Hi,

What I'm trying to do is something similar to the way iTunes is... in
iTunes, suppose I have a list of songs.  Now suppose I click any given
song, and click on the "Album" field (or any other).  This makes the
field editable.  Now I start typing into that field.  As I type, iTunes
auto-completes the field based on how much I have typed and the nearest
match it can associate with that.  So far so good, I can get Filemaker
to do this too, using Auto-Complete functionality.

Now, in iTunes, if I agree with an auto-complete suggestion, I hit
enter and the relational link with that song to that album name is
automatically established.

If I don't agree with any of the auto-complete suggestions, I simply
keep on typing until I have filled out the name of a new album not
existing in my current database.  When I hit enter, since no relational
link can be established to a pre-existing album name, a new album name
is created and the relational link is established with that.

This is what I am trying to make happen in Filemaker... associate with
existing database record if it exists (identify through auto-complete);
create a new record if none exists.

Any thoughts if this is possible?

Which version of FMPro are you using?  Version8 has this feature
built-in.  For other versions there are workarounds.  
TK

I'm using Version 8, and I know the auto-complete feature is
built-in... I'm just not sure how to use it to create a situation where
both a relational link can be established as well as a new record can
be established (like in iTunes)... particularly in the case where I
have several many-to-many relationships set up using join-tables.

You can not create both a relational link and if the value doesn't
exist then create the related record all at the same time using just
FileMaker.
You might be able to accomplish it with the aid of a plugin where on
field exit a script will do the necessary work.

Hey there, 

This is possible in FileMaker 7 and 8 using the AutoComplete feature in
field formatting.  Add a field to a layout, double-click the field and in
the new popup window specify the field as a drop down list, click the
auto-complete using value list checkbox and that will do what you are
looking for.

HTH,
Denis

On 4/1/06 8:37 PM, in article
1143938257.897165.87510@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com, "parora2000@gmail.com"
<parora2000@gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> What I'm trying to do is something similar to the way iTunes is... in
> iTunes, suppose I have a list of songs.  Now suppose I click any given
> song, and click on the "Album" field (or any other).  This makes the
> field editable.  Now I start typing into that field.  As I type, iTunes
> auto-completes the field based on how much I have typed and the nearest
> match it can associate with that.  So far so good, I can get Filemaker
> to do this too, using Auto-Complete functionality.
> 
> Now, in iTunes, if I agree with an auto-complete suggestion, I hit
> enter and the relational link with that song to that album name is
> automatically established.
> 
> If I don't agree with any of the auto-complete suggestions, I simply
> keep on typing until I have filled out the name of a new album not
> existing in my current database.  When I hit enter, since no relational
> link can be established to a pre-existing album name, a new album name
> is created and the relational link is established with that.
> 
> This is what I am trying to make happen in Filemaker... associate with
> existing database record if it exists (identify through auto-complete);
> create a new record if none exists.
> 
> Any thoughts if this is possible?
>