Filemaker Pro 14 History tables - filemaker

With a few solutions Ive worked with I've created temp table's or history tables. Normally I script it to take a handful of fields needed from a main table and copy it over to the other table by
Setting a variable then setting field to the variable for each field in the new table / new record.
I have a situation now, where Im building a history table that needs to copy the current record as is. A snapshot where all fields from that instance of the record are copied to the history table.
Rather then setting a variable then set field to the variable, Id like to get some input on a quicker way to get this done where I can do this on a record level and not type out field by field to get it done. Also if fields are added to both tables then I have to make sure my script gets updated.
Ill keep hunting around.. appreciate any help.
-Rich

Do you have a sample of copying a record from 1 table to another
including all fields and setting some fields?
As I suggested in comments, use the Import Records[] script step, and select the same file as the source. If you choose Arrange by: [ matching names ] in the Import Field Mapping dialog, it will automatically map all source fields to their similarly named counterparts.
Note that you must establish a found set in the source table before importing.
For "setting some fields", you can define auto-enter options and activate them during the import, or run Replace Field Contents[] immediately after the import.

Related

Some fields are missing in the fieldexplorer. How to show all fields?

i'm using Crystal Reports with my ERP-System. There have been predefined reports i now want to change.
In the field-explorer are some tables which have been renamed for better readability. But those tables are missing some fields, i want to use. If i connect the whole table again, all fields are there. Is there a way to display all fields in the predefined tables.
I tried to refresh the Database but nothing changes. If i delete the predefined table and then rename the new one to the old one, so i can use all predefinded formulas, all used fields in the report get deleted. I would need to recreate the whole report then.
Thanks for the help
If it is truly the same table and is not showing all the fields then you need to do "Database > Verify Database". That will force CR to refresh the structure of the table (instead of just the data). If this doesn't add the missing fields then the table in the report is actually a different object.
To see what the table/view the report is actually using go to "Database > Set DataSource Location" and look at the properties node for that table. It will show if it is a table/view/SP and what the true object name is.
If you want to replace the existing table with a different table you go to "Database > Set DataSource Location" again. Highlight the existing table in the top window, connect and highlight the replacement table in the bottom window. Then click update. Crystal will replace one table with the other and all of the fields in the report that exist in the new table will be mapped automatically. Note that the new table will keep the alias of the original table. If you are unsure if the table was updated you can look at the properties node in the top window to see the change.

Can't remap fields - map fields window is missing new table

I have a Crystal Report with a database command:
The command has a join clause that can be removed and read from a table in the database, because it represents static data. I add this table (called _System) to the database expert:
Now I edit the command to remove the join and columns that reference this table. Since the report fields that depended on these columns are no longer mapped, this causes the Map Fields window to appear:
...which does not have the new table in it. If I cancel out of this I am back to where I originally was. If I hit OK without mapping, all of the unmapped fields on the report are deleted (suffice it to say... I was not expecting this >:( )
I have tried adding links between the command and the new table, and refreshing report parameters, but these have had no effect.
One workaround is to manually replace every field in the report, but this is very labour intensive.
Here is the outline of the command before:
SELECT ACT.Account_Code, ACT.Company, ACT.FName, --etc
STM.CompanyName AS 'DLRName', STM.Address_1 AS 'DLRAddress', STM.City AS 'DlrCity' --etc
FROM Accounts AS ACT
JOIN _System AS STM ON 1 = 1
GROUP BY ACT.Account_Code, ACT.Company, ACT.FName, --etc
STM.CompanyName, STM.Address_1, STM.City --etc
And after:
SELECT ACT.Account_Code, ACT.Company, ACT.FName, --etc
FROM Accounts AS ACT
GROUP BY ACT.Account_Code, ACT.Company, ACT.FName --etc
I have removed the JOIN on the _System table, and all referenced columns.
It appears to not be recognizing your _system table as a new source.
I would :
1) leave your command object SQL unchanged & get the issue worked out with the _System table, then
2) ensure that you are able to establish a join between the command object fields and the _System table fields, and lastly
3) then remap the fields.
Step two I suspect is the source of the problem, as your join condition is "ON 1 = 1" which I assume to mean that you may not have a common key field in both tables.
Note that your original command SQL selects STM.Companyname AS 'DLRName'.
Hence, crystal now know of a field called DLRName, but does not know of a field called CompanyName, hence it cannot make the association between DLRName in the old source, and CompanyName in the new source...
Likewise with the rest of the fields that are being moved from the command object to an attached table. if no name match exists...Crystal cant make the connection. However...it would list all unmatched fields that are on the report, and all unused fields in the recognized data sources, and allow you to specify the matches yourself.
But it does not...which tells me that something has gone wrong with the attempt to attach/open the _System table. Hence..you need to get that worked out first, then make the field adjustments.
If this doesnt get you thru...then show some sample data so I can see how the two tables are relating ( ensure some examples exists where there is a row match from both tables ).
I had the same problem a while ago.
Unfortunately I can't find anything online that helps, or maybe wasn't looking hard enough. I just noticed that in my case, that particular field that isn't showing in the map field dialogue box has nvarchar(max) as its datatype (in view).
I tried to force the datatype with CAST(missingfieldname as nvarchar(20)) as missingfieldname (I did this in the view), and voila, it magically appears in the map field dialogue box.
It seems that field mapping dialogue box aren't showing fields with blob texts.
I know this question was asked 4 years ago. But hopefully, this comment could help future solution seekers regarding this absurd and weird problem. I just got lucky seeing what's unique about that particular missing field.

Filemaker Pro - SetVariable from text file

Using FileMakerPro 12/13, I want to open an external file, extract values, and use these to set the values of some script variables.
The approach is:
• Use the import function to import data from a tab delimited file into a table, where first row has field names
• Open that table and go to the first record
• Copy the field values from the first record into the variables and use the variables as required
The problems are:
• When we run the import, it seems to auto-create a new “layout” each time .. we don’t want this to happen, or, need to auto-delete these layouts after they are created. Another possible approach is to drop/delete the import table, then allow the import to re-created it … this would stop the additional layout issue perhaps? … either way, we cannot find a script function to delete a named table or layout
• We are bringing the data successfully into the table, however, we are unable to get a function or set of functions working that reads the data from that table and assigns it to a variable.
Any assistance gratefully received!
The first problem is the result of importing into a new target table every time you import. Instead, you should create - once - a table named (for example) Variables, with the following fields:
ID
UserID
UserScore
and set your importing script (you have this scripted, right?) to import into this table. This will create a new record in the Variables table each time you import. You can delete this record when done. You cannot delete a table or a layout programmatically.
Regarding the second problem, use the Set Variable[] script step to "load" the imported values into variables, for example:
Set Variable [ $userID; Value: Variables:UserID ]
Note that immediately after import, the found set in the Variables table will contain only the imported record/s. So even if you do not delete the previously imported records, a script combining the two steps (import and set variables) will work just fine.

FileMaker - How to create a new record in another table for each record in a found set

I want a user to be able to do a search in the layout/table "Cages" and then click a button to run a script that will create a new record in a table called "CagesProtocolLineHistory" for each record in the found set.
Below is what I have so far which almost works but on go to original layout line it doesn't go to the next record, it goes to a record near the end. I.e., it's skipping some records.
Yes, Go to Record[ first ] before the loop will ensure that all records are copied. Otherwise, if the script starts at some record other than first, it will skip all records before this.
A couple of notes: FileMaker string comparison is case-insensitive by default, so you don't need to use Upper() here. Also, in most cases it's simpler not to copy all data through variables, but pass a single key and copy other data via lookups.
You could do this in a three step: search for the "yes"s in a new window; export the record ids (passed params) to a local temp file, and reimport the ids into the child table.

How can I (partially) automate the transfer of a FileMaker database structure and field contents to a second database?

I'm trying to copy some field values to a duplicate database. One record at a time. This is used for history and so I can delete some records in the original database to keep it fast.
I don't want to manually save the values in a variable because there are hundreds of fields. So I want to go to the first field, save the field name and value and then go over to the other database and save the data. Then run a 'Go to Next Field' and loop through all the fields.
This works perfectly, but here is the problem: When a field is a calculation you cannot tab into it and therefore 'Go to Next Field' doesn't work. It skips it.
I though of doing a 'Go to Object' but then I need to name all the objects and I can't find a script to name objects.
Can anyone out there think of a solution?
Thanks!
This is one of those problems where I always found it easier to do an export/import.
Export all the data you want from the one database, and then import it into the other database. All you need to do is:
Manually specify which fields you want to copy
Map the data from the export to the right fields in the new database/table
You can even write a script to do these things for you.
There are several ways to achieve this.
To make a "history file", I have found there are several cases out there, so lets take a look.
CASE ONE
Single file I just want to "keep" a very large file with historical data, because I need to erease all data in my Main file.
In this case, you should create a "clone" table (in the same file ore in other file, is the same). Then change any calculation field to the type of the calculation result (number, text, date, an so on...). Remove any "auto entered value or calculation from any field, like auto number, auto creation date, etc..). You will have a "Plain Table" with no calculations or auto entered data.
Then add a field to control duplicate data. If you have lets say an invoice number (unique) for each record, you can do this to achieve this task. But if you do not have a unique field that identifies the record as unique, then you have to create one...
To create such a field, I recommed to add a new field on the clone table and set as an aunto entered calculation and make a field combination that is unique... somthing like this: invoiceNumber & "-" & lineNumber & "-" " & date.
On the clone table make shure that validation is set up for "always", and no empty values allowed and that this value is unique.
Once you setup the clone table... then you can import your records, making sure that the auto enty option is on. Yo can do it as many times as you like, new records will be added and no duplicates.
If you want, can make a Script to do the move to historical table all the current records before deleting them.
NOTE:
This technique works fine when the data you try to keep do not have changes over time. This means, once the record is created is has no changes.
CASE TWO
A historical table must be created but some fields are updated.
In the beginnig I thougth a historical data, never changes. In some cases I found this is not the case, like the case I want to track historical invoices but at the same time, keep track if they are paid or not...
In this case you may use the same technique above, but instead of importing data... you must update data based on the "unique" fields that identifiy the record.
Hope this technique helps
FileMaker's FieldNames() function, along with GetField() can give you a list of field names and then their values