How do you create a multi-field?

[Patd]

Greetings,

I have a client who want's me to create a database to keep track of parking permits. Most of the residents have at least two to three vehicles per household and some of the businesses have from two to maybe twelve vehicles or more per business.

Is there a way in Version 10 that I could create a multi-field? If yes, how do I create it? I am pretty sure creating duplicate fields like car1, car2, and car3 is not the answer. I thank you for your help as I look forward to your response.

Regards,

Pat

[Keith Hubert]

Re: How do you create a multi-field?

Hi Pat,

Yes, you are correct, "creating duplicate fields like car1, car2, and car3" is not the way to go.

All the car details would be in a table of the Permit.

The names and addresses would be in one table and all the permit and car details in another.

Each new permit would have a lookup to the Names table, the field filled would be the linking Id, linked 1:1.

That makes each permit Unique.

To see all the permits belonging to one address, you would create a set with the Names as the parent and all the permits as the child table 1:N.

Hope that helps.

[martinwcole]

Re: How do you create a multi-field?

I have a complete application in V10 for managing parking permits. In some cases a client may have one building with several units; and in another, many buildings with many ubits in each.

[Patd]

Re: How do you create a multi-field?

Hi Keith,

I thank you for your help. To my understanding, a seperate table needs to be created for all the car details and permits, and another table created for names and addresses.

For the lookup style I would need to choose table lookup, correct? Is there any example from the AlphaSports I could review to see how it is set up as a multi-field? Again, thank you.

Regards,

Pat

Hi Pat,

Yes, you are correct, "creating duplicate fields like car1, car2, and car3" is not the way to go.

All the car details would be in a table of the Permit.

The names and addresses would be in one table and all the permit and car details in another.

Each new permit would have a lookup to the Names table, the field filled would be the linking Id, linked 1:1.

That makes each permit Unique.

To see all the permits belonging to one address, you would create a set with the Names as the parent and all the permits as the child table 1:N.

Hope that helps.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: How do you create a multi-field?

Take a look at the invoicing portion of AlphaSports. Study the set structure of the invoice set and how the invoice form operates.

"creating duplicate fields like car1, car2, and car3"

would be like having three invoice items fields in a table and only allowing three items to be invoiced at a time.

[martinwcole]

Re: How do you create a multi-field?

here is an image of a screen I use for my own version - may give you some ideas

[Mike Wilson]

Re: How do you create a multi-field?

Martin brings up a good point. It's all about the complexity of the parking permit itself and the number of separate parking locations encompassing the parking complex and the number of cars assigned to one person. In my situation, two or more permits can be needed for a car. One permit allows parking in two separate locations, and the second permit two locations, with one location being common to both. The permits have different colors and the colors are the link to the allowed locations. Some permits have three allowed locations (there are 5 locations).

Add that one person can have 2 cars that need the same 2 color permits to allow the circumstance of 2 employees that are married and work here and have two different cars that they swap back and forth depending on who is transporting children that day (the kids always go in the safer and bigger minivan).

The answer for how to structure the database resides in the exact circumstance of the structure of the permit system. No matter what, I think the needed is 4 tables, Permit, Location, Car and Owner, with multiple sets to address the subject under consideration. For Martin's situation, 2 location tables.