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Global Field

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    Global Field

    I recently changed over to Alpha Five 9.0 from the FileMaker Pro Developer Program. My question relates to a field format. I want to format a particular field to hold the same (Global) data in all records in my database. In FileMaker Pro I simply set the field format to "Global."
    Can anyone help me on this?

    #2
    Re: Global Field

    Stephen,

    Welcome to Alpha5 and the Forum.

    I switched to Alpha at v5 while using FM7

    A5 does not have a global field in the way FM does. There are however a number of ways to use a value globally. If you explain a bit more on how you want to use this data we can give more specific help.

    The answer will most likely involve a variable. Variables can be local, session, or global in scope and can be defined at the table level, form level, in code (possibly an autoexec script that fires when the database opens), globally when the database opens (including supplying a default value as a constant or an expression).

    Here is a link to some info on variables.
    Last edited by Tim Kiebert; 07-12-2008, 10:23 PM. Reason: added link to help
    Tim Kiebert
    Eagle Creek Citrus
    A complex system that does not work is invariably found to have evolved from a simpler system that worked just fine.

    Comment


      #3
      Re: Global Field

      Tim,

      Thank you for your quick reply, The global field that I described would be included in the header part of various forms/reports from related tables. I designed a demo program were the end user enters the name of their company in this "global field."

      Steve

      Comment


        #4
        Re: Global Field

        I will check out link that you suggested and review it.

        Thanks again

        Steve

        Comment


          #5
          Re: Global Field

          A common and simple way to do this is to create a table that you limit to one record. This table would have fields for any system wide values that you want to store. Then in an autoexec script you retrieve those values and assign them to global variables. Or you can retrieve them at any other time during application excecution. For your particular purpose in this instance the global variable is probably the way to go. This global variable would then be available from the dragdrop list in the layouts.

          I mentioned limiting the table to one record. You do this (after entering one record) by editing the field rules (the Events tab) for the table and creating a short script in the CanEnterRecord record event. The code is
          Code:
          cancel()
          did I mention it would be short. This line simply cancels the enter event.

          There is another method (better) for accomplishing the same thing allowing for a bit more flexibility. It is described here. The method I described above is also outlined first and then the 'better' method is outlined.
          Tim Kiebert
          Eagle Creek Citrus
          A complex system that does not work is invariably found to have evolved from a simpler system that worked just fine.

          Comment


            #6
            Re: Global Field

            Steve,

            Here is another way to load global variables in the autoexec. I do not take credit for writing this, someone else did but I do not remember who. The three fields in the table are NAME char 20, TYPE char 1, VALUE char 200. You create one record in the table for each global variable you need. When entering character values in the table surround them in double quotes.

            Jeff


            Code:
            Load global variables from database
            dim vPtr as p = table.open("systemoptions",FILE_RO_SHARED)
            
            'Loop through the file to define global variables
            vPtr.fetch_first()
            WHILE .NOT. vPtr.fetch_eof()
            	evaluate_template("dim global " + trim(vPtr.Name) + " as " + trim(vPtr.Type))
                   evaluate_template(trim(vPtr.Name) + "=" + trim(vPtr.Value))
            	vPtr.fetch_next()
            END WHILE
            vPtr.close()
            Jeff Ryder

            Comment


              #7
              Re: Global Field

              Tim,

              Sorry, I missed your link to Dr. Peter Wayne's documentation which is where I got my code, I just could not remember at the time.

              Jeff
              Jeff Ryder

              Comment

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