Archive for July, 2007
Importing Non-Standard Text Files
7-11-2007 by
This question came up on Macintouch:
Can you import an ASCII (.txt) file into Filemaker Pro 9 that uses a dollar sign ($) as a field delimiter within a record? The file is too big to bring into Excel first (on the way to filemaker).
Unfortunately, FileMaker 9 does not change the supported import formats, […]
FileMaker 9 Tip#8: Script Debugging
7-11-2007 by
Script debugging has received an overhaul in FileMaker 9. FileMaker 8 launched a great feature with the data viewer but FileMaker 9 has made it an indispensable tool. Not to be outdone, the debugger also received some updates that make it a much more powerful tool. All in all, I’m sure you […]
FileMaker 9 Tip#7 Multi-User, More Functional ScriptMaker
7-11-2007 by
One of the most annoying parts of FileMaker development is when I look on my screen and see: “Some Guy” is modifying these items. You cannot use these items until “Some Guy” is finished. I am sure you know exactly what I am talking about… You need to make a couple of […]
FileMaker 9 Tip#6: Append to PDF
7-10-2007 by
How many times have you wanted to produce a report that showed two different lists of records? Or a couple pages of summary information, then a list of raw data? Or a title page, then a few pages of charts, then one list of data, then a few more charts, then a second list? In […]
FileMaker 9 Tip#5: Using the Self Function
7-10-2007 by
One of the least talked about features of FileMaker 9 is a new calculation called Self. Although the primary purpose of this function is to facilitate the Conditional Formatting feature (which can perform calculations on such unnamed items as text objects and buttons), Self comes in handy in lots of common situations.
FileMaker 9 Tip#4: Temporary Files
7-10-2007 by
There comes a time in every FileMaker developer’s life when she needs to export a file temporarily. Maybe you’re exporting records only to import them right back in again later. Or perhaps your creating a PDF file that you only want to email to someone.
And with this need comes an eternal question: Where should you […]
FileMaker 9 Tip#3: Get the Most from Autoresize
7-10-2007 by
FileMaker Pro 9 has another awesome new feature: Autoresize. Now your layout elements can stretch their legs when you give them a bigger window. Auto-resize lets you tell FileMaker how different elements on the layout should stretch and move as the window is resized by the user. But it can be a little tough to […]
FileMaker 9 Tip#2: Disabling a Button
7-10-2007 by
In the old days, we used to joke that FileMaker’s user interface tools were stuck in the 1970s. You could make a long list of things every application in the world did that were hard to do in your own FileMaker-based systems. In the last several years, though, FileMaker Inc. has knocked a lot of […]
FileMaker 9 Tip#1: Hiding Something on the Layout
7-10-2007 by
One of the most exciting new features in FileMaker 9 is Conditional Formatting. I think this is awesome because now you can apply dynamic custom styles to layout elements without adding dozens of crufty unstored calcs to your table. When I first started playing with conditional formatting, though, I felt a little let down by […]
Announcing the Ruby API for FileMaker
7-10-2007 by
We just rolled out 1.0 of Rfm It’s an awesome object-oriented API for Ruby. With it, you can talk to FileMaker server.
In the past you had to have FileMaker Server Advanced to do anything like this, but with today’s announcement of FileMaker Server 9, that is no longer the case. Now the regular $999 server […]
