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I'm a fairly inexperienced FM user and have tried searching for this answer but haven't had any luck.

I'm wondering if there's a simple way to change a parameter on multiple records at once. We're using a FMDB for shot tracking in film production. I'd like to do a find to get multiple records and then click a checkbox for them all. Is there a simple way to do this rather than clicking on each one individually? I'm used to an online tool called Shotgun where you can select multiple "records" and change or add something to all of them in a particular field.

Is there a built in function for this? Or would it require some scripting of a "select all" style button (which is currently beyond my capabilities)?

FMDB screen cap

deepstructure
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2 Answers2

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Yes, the Replace Field Contents command does exactly what you need. It operates on a field in the found set of records.

It's also available as a script step so you can attach it to a button.

AndreasT
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    No, the Replace function does **not** do this. You mean the Replace Field Contents command/script step. Two completely different things. – michael.hor257k Sep 18 '19 at 17:27
  • Thanks for this - I did figure out it was the Replace Field Contents. The only limitation I've run into with it is that the only viable replacement option from the three was "Replace with 'current contents,' which means I have to check or uncheck the first box and then click my button, which will then perform that on the rest of the found set. – deepstructure Sep 19 '19 at 18:09
  • @deepstructure You can have your script check/uncheck all records in the found set without having to check or uncheck the first box first. However, you need a way to determine whether to check or uncheck them. Especially if not all records in the found set have the same value. – michael.hor257k Sep 19 '19 at 19:24
  • @michael.hor257k Ok, how would I do that (you can assume that all the found records are either all checked or unchecked as that's what I'm doing the search for. I either bring up all records that I've just added, so as to mark them as "needing review," or we've reviewed them, so I'm finding everything with a check and unchecking it. It's rough, but it'll do what I need. So if there's a way to simply perform that check/uncheck all without having to first check or uncheck the first record, I'm all ears! – deepstructure Sep 20 '19 at 21:20
  • You can replace the field contents with a calculated result, e.g. `not YourTable::YourField` (assuming the field is a Boolean). – michael.hor257k Sep 20 '19 at 22:35
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I created a button to do this. This required learning a few things:

  1. Create a script (under Scripts -> Scripts Workspace), using Replace Field Contents function, and point it at your checkbox field, with "Current Contents" as the replace option.
  2. Create a button and for the Button Function, choose Perform Script and point to your script.
  3. To use: Perform a Find to create a found set; then click the field on the first record to either check or uncheck your box; then click your button. This will then check or uncheck this field on all the rest of the found records.

enter image description here

deepstructure
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