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Groups > comp.databases.filemaker > #2968

Re: Can't Use a Portal

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On 2018-01-20 16:27:14 +0000, ursus.kirk@gmail.com said:
> Op 19-1-2018 om 22:16 schreef Helpful Harry:
>> On 2018-01-19 08:14:56 +0000, ursus.kirk@gmail.com said:
>>>> 
>>>> It also now automatically names the Relationship. You can only create 
>>>> your own name if you make a duplicate of an existing Relationship. 
>>>> Naming the Relationships sensibly used to make it a lot easier to find 
>>>> the correct one.  :o(
>>> 
>>> In de relationship graph I use a workaround. First I color all my 
>>> table-occurrences. Such that it makes sense to me, say all the yellow 
>>> tables belong to the same process.
>>> 
>>> Also I use the Annotate tool (the small button with the capital A in 
>>> it) Using that I draw a rectangle around one (or more) occurrences, 
>>> colour it and type a name in it (or a very small explanation)
>> 
>> Useful in the silly "tree" graph, but that won't show up in the pop-up 
>> menus when using the various dialog boxes such as picking a Field name 
>> or Relationship for a Portal.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> The you say you name the relationships. I've lost you there. In the 
>>> graph they are one a small rectangle with a sign it it. When you open 
>>> one up there is no place to name them properly. I probably 
>>> misunderstood you there....
>> 
>> If you create a new Relationship from TableA:LinkField_A = 
>> TableB:LinkField_B, for example, then FileMaker automatically names it, 
>> usually as "TableB", which can be rather meaningless.
>> 
>> If you then create a second new Relationship, again using the exact 
>> same details (TableA:LinkField_A = TableB:LinkField_B), then FileMaker 
>> tries to auto-name it with the same "TableB" name, but finds it already 
>> exists. It then asks you to enter a new name for the Relationship, 
>> which can be whatever you like. You can then delete the first 
>> auto-named Relationship to retain the one with your perferred name. An 
>> annoying way to work when it should simply allow you to name it 
>> whatever you want in the first place (like it used to!).
>> 
>> I didn't notice whether that name is actually displayed anywhere in the 
>> "tree" graph and it probably isn't, but it is displayed in the pop-up 
>> menus.
>> 
>> I noticed this yesterday in FileMaker Pro 16 when testing some stuff to 
>> answer Charles' question.
>> 
>> Helpful Harry  :o)
> 
> Sorry to be nit-picking. But I think you are talking about 
> table-occurrences. Not about relationships. When you want to create a 
> relationship with a table that already exist it indeed only asks for a 
> name for your table occurrence if you already have used that table 
> occurrence. Filemaker does place a table occurrence of every table 
> inside the graph (and pop-up lists). And indeed you can't change the 
> name of the default, created by filemaker. The occurrence being named 
> after the table. But if you just create that table (leave it empty for 
> now) you can delete it's occurrence in the graph and create your own 
> with your own name. Thus you might have a table named A using a single 
> occurence called B. Then you can start working with it. The table will 
> be called A, its reference B. When entering new fields you open up by 
> using its table name. (which doesn't change) But you may reference to 
> those fields by using their table-occurrence name.
> 
> To me it wouldn't make much sense in using this technique.

Technically, yes, FileMaker calls it a "Table Occurance".

In reality the process of creating it is in the Relationships tab of 
the Manage Database window. The name also appears in the pop-up menus 
and is that specific Relationship. So it's easiest to just call it (for 
these purposes anyway) a "Relationship name". If you want a field from 
that particular Relationship, you can drag the Field icon onto a Layout 
and choose that "Relationship name" from the pop-up menu. That name can 
be much more informative that simply "TableB" which FileMaker 
auto-creates for it in the initial Relationship.

Whatever you want to call it, being able to define your own name can be 
much more useful than the auto-created one.

It's also one of the many rather silly changes that make newer versions 
of FileMaker far more cumbersome, and more confusing and difficult to 
use.  :o(

Helpful Harry  :o)

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Can't Use a Portal csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-01-10 18:40 -0800
  Re: Can't Use a Portal Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-01-11 18:22 +1300
    Re: Can't Use a Portal csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-01-13 11:45 -0800
  Re: Can't Use a Portal Erik Appeldoorn <ursus.kirk@gmail.com> - 2018-01-11 09:56 +0100
    Re: Can't Use a Portal Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-01-12 09:10 +1300
    Re: Can't Use a Portal csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-01-13 11:45 -0800
  Re: Can't Use a Portal csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-01-13 11:45 -0800
    Re: Can't Use a Portal Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-01-14 09:16 +1300
  Re: Can't Use a Portal csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-01-17 18:14 -0800
    Re: Can't Use a Portal Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-01-18 16:01 +1300
      Re: Can't Use a Portal csampson@inetworld.net (Charles H. Sampson) - 2018-01-18 12:14 -0800
        Re: Can't Use a Portal Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-01-19 13:46 +1300
          Re: Can't Use a Portal ursus.kirk@gmail.com - 2018-01-19 09:14 +0100
            Re: Can't Use a Portal Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-01-20 10:16 +1300
              Re: Can't Use a Portal ursus.kirk@gmail.com - 2018-01-20 17:27 +0100
                Re: Can't Use a Portal Helpful Harry <HelpfulHarry@BusyWorking.com> - 2018-01-21 10:17 +1300

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