Copy Record to....

[Mando1493]

I created a duplicate of a DB for the purpose of being able to e-mail just a summary of the original DB. I just need a few pieces of information to submit for a weekly summary instead of all the information on the form, the form is then kept in a binder. I figured the easiest way was from the original form click on the Copy to....option and then select my summary DB. The summary DB has the exact same fields in it, as it was just copied. But it has a different form designed for the summary. In the summary DB I went to the Fields settings and changed the fields that I don't need in a summary from the "Include in Exports" to "Not included in Exports". I did this for about 50 fields and only included for export about 10 fields. The first test worked perfectly, sent by email(text) and only listed what I wanted. Well, went back and added a second entry and that reset all the fields to "include in export". Any suggestions on what I can do to fix this or is there an easier way?

[dhaupert]

Hi there,

Thanks for your post. Love your ingenuity to come up with your own solution! There are actually ways to do this that are much easier. For example:

1. In HanDBase there is the concept of views. You can create a view called 'Email Export' for example and choose which fields would be included in the export (and adjust the order, set filters, sorting, etc). Now when you select this view within the first database (no need to make a copy) you can export the record as you designed. When done you can switch back to the normal view.

2. Another option is to create a custom form for exporting and using the "Export to PDF" option on the form. I use this on a lot of forms we do for customers. So there is the main form with everything and then a button to 'send invoice'. When you tap that button it jumps to another form which is formatted in the way you'd like the output to look. Now you can add a button on there or use the menu option to export to the PDF and then email that PDF to the customer, etc.

In both cases, you don't need a second database and should be a much cleaner solution for you. But if you'd like to continue along your path, what I'm guessing is happening is that you're making changes to the field properties, but already have a view set up. When there is a view set up, the changes you make inside DB Properties may or may not be saved as part of the current view. There is a setting in each view as to whether those changes apply when modified elsewhere. If you have that setting set to not update the view than basically your changes are only temporary and the next time the database is launched and that view is selected, the old settings would return. A better solution is to make the changes to export and field order within the view where you'll know it will stick. Of course at that point you can just do this in the main database (see option 1 above).

Hope this all makes sense!

[Mando1493]

Thank you for your quick response. Not sure about the ingenuity, just making myself more work! I thought the views only affected the layout of what you see on that screen and not the actual export. That makes my work so much easier! Thanks again! Option 1 it is!