User manual

Chapter 3 | Designing and creating solutions 53
1 Set any field (except summary fields) to share one value across all records in a file if you select
Use global storage in the Storage tab of the Options for Field dialog box. Fields defined with
global storage are also referred to as global fields.
1 Store data for a container field in a location that’s external to the file, such as in a different folder
or directory on the local or a host computer.
Creating database tables
Use database tables to organize and group your data by a common characteristic or principle.
Your database can contain as many tables as you need to organize your data.
In addition to storing data, FileMaker Pro uses tables to describe relationships in the relationships
graph, and establish the context for layouts and some calculations. In FileMaker
Pro, context is
the starting point from which calculations and scripts are begun and from which a relationship is
evaluated in the relationships graph.
When you create a new file, FileMaker Pro automatically creates the first table and the first layout.
The table and the layout are given the same name as the file.
You create additional tables in the Manage Database dialog box.
1. With the database open, choose File menu > Manage > Database.
2. In the Manage Database dialog box, click the Tables tab.
3. In the Table Name box, type a name for the table, then click Create.
The table can be renamed or deleted. Tables you add to a file are automatically displayed in
the relationships graph.
4. Continue to define tables, or click the Fields tab to define fields.
For information about relationships, tables, and the relationships graph, see chapter 4, “Working
with related tables and files.”
Type a name
for the table
Click Tables