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Re: "Active" Layouts

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Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> wrote:

> On 2019-04-06 22:41:13 +0000, Charles H. Sampson said:
> 
> > Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> wrote:
> > 
> >> On 2018-12-01 19:47:48 +0000, Charles H. Sampson said:
> >> 
> >>> This is my latest request for a tutorial:
> >>> 
> >>> I want to have a layout whose fields vary depending on the value of a
> >>> field. The "selector" field is represented by radio buttons. Each button
> >>> choice triggers which fields in the record are to be displayed.
> >>> 
> >>> I have this poorly implemented at the moment. The implementation
> >>> involves multiple copies of a layout, one copy for each button setting.
> >>> There are also several scripts. Clicking on a button runs a script that,
> >>> among other things, goes to the appropriate layout copy showing the
> >>> desired fields.
> >>> 
> >>> This works, but it's terrible software engineering. A change to one
> >>> layout must be made, identically, to the others. A change to one script
> >>> requires consideration of unintentional side-effects on the other
> >>> scripts.
> >>> 
> >>> There's got to be a better way, but my old Pogue book doesn't shed any
> >>> light.
> >>> 
> >>> Charlie
> >> 
> >> That's how I've done it in the past with old version of FileMaker Pro
> >> (and it can be highly annoying when a customer wants a "minor"
> >> change to the Layout which in reality means changing multiple layouts).
> >> 
> >> BUT in newer versions it's very far easier.
> >> 
> >> 1.  In Layout Mode, select both the field AND it's fieldname label.
> >> 
> >> 2.  In the Inspector Panel click on the "Data" section (the drum-like
> >> icon).
> >> 
> >> 3.  The second sub-set of options is "Behavior". Click on the edit button
> >> and you can insert a calculation for when the field is displayed.
> >> 
> >> For example, if you set MyAppearingField to use a Behavior calculation
> >> of:
> >> (MyField = "Fred")
> >> 
> >> then MyAppearingField (and its label) will only be displayed when
> >> MyField contains the data "Fred" (without quote marks) - if MyField
> >> contains any other data or is empty, then MyAppearingField will not be
> >> displayed.
> >> 
> >> You may also want to tick the little box to use the same Behaviors when
> >> the Layout is in Find Mode. That way users can only find data in
> >> MyAppearingField when MyField has the data "Fred" entered.
> > 
> > Thanks, Harry.
> > 
> > The Christmas rush got to me and once I had gotten out of the habit of
> > looking at USENET it was hard to get back.
> > 
> > This information was what I needed. One quibble: The behavior that one
> > specifies is for when the field is hidden, not shown. That pales in
> > comparison to the useful information you gave.
> 
> You're right. That should have said:
>     MyField <> "Fred"
> so that the field is displayed when the trigger field does contain "Fred".
> 
> Not sure now whether that was a mistake, a typo, or an auto-correction
> from the non-ASCII not-equal symbol.
> 
> 
> 
> > I also needed to place fields (and labels) on top of each other, only
> > one showing at a time, of course. I could only do this using the
> > position specification in the inspector.
> 
> Another possibility, if there's a limited number of options, is the 
> "Tab Control" Layout item that is in newish version of FileMaker Pro.
> You can put all the 'normal' fields on the Layout, and then the 
> data-specific ones in separate tab areas within the Tab Control (using
> the example, you could have one tab for "Fred" another tab for "Bert",
> etc.).
> 
> 
> 
> > One minor irritation is still left. Whenever I change the radio button,
> > make the appropriate data changes, and attempt to leave the record, I
> > get a dialog asking if I want to accept the changes before leaving the
> > record. I'm pretty sure I can get rid of this by attaching a script that
> > commits the record as I try to leave, but I haven't checked that out
> > yet. (It's been a busy three months.)
> 
> I did a quick test file, but couldn't get it to display that message,
> so I'm not sure why (it may depend on what your Script is doing). I 
> know the newish approach to not automatically saving data can be an 
> anoyance in other functions though.
> 
Sorry to be so slow in getting back. An automobile accident has
sidelined me for two months.

This last issue is easy, sort of. In the Layout Setup dialog is a
checkbox for "Save record changes automatically." I checked that and my
problem went away. How it ever got unchecked is another question and one
that I'm not interested in pursuing.

Charlie
-- 
Nobody in this country got rich on his own.  You built a factory--good.
But you moved your goods on roads we all paid for.  You hired workers we
all paid to educate. So keep a big hunk of the money from your factory.
But take a hunk and pay it forward.  Elizabeth Warren (paraphrased)

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Thread

"Active" Layouts csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-12-01 11:47 -0800
  Re: "Active" Layouts Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-12-02 13:46 +1300
    Re: "Active" Layouts csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2019-04-06 15:41 -0700
      Re: "Active" Layouts Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2019-04-07 14:04 +1200
        Re: "Active" Layouts csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2019-07-10 16:54 -0700

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