Defining Value Lists

In FileMaker, a value list is generally any return-delimited sequence of alphanumeric content. Any list of companies, people, products, statuses, tax rates, zip codes, etc. are all examples of value lists. Lists can be created dynamically by formulas (Chapter 13 , “Aggregating Data”) and used for various purposes, including the technical formation of multi-key relationships (Chapter 9 , “FileMaker’s Unique Multi-key Option”). In the specific context of managing the database schema, a value list is a named structural resource that predefines a list of values that can be assigned as a control style to an instance of a field on a layout (Chapter 20 , “Configuring a Field’s Control Style”). This enables value-selection data entry used by drop-down lists, pop-up menus, checkboxes, and radio buttons to increase speed, ensure accuracy, and maintain consistency. The value list definition can be a simple batch of static values entered manually. Alternatively, it can be defined to dynamically compile a list of unique values from the actual contents of a field for all records in a table or for records viewed through a relationship from the context of a parent table. More than any other subject, value lists blur the line between defining a database’s schema and thinking in the context of a layout interface. This chapter covers the following topics regarding defining value lists, including