At 12:13 PM -0800 12/15/00, Matthew Scholtz wrote:
>Dave,
>
>They are "real" merge fields in the sense that what they get
>replaced with is real data from real fields, but they are not real
>in the sense that the data isn't inserted by FMP automatically like
>a merge field you'd put on a layout.
I hear you now. I don't think I have ever created letter text with
the wizard, so I never looked into how that worked. I have always
just changed the letter layouts, where you have much more
flexibility. Thanks.
>The reason is that when you create a letter text (like as part of a
>source code), you're putting the text into a text field in the
>source code file. FMP does not recognize merge codes ("<<FIELD>>")
>when they're part of a text FIELD, only when they're part of a text
>LABEL on a layout. But if it's on the layout, you can't change it
>unless you have layout-level access and go into layout mode.
>
>So ebase uses a text field that the script then copies into a field
>in the Custom file. That file contains a calc which looks for the
>merge codes that were set up in advance by the ebase programmers,
>and replaces it with data. The reason you can't just add new merge
>fields that aren't in the popup list is that that calc won't
>recognize them. Do field definitions in the Custom file and you'll
>see the calc I'm talking about. It's the one with about 30 nested
>Replace functions.
>
>Matt
>
>At 08:39 AM 12/13/00 -0800, you wrote:
>>At 5:37 PM -0800 12/12/00, Matthew Scholtz wrote:
>>>The merge fields in the letter texts aren't real FMP merge fields -
>>>they just look like them. They're really just text that ebase then
>>>parses with a calculation and replaces with values from fields. So
>>>only the fields that have been setup in the calculation will be
>>>recognized. So in order to add a new one, you'd have to add it to
>>>all of the relevant calculations. So you can't just type in a field
>>>that's not in the list.
>>
>>I'm not sure I understand this. The merge fields in the letters are
>>indeed calculated fields - concatenating city, state, zip, plus zip4
>>and country if they are present to make the field called CITY LINE
>>for example - but they are "real" merge fields, aren't they? The
>>field CITY LINE, for example, is in the names_.102 file, and it can
>>be deleted or added to the layout in the normal way, assuming you're
>>using the full FileMaker application.
>>
>>>
>>>Does this make sense?
>>>
>>>If you want to make a letter that contains other merge fields, you
>>>can make it as a separate layout through layout mode and the master
>>>password.
>>
>>It's possible to add merge fields to any letter layout using the
>>FileMaker menus - Insert>Merge Field in version 5 - which calls up
>>the list of fields from which you can select one. The limited popup
>>list of merge fields is provided to make limited customization
>>possible with use of the runtime application.
>>
>>>
>>>Matt
>>>
>>>At 02:20 PM 12/12/00 -0500, you wrote:
>>>>We have created a lot of new fields in ebase, and I am having trouble
>>>>putting our customized fields into merge letters or emails. The email
>>>>and letter wizard only offers some standard ebase fields, and when I
>>>>type in a custom field surrounded by << >>, it doesn't recognize the
>>>>field in the letter/email. Can anyone who has done this share a
>>> >solution?
>>>>
>>>>______________________________
>>>>Stephen Bobb
>>>>Program Associate
>>>>Leadership for a Changing World
>>>>ADVOCACY INSTITUTE
>>>>1629 K St., NW #200
>>>>Washington, DC 20006
>>>>tel: (202) 777-7563
>>>>fax: (202) 777-7577
>>>>email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>>web: http://www.advocacy.org
>>>>web: http://www.leadershipforchange.org
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Matthew Scholtz
>>>Evaluator and IS Coordinator
>>>Health Initiatives For Youth (HIFY)
>>>www.hify.com
>>
>>--
>>Dave Shaw Northwest Classics, Inc
>>tel: 206-954-7526 fax: 206-625-1338
>>
>>
--
Dave Shaw Northwest Classics, Inc
tel: 206-954-7526 fax: 206-625-1338
