forms, subforms and record viewing/entering/query

[wjg]

I believe I need a form with a subform to enter the data I require.

The main form would be jobs a business does for clients. There, I would enter the date, client, amount, ect... for a table of the jobs.

Then, I would need a subform, to enter data for employees into a table to keep track of which employees were at what jobs, and how long there were there, and what commission rate they get.

Can the Open office Base do this;

1. Enter data on the main form, enter a record, but not advance to a blank record, just enter the job, and keep the job details fresh on the screen?

2. For ease of use, I would also need a button on the form, that I can click that copies the jobid field from the current jobs record to the "employees_at_jobs" table. That way - as I enter data for the jobs, I will not make errors when entering data for the employees. For every job, I will have at least 2 employees present at the job earing different commission rates and perhaps present for different amounts of time.

3. I would also need the same sort of button to advance the employee records, so I can view one job record, and enter as many employees as I need for that job in the subform for the employees (while viewing the same job record).

4. How would I implement queries into the form? Suppose I need to go back and double check, or enter new data? For the situation I learn that the employees filled out their paperwork wrong, and there was an extra employee at the job, and the client paid a different amount than I already entered? I would need a query to show jobs for a date or week, and then when I select a job, the list of employees can be displayed? And even a list of what jobs a selected employee was present at in case the employee was incorrectly entered for a wrong job, and I need to change that?

5. What if I need to delete a job? Can the deletion of one job, also delete multiple records in another table? Or some way to clean up a table for that situation?

[kabing]

I believe I need a form with a subform to enter the data I require.

The main form would be jobs a business does for clients. There, I would enter the date, client, amount, ect... for a table of the jobs.

Then, I would need a subform, to enter data for employees into a table to keep track of which employees were at what jobs, and how long there were there, and what commission rate they get.

That's right, you do need a subform for this.

Can the Open office Base do this;

1. Enter data on the main form, enter a record, but not advance to a blank record, just enter the job, and keep the job details fresh on the screen?

Yes

2. For ease of use, I would also need a button on the form, that I can click that copies the jobid field from the current jobs record to the "employees_at_jobs" table. That way - as I enter data for the jobs, I will not make errors when entering data for the employees. For every job, I will have at least 2 employees present at the job earing different commission rates and perhaps present for different amounts of time.

If the subform is set up properly, you don't need to copy jobid over; Base will enter it automatically into the employess_at_jobs table.

3. I would also need the same sort of button to advance the employee records, so I can view one job record, and enter as many employees as I need for that job in the subform for the employees (while viewing the same job record).

If you use a data sheet (aka table) for the subform, you don't need a button for this; you can see all the employee record info for any given job at one time.

4. How would I implement queries into the form? Suppose I need to go back and double check, or enter new data? For the situation I learn that the employees filled out their paperwork wrong, and there was an extra employee at the job, and the client paid a different amount than I already entered? I would need a query to show jobs for a date or week, and then when I select a job, the list of employees can be displayed? And even a list of what jobs a selected employee was present at in case the employee was incorrectly entered for a wrong job, and I need to change that?

For many of these issues you don't need a query, you would use form based filters to find the data you need to correct. The last two items you asked about would require a different form or even a report based on a query. (A form if you need to edit data, a report if you want to be able to print it out).

5. What if I need to delete a job? Can the deletion of one job, also delete multiple records in another table? Or some way to clean up a table for that situation?

This is determined by the relations settings. I still don't have my head around all those options, but I'm sure someone else can spell it out for you.

kabing