Combining Field Values??

[wlk8791]

I have a customerfile form with contact info, etc. I have two types of customers, residential and commercial. Last name, First name, and Company name are fields on the form. Residential customer obviously have nothing in the company name field, and commercial customers have nothing in the first and last name fields.

Commercial customers have properties associated with them which are in a property table.

When creating an invoice, I was wondering if I could combine the last name/first name and company name values in a "name" field. For example: For commercial customers, can the company name field value be printed in the "name" field? If it's a residential customer instead of creating a seperate last name and first name field, can I just combine the last name and first name field values in the "name" field on the invoice?

Also if I have a residential customer, can I conditionally not print the property information fields on the invoice form? For example: If it's a residential customer, the property id, property name, and property address be left off the invoice when printing?

I've attached pics of forms etc. Any help is appreciated.

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Combining Field Values??

Placing a Calculated Field on a Form

Your expression would/could be

alltrim(first_name)+" "+alltrim(lastname)+" -"+alltrim(company_name)

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Combining Field Values??

Creating and Using a Conditional Object You just have to figure out how to have the conditional object know whether the customer is commercial or residential.

[wlk8791]

Re: Combining Field Values??

Excuse my ignorance, but where do I enter that code? Also what do I do for company name?

Any ideas on how to not print property info on invoice when I have a residential customer with no property info to enter?

Thanks so much

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Combining Field Values??

Click on Placing a Calculated Field on a Form in the earlier post, it is a link telling you how.

[wlk8791]

Re: Combining Field Values??

Creating and Using a Conditional Object You just have to figure out how to have the conditional object know whether the customer is commercial or resedential.

There is a list box where residential or commercial is selected for each customer.

Thanks for the link

[Stan Mathews]

Re: Combining Field Values??

So your conditional object could look like my attchment. Then you place the fields you want to be visible on the appropriate "pane" of the conditional object.

[DaveM]

Re: Combining Field Values??

kristie,


Stan did you a great job. Can i suggest the next time make your first nameas usual and make the last name real long(mine is 57 characters). i also have a switch field in the table (t or f) if it is a company. the conditional object normaly gives a place for a regular name, but when itis changed to company, only the last name field(now company) comes up and a lot longer.

It really simplified reports and so forth.

If you look at the top left there is a calculated field that shows the first and last name.

Calc field:

names = trim(Fname)+" "+trim(Buyer) ' first person
co = trim(Cfname)+" "+trim(Co_Buyer)+" "+trim(Co_Hphone)+" "+trim(Cwphone)  ' second person

put this in form/calculated at the top of the form when in edit mode. it becomes a field you can put on your form if you want

[wlk8791]

Re: Combining Field Values??

Hey, Dave. Thanks so much. You all are a big help. I've ordered a book that I saw recommended called Database Design for Mere Mortals....by Michael Hernandez. Hopefully that will help with the elementary design problems I have as a beginner, but nothing beats individual advice from people who know Alpha so well.