FileMaker Pro 4.1 Mac User's Guide

Defining lookups between files
Using data from related files 10-11
Important Before you begin, be sure you understand the information in
the previous sections that explains lookups and how they differ from
relational databases.
Defining a lookup
1. In Browse mode or Layout mode in the master file, choose Define
from the File menu, and then choose Fields.
2. In the Define Fields dialog box, double-click the lookup destination
field (the field to copy data to). Or create a field, and then doubleclick
it.
3. In the Entry Options dialog box, select Looked-up value.
4. In the Lookup dialog box, choose the relationship to use from the
relationship pop-up menu.
Or define a relationship by choosing Define Relationships from the
pop-up menu. See “Defining a relationship for a lookup” in the
following section.
5. In the list of field names, select the lookup source field (the field to
copy data from).
6. Select options for the lookup.
To Do this
Determine what to do when values in
the match fields are not equal
Prevent null (empty) data in the
lookup source field from being
copied to the lookup destination field
For If no exact match, then, select an option to copy
no value, copy the next lower or next higher value
that’s in the lookup source field, or display the
message or data you type in the text box (up to
255 characters).
Select Don’t copy contents if empty. (Deselect this
option to allow empty data to be copied.)