Reference a record by custom field, not name

[nat8100]

How can I change what a record is referenced by?

For example, in the contacts database the contact is called by first name/last name, and the accounts module uses the account name field. This is used when displaying the detail view at the top (Accounts: Account name), in the list view(you can click to view on the name) and also in the last viewed. It is also used as the lookup field when you create a relate field in another module.

I want to reference a record by a custom field, instead of the name. This is for a recruitment module. Many candidates have the same name so I want to assign them each an ID/reference no. and call them by that.

Hopefully I have explained enough for you to know what I mean.

Thank you

[andopes]

Do you want to implement it into a built in module or into a custom module?

Cheers

[nat8100]

Do you want to implement it into a built in module or into a custom module?

Cheers

Thanks for your quick reply.

A custom module, based on the person template

[andopes]

You should implement the save function into module class to set the name field as the other field which has unique values.
Also implement the function get_summary_text into module class. This function will return the name of the field which will be displayed into Last Viewed.

Cheers

[nat8100]

You should implement the save function into module class to set the name field as the other field which has unique values.
Also implement the function get_summary_text into module class. This function will return the name of the field which will be displayed into Last Viewed.

Cheers

Which file is the save function class and get_summary_text currently located?
Thanks

[andopes]

Lets suppose your custom module is the nat_Payments, the module class is the modules/nat_Payments/nat_Payments.php
So you should implement into this class the two methods I told you before.
Both methods are defined into data/SugarBean.php

the methods would like like that:

   function save($check_notify = false) {
    $this->name = $this->field_with_unique_value;
    parent::save($check_notify);
  }
 
  function get_summary_text() {
    return $this->field_with_unique_value;
  } 
  

Obviously you should replace the field_with_unique_value by the appropriate field name.

Cheers

[nat8100]

Ok thank you for the additional info. If it is defined into sugarbean.php do I need to define which module so it doesn't apply to all modules?

[pacasum.repocusin]

Hello, i would like to do the same thing. I made a custom module based on file template. I want to reference a custom field to view/access the records. I'm currently using SugarCRM Version 6.3.0beta6 (Build 6874). thanks.