Record Field Type - Function

[ericjhberg]

The current options for record fields are integer, boolean, text, and number. I have longed for a record field option that acts like a database header FUNCTION. For example, in a custom record format, you could add a record field, and its type would be FUNCTION. Then, once an object is assigned the custom record field, you could select from a list or type the same functions used in worksheets (COUNT, AREA, PERIMETER, LENGTH, X-VALUE, etc.). The value would then update as objects resize or move.

The real power of this lies in worksheets where you could query the FUNCTION field of a the custom record format and return the value. For cost/quantity estimating, units often differ. We will have SQUARE FOOT (AREA) units right next to LINEAR FOOT (PERIMETER) units and there is currently no way of accomplishing this without separating the unit types into two different database headers in a worksheet.

[Pat Stanford]

Eric,

VW2016 has kind of implemented this in reverse. In VW2016, there is a RunScript function available in worksheets.

You can write almost anything you would like like in the script. I have written a demo script that will SUM a specified numeric field for objects specified by a criteria.

The demo is intended to work in a spreadsheet cell, but RunScript will work in a Database cell also.

The demo is over in the Resource Share - Worksheet

https://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=222563#Post222563

[ericjhberg]

Thanks Pat, I'm a little confused by this but I'll give it a shot.

I'm not sure if this solves the dilemma we encounter though. Wouldn't the queried numeric fields of objects with the targeted record have to be manually updated to show the correct unit quantity (i.e. area, perimeter, length, volume, count, etc.)? Also, if you were to put this into a summarized database header wouldn't all of the values for that column show the same unit (i.e. Area)?

What I am ultimately looking for is a way to query all of the objects with a record, lets call it 'Material Take-off' where L='Hardscape'. Then, since we are very careful with our classes, the database would be summarized by class (=C) and sorted by the field (='Material Take-off'.'Item No.'). Another column would provide the data entered in the class (='Material Take-off'.'Unit'), resulting in values that would include: SF, LF, EA, CF, etc. Then in a column intended for quantity, ideally I could enter a function that would result in the correct unit quantity queried by a record field (='Material Take-off'.'Quantity'); which would have to be a field tailored to automatically fill with the correct unit quantity for each object to which it is assigned.

This is currently possible by writing separate formulas in individual worksheet cells that query different function (i.e. =Area(), =Count(), =PERIM(), etc.) This however is a lot of work to maintain and not intuitive if changes are made. We would love to have this ability in a database function instead.