Creating Simple Lists (DRAE)

There are a number of different types of lists in PORTAL. Some are very simple. Others are more complex and may contain summaries and/or sub summaries of data in the list. This section details how to create a simple list that does not contain summarized data. For an explanation of summarized lists, refer to your FileMaker Pro User Guide. This is also a topic we cover extensively at our inRESONANCE University events.

Creating new lists is simple to do in PORTAL. While you can create lists from scratch using the List Wizard, it is much easier to duplicate an existing list and edit it to suit a new purpose. It is important to follow the same procedures as you did with creating letters.

1. Duplicate: Find an existing layout list that is close to what you want and duplicate that layout. This is much easier than creating a layout from scratch.
2. Rename: Rename the layout using PORTAL conventions. Lists begin with the prefix, Lst-.
3. Add: Add the layout to the appropriate Org screen. In the case of a list, it would be the Lists/Forms Org screen.
4. Edit: Edit the new layout as needed.

In this section, you will create a new List in Inquiries, containing ethnicity and social security information, and link it to the Lists/Forms Org screen. We will use the existing List in Inquiries as our template.

Step 1: Duplicate a Layout

1. In Browse mode, navigate to the List layout in Inquiries.
2. Make sure you are on the list layout that you wish to duplicate.
3. Switch to Layout mode.
4. Select Duplicate Layout from the FileMaker Pro Layouts menu. You may not notice anything new but the existing layout has been duplicated and renamed with the original name and the word copy appended to it.
5. To verify this, click on the Layout menu below the Book. A list of all the existing layouts in the file will appear.
6. Scroll all the way to the bottom. You will see your new layout listed as the last layout with a checkmark next to the name to indicate that you are currently on that layout.

Step 2: Rename Your Layout

Names of lists in PORTAL begin with the prefix Lst-. Use this convention to name your new list layout Lst-Ethnicity/SS.

To rename your Layout:

1. In Layout mode, select Layout Setup from the FileMaker Pro Layouts menu.
2. Type a name in the Layout Name area. For example, Lst-Ethnicity/SS.
3. Make sure that there is NOT a check in the Include in Layouts menu checkbox. This will remove your list from the Layout menu while in Browse mode. You can always navigate to your list from the Layout menu while in Layout mode but you want to keep the Layout menu uncluttered in Browse mode. Users will navigate to your list via the List Org screen once you attach it with a button to the Org screen.
4. Click Ok. Your list now has a name. You can verify this by clicking on the Layout menu as you did before while in Layout mode. Your new list will still be at the bottom of the list but it will now reflect the new name.

Step 3: Add Your Layout to the Lists/Forms Org Screen

Lists in PORTAL get connected to the Lists Org screen.

1. In Browse mode, navigate to the Lists Org screen.
2. Switch to Layout mode.
3. With the Pointer tool, click once on the first unassigned button under the More column to select it. Four handles will appear around the button. If the button is locked—meaning the object cannot be edited or deleted—the handles will appear gray. If the button is unlocked, the handles will appear black. If you click anywhere else on the screen, the button will be de-selected.
4. Make sure your button is selected and choose Unlock from the FileMaker Pro Arrange menu. The handles will turn black when they become unlocked. If your button is already unlocked, Unlock will not be an option you can choose.
5. With the Pointer tool, double click on the button. The Specify Button dialog box will appear.
6. Select Go to Layout under Navigation in the window on the left side of the dialog box.
7. Click the Specify pull-down menu in the Options area on the right side of the dialog box. A list of all the layouts in the file will appear. In the next step, you will tell FileMaker Pro where the button should navigate the user when pressed.
8. Select your new layout from the list. It will be at the bottom. For example, if you named your list Lst-Ethnicity/SS, you will see it at the bottom of the list.
9. Make sure that the Change to Hand cursor over button checkbox has a checkmark in it. If it doesn’t, click in the checkbox. When the user moves his or her cursor over the button, it will indicate that it is indeed a button as the cursor changes to a hand icon.
10. Click Ok. You will be returned to the List Org screen. Now you need to rename the button to reflect the list’s purpose.
11. Navigate to the List Org screen in Inquiries.
12. In Layout mode, select the Text tool from the Tool Pallet. Your Pointer becomes a cursor.
13. Double-click on your button.  The name of the button will be highlighted. If not, double-click again on the name.
14. Type the name of your layout. The name should reflect the list’s purpose. For example, if your layout is named Lst-Ethnicity/SS, name your button Ethnicity/SS.
15. Switch back to Browse mode.
16. Click on your button. It will navigate you to your list. You can use the buttons in the Task Bar as you normally do to navigate anywhere else in the solution.

Step 4: Editing Your Layout

After you have successfully duplicated and renamed your list and have attached it to the Lists/Forms Org screen, you are ready to edit the list.

While simple lists are relatively easy to create, there are some tricks that will help you be more successful.

1. Navigate to your new list and switch to Layout mode.
2. Zoom in so that you can better see the different list elements. Notice that unlike with letters, lists have a Header, a Body, and a Footer. Objects in the body are fields with vertical lines separating them. Objects in the Header are mostly field labels that are Text Objects.There is no relation between the fields (NameLast_first) and the field labels (Name) other than what you name them. The field labels are not the actual field names. Field names are often not helpful in terms of letting users know what the field contains. Objects in the Footer are items such as page number, date, etc. It is important to understand that any object in the Header will appear on every page, as will items placed in the Footer. You can see this when you switch to Preview mode.
3. Switch to Preview mode. Use the Book to move through the pages. Notice that each page displays the contents of both the Header and the Footer. Fields placed in the Body will display data specific to the active record. Because the layout is formatted as a list, there is one line of data for each record.
4. Switch back to Layout mode. Headers, Footers and the Body are all called Parts in FileMaker Pro. As you work, you want to be careful not to accidentally move objects from one Part into another. You may want to refer to the FileMaker Pro Users Guide to fully understand how to work with Parts.
5. Switch to Browse mode. Select View from the FileMaker Pro menu. Notice that View as List is selected. View as Form and View as Table are most likely grayed out and cannot be selected. These are options that can be set in the layout itself. It is a good idea to turn off the Form and Table view when creating lists. A list viewed as a Form or a Table can be confusing to users.
6. You can turn on and off Views in the Layouts > Layout Setup > Views screen. Turn off both Form and Table view for lists. Next you will place the fields Ethnicity and SS (social security) on the list and delete all the other fields except Name and Sex. Additionally, we’ll change the name of the list on the layout.
7. Make sure you have zoomed in. With the Pointer tool, double-click on the field P1_full in the Body. Be sure to click on the field and not the field label that is in the Header. The Specify Field dialog box will appear.
8. Scroll up until you see Ethnicity in the list. Click on it to select it.
9. Make sure that there is no check in the Create Field Label checkbox. You’ll place your own text label on the layout.
10. Click Ok. Notice that the field P1_full has now been replaced by the field Ethnicity.
11. Double-click on P_city_state_country field. The Specify Field dialog box will appear. Notice that at the top of the Specify Field dialog box, the Current File pull down menu lists _Families.IDFamily1… That is because the field Parents1_full is a field that actually exists in the Families file. The SS_number field exists in the Inquiries file. You’ll need to “re-point” FileMaker Pro to the Inquiries file.
12. Click on the Current File pull-down menu at the top of the box.
13. Scroll all the way to the top and select Current File: PTInquiries. The fields that are contained in the Inquiries file will appear in the list.
14. Scroll down to SS_number and click Ok.

Deleting Fields

1. Click on the field Grade_current to select it. Be sure not to select the Field Label.
2. If it is locked, unlock it by selecting Unlock from the Arrange menu.
3. Press the Delete or Back Space key. The field will be deleted.
4. Delete all the fields except for NameLast_first, Sex, Ethnicity and SS_number.
5. Be careful not to delete the vertical lines between the remaining fields.

Changing Field Labels

Next you will change the field labels to reflect the new fields.

1. Click on the field label Parents Full in the header. If it is locked, unlock it.
2. Using the Text tool, point to the middle of the label Parents Full and triple-click quickly. All the text should highlight in black. If not, try it again and keep clicking until all the text is selected.
3. Without clicking anywhere else, type the new label Ethnicity.
4. Using the same procedure, replace the labels City State with SS Number.
5. Click on all the remaining labels in the Header that are not needed and delete them.
6. Delete the extra vertical lines.

Aligning Fields and Labels

You can align fields and labels as you did Text Objects in the previous section.

1. Shift click the field labels in the Header to select them all. Make sure that they are all selected.
2. From the Arrange menu, select Set Alignment.
3. Choose Top to Bottom: Align bottom edges and Left to Right: None.
4. Click Ok.
5. Align the fields in the body by repeating this procedure. Once fields and labels are aligned you may want to slide fields and labels over to the left a bit or even out the spacing between them. Don’t forget to move the vertical lines too.
6. Starting from the left, select both a field and its corresponding label and tap left with the Left Arrow key on your keyboard. Using the arrow keys keeps them from moving up or down. Continue to move fields over and space them as needed. Be careful not to tap any fields up into the Header or down into the Footer.

Create a New Title

Next you’ll change the title of the list in the Header.

1. With the Text tool, double click on the word List in the header. This is a Text Object and you may need to unlock it first.
2. Type Ethnicity and SS for the title.
3. Re-lock the Text Object.
4. Switch to Browse mode to see what your list looks like.