I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

Yes thanks for the help everyone.
Still finishing off the buttons and will
try to play around with the printing soon.

Thanks again,
Bill

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

I created a report and it prints all the info I need from one Table.
But I still don't understand how to import Data from another Table that I need in the same report. I don't see a way to drag and drop fields from tables Also finding it hard to understand What sets to create to get the field from the other form into my report. If I could figure that out then on to calculations.

Bill

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

Bill, time spent in the User Guide chapter on Reports may pay dividends for you. Importing data is not necessary. Just base your report layout on the set containing the tables you need.

[CALocklin]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

But I still don't understand how to import Data from another Table that I need in the same report.

That's probably because you don't import data from another table to use it in a report. You need to create an appropriate set first and then just use the fields that are already part of the set.

Also finding it hard to understand what sets to create to get the field from the other form into my report. If I could figure that out then on to calculations.

This sounds like there is some major misunderstanding about sets. You don't "get the field from the other form into [your] report." Once you have a set, you just put the field from your set onto the form.

A set is just a bunch of tables (could be two; could be 20 - if it's 20 you should probably rethink it and try to simplify it) that are linked/related based on common fields between any two tables. Once a set has been created, you can put any field from any table in that set on any form that is based on that set.

Sets are usually very important when it comes to reports. If you are familiar with Access, a set is a little bit like an Access query. The main difference, in my opinion, is that an Access query specifies which fields of each table will be used while an A5 set simply says, "Link the tables in this manner and include all fields in the set." (One of my pet peeves with Access was that it was too common to build an initial query only to discover that I needed additional fields. With A5, that isn't a problem.)

Go here to read up and get started with sets: http://support.alphasoftware.com/alp...s_in_a_Set.htm

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

I linked the reslog with the presceen table in a set. the intake date of the reslog the parent. the child is the date field in the presceen table.
It allows me to then build a report on the set.
only thing is i can only see the report when i open them from the set so then the main menu button has to point to the set correct? Also from the reslog comes intake date and from the prescreen comes date of birth. how do i get Alpha5 to calculate these two fields and print the residents age in the printed report like Alpha4 used to do? If the reports are not there when i open reslog or presceen separately how can I always print the fields i want?

Thanks again,
Bill

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

I linked the reslog with the presceen table in a set. the intake date of the reslog the parent. the child is the date field in the presceen table.
It allows me to then build a report on the set.
only thing is i can only see the report when i open them from the set so then the main menu button has to point to the set correct? Also from the reslog comes intake date and from the prescreen comes date of birth. how do i get Alpha5 to calculate these two fields and print the residents age in the printed report like Alpha4 used to do? If the reports are not there when i open reslog or presceen separately how can I always print the fields i want?

Thanks again,
Bill

ACTIVE RESIDENT LOG

You don't entirely understand what I mean so I am posting an example.

My report looks like this

clno intakedate Lastname Firstname Apt assign child1name race DOB DD Dest.

These fields came from two different tables I created the sets from
reslog and prescreen. I created a set called reslogprescreen set.
I can only access the ACTIVE RESIDENT LOG report from inside the set. not the residents log form where my button on the welcome screen is linked.
This poses a problem because I would like to be able to just click file print and print this report from the resident log form when it is open.

I also need help making the intake date and discharge date "DD" calculate a length of stay field which currently doesn't exist and I have no idea how to create. Also in the form there are fields for child 1 through 5. but some how the person who created the old alpha 4 database made the report calculate those fields from the table, and only list the field child in the report that tallies all the children up from the table and lists the total in the single field child. I also need to remove the date of Birth and change it to age and have the current date and date of birth calculate an age instead.

When I started putting together the Report it all seemed easy.
Now my head hurts all over again.

Somebody help,
Bill

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

ACTIVE RESIDENT LOG

You don't entirely understand what I mean so I am posting an example.

My report looks like this

clno intakedate Lastname Firstname Apt assign child1name race DOB DD Dest.

These fields came from two different tables I created the sets from
reslog and prescreen. I created a set called reslogprescreen set.
I can only access the ACTIVE RESIDENT LOG report from inside the set. not the residents log form where my button on the welcome screen is linked.
This poses a problem because I would like to be able to just click file print and print this report from the resident log form when it is open.

I also need help making the intake date and discharge date "DD" calculate a length of stay field which currently doesn't exist and I have no idea how to create. Also in the form there are fields for child 1 through 5. but some how the person who created the old alpha 4 database made the report calculate those fields from the table, and only list the field child in the report that tallies all the children up from the table and lists the total in the single field child. I also need to remove the date of Birth and change it to age and have the current date and date of birth calculate an age instead.

When I started putting together the Report it all seemed easy.
Now my head hurts all over again.

Somebody help,
Bill

There is a child1 through child5 field in the original table they are added into the field children on the original Active Resident log report by ie, Nancy, mary, etc. name. then at the bottom of the report the total number of children appears.
How do I make a field caculate like this I am toally lost.

Bill

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

There is a child1 through child5 field in the original table they are added into the field children on the original Active Resident log report by ie, Nancy, mary, etc. name. then at the bottom of the report the total number of children appears.
How do I make a field caculate like this I am toally lost.

Bill

I tried to get a length of stay calculated from the fields intakedate and disch date, by following the online alpha sports example for calculated fields.

I first go to tables.
I then right click the Reslog table
I then go to edit field rules
Then I click the calculated button
then the xy button
then choose field name in the expression builder.
And put in DISCHDATE-INTAKEDATE
Then click ok and get
Expression does not evaluate a date value.

Doggit! it does So! Why Why why Why?

I'm done pouting. The reason why I kept trying different things without waiting for an answer to each one is that If I could at least get one value to calculate it would build my confidence.

Bill

[martinwcole]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

reslog needs to be a numeric field. sounds like it is a date field

date2-date1 renders days difference in numeric

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

reslog needs to be a numeric field. sounds like it is a date field

date2-date1 renders days difference in numeric

You still don't understand reslog is a table the fields with the dates are dischdate and intakedate. They are both dates. the other fields I need caculated, are from different tables and I am having nightmares already.
I can't even get this property to calculate from the same table.
Do I have to do something different to calculate two date fields?

Bill

[Tom Henkel]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

Bill,

Are the other fields that you need calculated created from information in tables that are in a set? On reports, you can create calculated fields based on data from tables in the set, or even lookup information from tables not in the set at all. Calculated fields are very powerful, and can do pretty much anything that you can think of.

Just as a side note:
Don't take this in the wrong way, but I've been following this thread, and I would suggest that you work your way through the tutotrials as they could help you to understand the way that Alpha Software works as well as show you all of the different things that you can do.

People on this board can, and always will help you, but there are many things that a little time with the documentation could resolve for you.

Tom

[jaryder]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

Bill,

You need to re-read what Martin wrote. If you subtract two dates you do not get a date, you get a number. 2/14/2008 - 2/12/2008 equals 2. 2 is not a date it is a number representing the number of days between two dates.

So as Martin said the field that you are trying to store the calculated result of date subtraction needs to be a numeric field.

It can be very frustrating trying to jump into a new product and develop an application without first taking the time to learn the product. In the long run, you usually spend more time with this approach then if you just took the time at the beginning to go though docs, tutorials and example programs. This is speaking from personal experience but in my situation it was not my choice.

Good luck with your project.

Jeff

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

Bill,

Are the other fields that you need calculated created from information in tables that are in a set? On reports, you can create calculated fields based on data from tables in the set, or even lookup information from tables not in the set at all. Calculated fields are very powerful, and can do pretty much anything that you can think of.

Just as a side note:
Don't take this in the wrong way, but I've been following this thread, and I would suggest that you work your way through the tutotrials as they could help you to understand the way that Alpha Software works as well as show you all of the different things that you can do.

People on this board can, and always will help you, but there are many things that a little time with the documentation could resolve for you.

Tom

Thanks for the help. Only thing is the tut on calculated fields is doing a multiplying example. What I need is to subtract the fields discharge Date from intake date. They are both dates. They both exist in the reslog table. I would like the sum of that to go to another field which doesn't exist yet. The length of stay field.
I have many other fields that need to be calculated but they reside in different tables. ie, one field in reslog table needs to be calculated against another field in prescreen table. so on so forth. which will probably be more complex than calculating fields in the same table, which still can't figure out how to do.
But first simply to subtract and calculate these two date fields which exist in the same reslog table. would make me jump for joy right now.
Any suggestions anyone.

Also I did mention linking prescreen and relog tables
I was able to create a set prescreenreslog set. The report I created can import fields from both tables. But is only visible if i directly open the set and not the Resident log form. I also really need the calculated fields I mentioned to calculate and then print from this report. The fields are all there in the Active resident log report. But the calculated fields that don't appear in the table such as the one I would like to created based on the two existing dates length of stay. which does not exist.

Thanks,
Bill

[martinwcole]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

dim d1 as d
dim d2 as d
dim n1 as n
d1={01/01/2008}
d2={02/02/2008}
n1=d2-d1
?n1
= 32
so, d1 and d2 are the date fields in your table
n1 is the field where you want to store the results
they arrived d1
they left d2
they stayed n1 days

forgot to mention:

n1 is the calculated field
d2-d1

however, I would likely put
if(dtos(d2) > "", d2-d1,0)

[billperrotta]

Re: I want to create a Simple Database on A Fileserver

I am not that good and math
I really don't think I understand that
is this what I put in for the calculation?
if(dtos(d2) > "", d2-d1,0)
Like I said I want the current date ie, todays date whatever that may be
at the current time.
To subtract the intake date.
And put the anwer into a field called length of stay.
The length of stay field does not currently exist.
How can I do that step-by-step?
I do not understand formulas.

Thanks,
Bill

dim d1 as d
dim d2 as d
dim n1 as n
d1={01/01/2008}
d2={02/02/2008}
n1=d2-d1
?n1
= 32
so, d1 and d2 are the date fields in your table
n1 is the field where you want to store the results
they arrived d1
they left d2
they stayed n1 days

forgot to mention:

n1 is the calculated field
d2-d1

however, I would likely put
if(dtos(d2) > "", d2-d1,0)