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Creating a database
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ILEMAKER PRO HELP 175
10. To select indexing and storage options for the field, click Storage Options, select options in
the Storage Options dialog box, then click OK.
See Defining field indexing options and Defining global fields (fields with global storage).
11. Click OK to close the Specify Calculation dialog box.
12. Continue to define fields or click OK.
Important To avoid confusion when using dates in FileMaker Pro, always define calculation
formulas to enter four-digit years. For information on how FileMaker
Pro handles dates with two-digit
years, see Conversion of dates with two-digit years.
To define calculation fields in Table View:
1. With the database open in Browse mode, click Table View in the layout bar.
2. Click + in the column heading to add a new field.
3. Right-click the column heading for the new field, then choose Field > Field Type >
Calculation from the shortcut menu.
4. Build a formula for calculation and specify options for the field in the Specify Calculation
dialog box.
Notes
• You can type field names, operators, and functions in the Specify Calculation dialog box
instead of using the fields or operators lists.
• A calculation field calculates a result from values in other fields in the current record, from
related records using a relationship, or from fields defined with global storage options. (In
contrast, a summary field produces a result using values in more than one record in the
database. See
Defining summary fields.)
• Calculation fields are updated when a value in the calculation changes. Unstored
calculation fields are also updated when the record is refreshed, the field is clicked or
tabbed into or out of, or the field is refreshed (for example, by a script).
• Values, expressions, functions, and parameters can be uppercase or lowercase.
• To include literal quotation marks in a calculation text string, precede the quotation mark
character with a backslash character (/). For, example,
“Hello” included in a calculation
evaluates to
Hello, but “/”Hello/”” evaluates to “Hello”.
• FileMaker Pro calculates the formula when you close the Manage Database dialog box.
There may be a delay if your database contains many records (for example, 10,000).
• To change the way functions are displayed in the dialog box, choose a category from the
View list.
• Calculations that include a related field, summary field, global value, or a reference to
another unstored calculation are unstored.
• Calculations defined with global storage options display values calculated using the last
modified record.
• If any field on a layout containing unstored calculations is set to auto-resize, calculation
results will be updated when the window is resized.
• You can reference container fields in calculations and display container data in calculation
fields. See
About container fields.