User manual

8-10 FileMaker Pro User’s Guide
Important After you create the files for a relational database or a
lookup, be sure there are no other files with the same filenames on
your computer or network. To duplicate the files or create similar
filenames, duplicate each file separately (which creates a unique
name for each copy). Store backup files on a removable disk, and
remove the disk. Use a compression or archiving utility to make the
files unavailable as FileMaker Pro files.
Defining relationships for relational
databases and lookups
You can define a relationship for a relational database or a lookup
wherever you see the relationship list. For example, define a
relationship when you create a file or layout, define a lookup, add a
related field, or create a portal on a layout. (For a description of the
relationship list, see “When to create relationships between files” on
page 8-4.)
When you define a relationship, you can also define a sort order for
the related fields. Do so to access and display the first related record
that’s in a particular sort order (such as the lowest or highest value)
when you have one related field placed directly on the layout. For
example, display the most recent check-out date for a particular piece
of equipment. Also sort related records to access and display
multiple records in a particular sort order in a portal.
To define relationships between files:
1. In the master file, choose File menu > Define Relationships. Or,
choose Define Relationships from the relationship list.
2. In the Define Relationships dialog box, click New.
3. In the dialog box that appears, double-click the name of the related
file (the file to define a relationship to).
4. In the Edit Relationship dialog box, for Relationship Name, type a
unique name for the relationship, or keep the default that
FileMaker Pro provides.
Don’t include colons (:) in the name. FileMaker Pro ignores any
spaces at the end of names.
To change the related file, click Specify File, then choose a different
filename. (See “Changing relationships” on page 8-12.)
5. Select a match field for the master (current) file in the left list, and
a match field for the related file in the right list. Click each field name
once to select it.
Relationships currently defined in the master file