User manual

6-18 FileMaker Pro User’s Guide
To place a merge field on a layout:
1. In Layout mode, click with the arrow pointer where you want
FileMaker Pro to place the merge field.
To insert the merge field into a line of text, click the text tool (in the
tool panel), then click where you want to set the insertion point in the
text.
2. Choose Insert menu > Merge Field.
3. In the Specify Field dialog box, select the field to insert.
To choose a related field, choose the relationship to use from the
relationship list above the list of fields. Or choose Define Relationships
to create a relationship (see “Defining relationships for relational
databases and lookups” on page 8-10). Then select a related field
from the field list.
4. Click OK.
You see the field name enclosed by double opening (<<) and closing
(>>) angle brackets on the layout.
To remove a merge field, select the field name along with the << and
>> symbols, then press Backspace or Delete.
Keep these points in mind:
1 Insert punctuation and spaces between merge fields as needed on
the layout. Be careful not to type extra characters inside the
<< and >> symbols.
1 You can insert a merge field by typing the field name, surrounded
by the << and >> symbols, directly on the layout. Note that the merge
field characters are not single characters (« and »), but double
opening (<<) and closing (>>) angle brackets.
1 To specify text attributes to be used when you browse, preview, or
print the field data in a merge field, select the merge field name and
the << and >> symbols in Layout mode, then select formatting
options. To specify data formatting options (number, date, or time as
appropriate for the field type), click the selection tool, then click the
merge field. Then select formatting options (see “Formatting field
data on a layout” on page 6-21).
1 A merge field displays and prints only as much text in Browse
mode or Preview mode as will fit within the text boundaries you
define for it (and any surrounding text) in Layout mode. If necessary,
enlarge the text boundaries of the merge field to display as much data
as you want.
Deciding where to place related fields
You can place related fields directly on layouts or in portals. For
more information about relational database terminology, see
“Relational database terminology” on page 8-2.
1 Place related fields directly on a layout to display data from the
first related record in the related file, even when there are more than
one related records that match the criteria of the relationship. (The
first related record that’s displayed depends on whether the related
records are sorted. For more information, see “Defining relationships
for relational databases and lookups” on page 8-10.)
1 Place related fields within a portal on a layout to display data from
all related records in the related file that match the criteria of the
relationship.
Select the field to add
To insert a related field,
choose a relationship name,
then choose a related field