Adding a field to a pop up list

[mjwood]

I apologize if this has been answered - but I couldn't find it.

 

Is this possible:

 

I have a field called first name.

I would like to create a pop up list that automatically inserts the first name in an appropriate spot.

 

E.g.

 

“First name” = Bob

 

Pop up menu choices:

• At this time “First name” is working well toward his GED.

• Unable to grant “First name” his GED due to incomplete assignments.

 

I know how to create the pop up menu items, but do not know how to insert in them data from another field.

 

Any assistance is welcome.

 

Jeff

[AHunter3]

The popup menu would have to be attached to one field while the "results" field would be a different field, a calc field.

 

 

WELLLLLLLL........ OK, what you're asking for is technically possible, but substantially messier and unFileMakerLike and I recommend against it.

 

What I would do instead is I would have a field "MessageChoice" with a valuelist of values like

 

• At this time XXX working well towards his degree

• Unable to grant XXX his GED due to incomplete assignments

• Other stuff about XXX as you see fit to include.

 

Then I would have a calc field, text, "Result", =

 

Substitute(MessageChoice, "XXX", First Name)

 

 

===========

 

If you really really really just absolutely have to have the whole composed string in the value list itself, you need a selfjoin of the table to itself based on a unique field (Record SerialNumber or Record ID or something), effectively a selfjoin of the record to itself, and a calc field, text, something like this:

 

"At this time "&first name&" is working well toward his GED."&"¶"&

"Unable to grant "&first name&" his GED due to incomplete assignments."&"¶"&

"Other stuff about "&first name&" as you see fit."

 

Let's call that field "WholeMessageVL".

 

Then you set up a value list showing values fo the field WholeMessageVL, showing only related values, and specify the selfjoin relationship.

[mjwood]

Tnx AHunter3 for the detailed info. All I can say is

 

YIKES!!!

 

Seems a little complicated for someone with my very limited FileMaker experience, but I really appreciate the info.

 

Jeff

[AHunter3]

Do it the first way, it's not so complicated.

 

Create a field "MessageChoice" with a valuelist of values like

 

• At this time XXX working well towards his degree

• Unable to grant XXX his GED due to incomplete assignments

• Other stuff about XXX as you see fit to include.

 

Then create a calc field, text, "Result", =

 

Substitute(MessageChoice, "XXX", First Name)

[mjwood]

AHunter3 AKA FileMaker Guru (how true!!)

 

Thank you so much! It worked like a charm smiley-laughing

 

jeff