dynamic field columns in table view [Archive]

lanwu

01-18-02, 03:29

We use FMP to administer all the information for our students/staff/parents in our school. Each student record has many many fields to account for all the details that are required by different staff users in the school.

Our main problem is that each staff user requires a different set of information (fields) but they all access it in simple table format.

Instead of creating a layout for each table format required by each one of these staff users, instead we would like to have a single table with "dynamic field columns". ie. All users will enter the same layout with a table. From that layout, they can change any field column to another field.

Has anyone created such a layout before? i

Blaster

02-27-02, 04:04

Actually with the advent of FMP 5.5 there is a new status function Status(CurrentFieldName). You could set up something fancy where the user can click an a field and that field is set into a global. The global would be used in a calculation to determine the data that is shown for that record (field1,2,etc.)

Or you can do it the way I did it, (see attached file). I created a db with 5 data fields and 3 global fields.

Lets assume the report layout needs to show 3 colomns. You set the 3 globals with the value of the field names that you want to appear on the table or report. There is a calculation field for each of the global fields. The calculation will show the result based upon the value of the global, see sample.

**Note this method has a drawback... If you need to report on a large number of fields, it could be very slow, due to the fact that the database has to carry a calculation for each column needed on the report.

I am betting though, you could use the 'Status(CurrentFieldName)' function to simplify the process. If you come up with something good I'd love to see it.

Good luck! **OOps, the message board will not let me upload a .fmp file to this message. Email me at cnjackson@earthlink if you want to take a look at the file I built.