FileMaker Pro 4.1 Mac User's Guide

4-32 FileMaker Pro User’s Guide
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Sorting by summary fields
1 When you sort repeating fields, or related fields in portals, FileMaker
Pro uses only the first value in the repeating or related fields to sort
records. To sort records based on values other than the first value,
make separate records for each repeating value.
1 You can specify a sort order for related fields. If the match field in
one record in a file relates to the match field in more than one record
in a related file, you can specify that the related field in the first file
display a sorted value (or several sorted values if the related field is
in a portal displaying more than one row). For more information,
“Sorting related data” on page 10-43.
1 When you add a record to sorted records, FileMaker Pro tries to
maintain the sort order. It adds new records to the end of the group
the current record is in. For example, if you sort records by month and
add a record where the month is June, FileMaker Pro adds the record
to the end of the group of June records. The message in the status area
changes to Semi-sorted to indicate the approximate order. When you
finish adding records, resort them.
1 To create a script with a sort order, define the sort order, and then
click Done. Then define the script.
Choose FileMaker Help Index from the or Help menu, and then type:
E sorting records
You can include a summary field in the sort order. For example, sort on
a summary field named Monthly Sales Totals and on a field named Sales
Region to show monthly sales totals for different sales regions. (To sort
a summary field like Monthly Sales Totals, you must include a second
nonsummary field like Sales Region or Salesperson.)
Keep these points in mind:
1 Sorting by summary fields affects the order of printed or previewed
records but doesn’t change the order of records in Browse mode.
1 A summary field selected for sorting is placed at the bottom of the
Sort Order list. Summary fields can’t be sorted in a custom sort order.