Let's say you have a simple list layout with a bunch of merge fields
displayed.  For the first merge field displayed, there are multiple
records with the same value.  Is there a way to tell Filemaker to only
show the value for the first record with that value, and then not
display the value again until there's a different value?

Yes, by using a subsummary part.

You can't drop those into the middle of a text block like you can with a 
merge field. But, they are designed for printing headings over groups of 
records that have been created by sorting.

Bill

<jbpollock@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:1132959939.166011.190610@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Let's say you have a simple list layout with a bunch of merge fields
> displayed.  For the first merge field displayed, there are multiple
> records with the same value.  Is there a way to tell Filemaker to only
> show the value for the first record with that value, and then not
> display the value again until there's a different value?
> 

Actually, I had tried using subsummary parts but they weren't working 
the way I thought they would, probably because I'm not using them 
correctly.  :)  I had added 2 subsummary parts and put the fields I 
wanted to sort by in those parts.  But when I tried viewing the results, 
they weren't what I expected:

1) When viewed as a form, it shows only one single record at a time 
(which I expected from form view);

2) When viewed as a list or table, it's not sorted at all and the 
subsummary field doesn't show up; and

3) When viewed in Preview Mode, it shows all records underneath my first 
subsummary field, but not subsequent records.

What I really want is something that looks like the following, all on 
one single page:

Subsummary field 1
	Subsummary field 2
		record
		record
		record
	subsummary field 2
		record
		record
Subsummary field 1
	subsummary field 2
		record
		record
	subsummary field 2
		record
		record

If anyone has any suggestions for this, I'd appreciate this.  Part of 
the problem is that the Filemaker help bits on using subsummaries is 
pretty thin.

A subsummary PART (there are no such things as subsummary fields) is a 
section of a layout that FileMaker will show between groups of similar 
records. They are based on "break" fields.

The groups are created when you SORT records. For example, if you lined up 
all the children in a high school by age, then all the 14 year olds would be 
together at one end, and all the 18 year olds would be grouped together at 
the other end. FileMaker similarly can detect -- when a file is sorted --  
the groupings created by that sort and will insert a subsummary part between 
them. In this case, it would be a Subsummary by Age.

1) Subsummary parts only work in Preview mode.

2) You must sort by the fields the subsummaries are based upon for them to 
appear. If you want you "levels" of subsummary data, then you have to sort 
by two fields (in the same sort).

3) If a given level of subsummary doesn't contain any data, it won't appear.

For example, you want a list of addressed sorted by State and City. There 
are no addresses in Alaska, so that state does not appear:

Alabama
  Aliceville
    Address 1
    Address 2
  Anniston
    Address 3
  Ardmore
    Address 4
    Address 5
    Address 6
Arizona
  Cottonwood
    Address 7
California
  Arcadia
    Address 8
  Bel Air
    Address 9
    Address 10
    Address 11
  Concord
    Address 12
    Address 13

This example contains three parts:

- Subsumary by State
- Subsummary by City
- Body Part

Hope this helps clear up the issue a little

Bill


"John Pollock" <jbpollock@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:Wq_hf.1050$4r.741@trndny01...
> Actually, I had tried using subsummary parts but they weren't working the 
> way I thought they would, probably because I'm not using them correctly. 
> :)  I had added 2 subsummary parts and put the fields I wanted to sort by 
> in those parts.  But when I tried viewing the results, they weren't what I 
> expected:
>
> 1) When viewed as a form, it shows only one single record at a time (which 
> I expected from form view);
>
> 2) When viewed as a list or table, it's not sorted at all and the 
> subsummary field doesn't show up; and
>
> 3) When viewed in Preview Mode, it shows all records underneath my first 
> subsummary field, but not subsequent records.
>
> What I really want is something that looks like the following, all on one 
> single page:
>
> Subsummary field 1
> Subsummary field 2
> record
> record
> record
> subsummary field 2
> record
> record
> Subsummary field 1
> subsummary field 2
> record
> record
> subsummary field 2
> record
> record
>
> If anyone has any suggestions for this, I'd appreciate this.  Part of the 
> problem is that the Filemaker help bits on using subsummaries is pretty 
> thin. 

> A subsummary PART (there are no such things as subsummary fields) is a 
> section of a layout that FileMaker will show between groups of similar 
> records. They are based on "break" fields.

Sorry for using the term "subsummary field".  I just meant it to mean 
the field that I intended to summarize by.

> 1) Subsummary parts only work in Preview mode.

Aha.  That was something I was missing.

> 2) You must sort by the fields the subsummaries are based upon for them to 
> appear. If you want you "levels" of subsummary data, then you have to sort 
> by two fields (in the same sort).

That was the other piece I was missing.  :)  I didn't realize I had to 
do a sort once to get everything to show up, and now it works properly. 
  That was a very clear explanation -  thanks!

But question: if you can only view subsummaries in Preview mode, how can 
you make that work smoothly for a novice viewer?  For instance, suppose 
I create a button script that takes the user to the layout I want, 
auto-sets the mode to Preview Mode, and sorts the records.  At that 
point, the user will be stuck in Preview Mode from that point on unless 
they know to go to the "View" menu and change the mode back to "Browse", 
especially since other navigation buttons I've placed on the layout 
being previewed won't work in Preview Mode.  Is there a better way?

Cheers,
John

In article <TR2if.2786$hL3.1497@trndny05>, jbpollock@gmail.com says...
> > A subsummary PART (there are no such things as subsummary fields) is a 
> > section of a layout that FileMaker will show between groups of similar 
> > records. They are based on "break" fields.
> 
> Sorry for using the term "subsummary field".  I just meant it to mean 
> the field that I intended to summarize by.
> 
> > 1) Subsummary parts only work in Preview mode.
> 
> Aha.  That was something I was missing.
> 
> > 2) You must sort by the fields the subsummaries are based upon for them to 
> > appear. If you want you "levels" of subsummary data, then you have to sort 
> > by two fields (in the same sort).
> 
> That was the other piece I was missing.  :)  I didn't realize I had to 
> do a sort once to get everything to show up, and now it works properly. 
>   That was a very clear explanation -  thanks!
> 
> But question: if you can only view subsummaries in Preview mode, how can 
> you make that work smoothly for a novice viewer?  For instance, suppose 
> I create a button script that takes the user to the layout I want, 
> auto-sets the mode to Preview Mode, and sorts the records.  At that 
> point, the user will be stuck in Preview Mode from that point on unless 
> they know to go to the "View" menu and change the mode back to "Browse", 
> especially since other navigation buttons I've placed on the layout 
> being previewed won't work in Preview Mode.  Is there a better way?

At the end of your script ... after its in preview mode, reveal the 
status area, add a 'pause script', followed by a goto some other layout 
& hide the status area again.


This will cause your app to pause while the preview is up, with the 
status area visible you will have a 'continue' button.

(Set Allow User Abort Off for the script to remove the cancel button.)



-Dave

> At the end of your script ... after its in preview mode, reveal the 
> status area, add a 'pause script', followed by a goto some other layout 
> & hide the status area again.

Brilliant; works a treat!  I also threw in a custom dialog box telling 
the user to look for the "continue" button.   Thanks again for the quick 
response!

Cheers,
John