.
NewTopicTable
Record 1 TopicID = "TopicA"
Record 2 TopicID = "TopicB"
etc.

OriginalTable
Record 1 Topic = "Topic A" Question = "q1" TopicID = "TopicA"
Record 2 Topic = "Topic A" Question = "q2" TopicID = "TopicA"
Record 3 Topic = "Topic A" Question = "q3" TopicID = "TopicA"
Record 4 Topic = "Topic A" Question = "q4" TopicID = "TopicA"

Record 5 Topic = "Topic B" Question = "q1" TopicID = "TopicB"
Record 6 Topic = "Topic B" Question = "q2" TopicID = "TopicB"
Record 7 Topic = "Topic B" Question = "q3" TopicID = "TopicB"
Record 8 Topic = "Topic B" Question = "q4" TopicID = "TopicB"
etc.

In the NewTopicTable (or file) you can now create a Relationship to
gather together all the questions for each topic.
eg.
rel_Topics match records from OriginalTable
when TopicID = OriginalTable::TopicID
sorted by OriginalTable::Question

Then you can create a Layout that uses this Relationship for a Portal
that is something like:

[rel_Topics::Topic]

+-----------------------------------------------------+

where the box is a 4-row portal, without scrollbars, using the
re_Topics Relationship. The Portal can be set to not show the border
lines when in Browse mode using the line style controls in FileMaker's
side-toolbar.

This, when the NewTopicTable records are sorted, would give you a
Browse mode, again in List View, that looks like:

Topic A

q1 response field
q2 response field
q3 response field
q4 response field
------------------------------- <--- Record break
Topic B

q1 response field
q2 response field
q3 response field
q4 response field
------------------------------- <--- Record break
Topic C

q1 response field
q2 response field
q3 response field
q4 response field

etc.




Helpful Harry
Hopefully helping harassed humans happily handle handiwork hardships ;o)