This lesson requires Registrations.fp7 and Rental Equipment.fp7

Several potential problems exist when you manually enter data into a database. First, data may be misspelled or simply entered incorrectly. Second, data may be entered inconsistently. To counter these problems, Filemaker Pro offers the ability to create value lists. Value lists can be formatted to appear as pop-up lists, pop-up menus, check boxes, or radio buttons. The primary difference between pop-up lists versus pop-up menus, is that the pop-up lists option provides an additional option to allow the user to add a value not in the list as well as editing the list for other users. The pop-up menu option only provides the additional option to edit the existing list.

A value list can be entered manually or can be created automatically by identifying a file with field values you wish to use. A value list can also be shared between files. You can even create a conditional value list based on the selection of a value in a related field.

Creating A Value List:

1. Using the Registrations.fp7 file, choose File -> Define -> Value Lists. Click "New" and type "Events" in the "Value List Name" field and click the "Use values from field" radio button.

2. In the "Specify Fields for Value List Events" dialog box, click the Specify File button and select Registrations.fp7.

3. Click on the field "Event" in the field list on the left and click "OK" then "OK" then "OK".

4. Select View -> Layout Mode. Click on the field "Event" and select Format -> Field Format. Select the "Pop-up Menu" radio button and select the value list "Events" and click "OK".

5. Select View -> Browse Mode and click on the "Event" field. You should see all available events based on entries previously made in the database.

Creating a Conditional Value List:

Rental equipment needed for each event listed in "Registrations" is based upon which event is selected in the "Event" field. To make a conditional value list for the rental equipment, we need a database to define each piece of rental equipment and the event in which it is used. Then we need to define a relationship between this new database and the database in which we are creating the value list. We will then define the value list based on a specified file but only related values based on the newly defined relationship.

1. Select File -> Open and choose the file Rental Equipment.fp7 and click "Open". Browse this file and notice it contains only two fields, "Event" and "Equipment". There is one record for each piece of rental equipment. Browse to Record 2. Click on the "Event" field. Notice there are two events listed, "Kayaking" and "Canoeing", each on separate lines. This is an example of a multi-key match field.

2. Select Window -> "Registrations". Choose File -> Database and the Relationship tab. Then click the "New" relationship button that is the second button from the left. Select the current file Registration.fp7 from the drop down list of files on the left and the fileRental Equipment.fp7 from the drop down list of files on the right. Then select the field "Event" in both the left and right field lists. Click "Add" and "OK".

3. Select View -> Layout Mode. Choose the "Equipment Rentals Needed" field. Select Format -> Field Format. Click on the Pop-up List radio button, choose Pop-up Menu for the field type and select "Define Value List".

4. Click "New" and name the value list "Rental Equipment". Select the "Use values from field" radio button and click "Specify".

5. In the "Specify Fields for Value List Rental Equipment" dialog box, select the file Rental Equipment.fp7. Choose the "Include related values" radio button and choose the "Rental Equipment" relationship. Select the field "Equipment" in the field list on the left. Click "OK" and "OK".

6. Select View -> Browse Mode. Navigate to Record 6 and click on the "Equipment Rentals Needed" field. Notice that your drop-down choices are Kayak, Helmet and Life Jacket. Now Browse to Record 7 and click on the "Equipment Rentals Needed" field. Notice that your drop-down choices are Canoe and Life Jacket.

 

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