Sometimes it is desirable to separate the data from the interface which
manipulates and displays the data - e.g. so that you can use the same
interface with different data.
It seems that the best way to achieve this would be to put the data in
one Filemaker database and the layouts and calculated fields in another
one (i.e. two separate files on disk). To use a trivial example, say you
have the "data" database with a table called Names, containing fields
"Contact ID", "First name", "Surname", and an "interface" database with
a table called DisplayNames that has fields "Contact ID" (which links to
the Names table in the "data" database), and a calculated field = First
name & " " & Surname. Layouts are stored in the "interface" database.
This seems straightforward, but I am puzzled by some of the issues that
arise in this situation:
1. If you keep your calculated fields in the "interface" database, and
link them to the "data" database using a primary key (as in the above
example), what is the best way of adding records to the calculated
fields table whenever a new record is added to the "data" database?
2. What happens if you open up a different "data" file in the same
interface? How do you ensure there will be enough records in the
DisplayNames table?
3. Is there any way of defining file references through a script step?
If not, how would you, in an elegant way, allow the user to select a
data file of his/her own choice?
Thanks in anticipation.
Bruce Button
