User manual

Working with related tables and files 71
2. For the calculation field, define a formula that includes an
aggregate function for the type of summary calculation you want to
perform.
For example, if you are in the Invoices table and want to define a
calculation to total the related values in the Price field of the
LineItems table, use the formula
Sum(Line Items::Price)
3. Place the calculation field on a layout of the table in which it is
defined.
See “Placing and removing fields on a layout” on page 54.
For more information about summarizing data in portals, see Help.
About lookups
A lookup copies data from another table into a field in the current
table. After data is copied, it becomes part of the current table (and
remains in the table from which it was copied). Data copied to the
current table does not change automatically when the data in the
other table changes, unless the data in the match field of the current
table changes.
To establish a connection between tables for a lookup, you create a
relationship. Then you define a lookup to copy data from a field in
the related table into a field in the current table.
When you type a value in the match field of the current table,
FileMaker
Pro uses the relationship to access the first record in the
related table whose match field contains a matching value. Next, it
copies the value from the lookup source field into the lookup target
field, where the value is stored.
After a value is copied into the lookup target field, you can edit,
replace, or delete it like any other value (because the lookup value
belongs to the current table). You can also update data in the current
table to match data that changes in the related table.
.
Creating lookups
To create a lookup:
1. Create a relationship for the lookup between the match field of the
current table and the match field of the related table. See
“Creating
relationships” on page 68.
2. With the database open, choose File menu > Define > Database.
3. In the Define Database dialog box, click the Fields tab.
4. If your database contains more than one table, select the
appropriate table from the Table list.
5. Select a text, number, date, time, timestamp, or container field
from the list of existing fields, or define a new one.
6. Click Options (or double-click the field name).
7. In the Options for Field dialog box, click the Auto-Enter tab, then
select
Looked-up value.
8. In the Lookup for Field dialog box, choose the table the lookup
will start with, and the table from which the value will be copied.
9. Select the field from which the lookup value will be copied.
Select To specify
Starting with table The table the lookup will use as its starting point in
the relationships graph
Lookup from related table The related table from which the related data will be
looked up
C235Client ID
Name
42.83.91.04Phone
ParisCity
C100Client ID
Name
555-3849Phone
VancouverCity
Current table
C200Client ID
SmithName
Records in related table
Relationship
Lookup target field Lookup source field
C200Client ID
SmithName
555-1234Phone
New YorkCity