Parent key and Child key

[David Morgan]

Evaluating V6. Currently reading "Linking Tables in a Set" - 6 pages of A4.

Where it reads " The Invoice and Customer tables are related through the Customer_No field, which is referred to as the linking field."

When I came to trying this out in practice, on the screen I see references to Parent "key" and Child "key" but no mention of "linking field".

Nevertheless am I in the right place when it comes to linking tables. It is just the sudden departure from the word "field" to "key" that made me wonder if I am on the right track in all this.

Many thanks for your assistance.

By the way just as an aside from the above. Is there any way please of fields in one table INHERITING values from another field in a different table, without using LOOKUPS. I did try searching for "inheriting values" but came across nothing.

I was imagining that if for example I keyed in say a Customer_ID number in one table and that table was linked to another one elsewhere which had an autoincremented value (via that Customer_ID key)which was the same, then fields with say duplicate names for example such as "First_name" or "Last_Name" would INHERIT these values from the referred to table automatically and be displayed on the screen.

I am probably getting myself (and you)confused unecessarily. Also I hoped I spelled that "un..." correctly!!

Thanks.
David
(19 days left for evaluation and counting.....!)

[Cheryl Lemire]

RE: Parent key and Child key

David,

Linking field and parent key/child key are one in the same. I believe you see 'keys' in the sets and linking fields in the field rules. Both require a similar field in each table in order for the two to work together.

As far as your lookup question, I do not know how to do what you are asking. However, is there a particular reason why you do not want to use a table lookup? That would be the easiest way that I can think of to accomplish your task.

Good luck
Cheryl

[forskare]

RE: Parent key and Child key

Ya lost me..... Set" - 6 pages of A4.... A4 is the DOS version.

Yes, that can be a bit confusing but it's really easy. The Parent and Child table must have the same linking field. Make sure there is a field in each table with the same format. The names can be different and you could use an expression but to keep it simple, I use identical fields.

.....By the way just as an aside from the above. Is there any way please of fields in one table INHERITING values from another field in a different table, without using LOOKUPS. I did try searching for "inheriting values" but came across nothing.....

Yes, depending on how many you want, the link will do that but I wouldn't use a lint to fill in several fields.

.....I was imagining that if for example I keyed in say a Customer_ID number in one table and that table was linked to another one elsewhere which had an autoincremented value (via that Customer_ID key)which was the same, then fields with say duplicate names for example such as "First_name" or "Last_Name" would INHERIT these values from the referred to table automatically and be displayed on the screen.....

Why are you adverse to why you don't want to use a lookup, either in the field rules or via the lookup function?


kenn

[David Morgan]

RE: Parent key and Child key

Thanks both Cheryl and Kenn

To you first Kenn. That reference to A4 was to the A4 pages I printed off to study the article "Linking Tables in a Set". Sorry I confused you about that.

To you both - I am not averse to using Lookups (which I still need to understand more about of course) - it just seemed a quicker route actually to me, if the computer did such a thing automatically.

However I obviously still do not understand how to do this Kenn because I tried linking the tables, thinking that this would display what I required but it didn't. I think it is like Cheryl mentioned I need to attend to the field rules too.

I will get there eventually - and thanks again to you both.
----David

[Stan Mathews]

RE: Parent key and Child key

"When I came to trying this out in practice, on the screen I see references to Parent "key" and Child "key" but no mention of "linking field". " - tables are combined into sets by defining the linking field. Records in the child are related to records in the parent by matching linking field "key" values. This term is derived from the fact that linking fields must be indexed, either explicitly by you or implicitly by Alpha, and index values are referred to as keys.

[Cheryl Lemire]

RE: Parent key and Child key

David,

Simply 'linking' tables together will not give you automatic field population. If this were the case we would all be insane. There are lots of different reasons to link tables together besides populating similar fields.

The easiest way for you to accomplish your data being populated would be, in my opinion, to use the field rules for your linking field and set a table lookup. More information can be found at:

Using Field Rules for Table Lookups

Creating a Table Lookup

Comparing Drop-down Lists and Popup Dialogs

Displaying Selected Lookup Table Records (Filtered Lookups)

Hope this helps. Good luck.
Cheryl

[David Morgan]

RE: Parent key and Child key

Thank you Stan - it is beginning to make much more sense to me as I read these postings. Your further clarification helped me quite a lot. I stopped and read and re-read it and gradually I believe this is getting through to me. Whereas at the start of the evening I was losing the plot!

Cheryl many thanks for your links to various information.
I have just printed everything off you referred me to and will now go into much detail trying to absorb this data.

Kind regards to you all and everything is much appreciated. Thanks for your time.
----David