wenn@K.GP.CS.CMU.EDU (John Wenn) (03/21/88)
I've been playing with the demo version of 4th-Dimension and I have a
question. The demo is a fully working version, except it only works on small
databases (which I don't mind) and has minimal documentation (which is a
problem). The lack of documentation means that you run into the problems
without finding the work-around. It also means that all programming is right
out. What I want to do is so simple and so common that there has to be a
work-around.
I've set up my favorite database application: a bibliography with an author
file and a book file with N-way links between them (a book may have multiple
authors and an author may write many books). What I want to do is have an
output layout that shows an author and all of the books he wrote. It is
desireable to have the list of books be of variable height (e.g. expands or
shrinks with the number of elements, moving other parts of the layout
appropriately), but a scrolling list is marginally acceptable.
My best solution so far is:
(1) Since 4th-Dim doesn't seem to directly support N-way links (unlike
Reflex-Plus and Dbase Mac), I've simulated N-way links by making a sub-file
that consists of a single field (a link to the Books file).
(2) I create a layout that has an include-file area (fourth icon down, left
column in the layout editor) with print-frame set to variable.
(3) When this layout is used for input, I can see the books in a scrolling
area, and can enter new books.
(4) When this layout is used for output, however, all I get is a blank square
labeled "Books". *BUT* when the output is used for printing (either to a
printer or on screen preview) the list of books appears just fine.
So the question is: How do I get the list of books by an author (with the
author info) on an output layout? Even better would be an explaination of a
better way of doing N-way links (the sub-file with single field seems like a
massive hack to me).
Please E-mail me any ideas, I'll post a summary.
/John Wenn
ifyouholdyourhandsupsidedownyougettheoppositeofwhatyouprayfor-ly
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