FileMaker Server does some funny things when you create a stored calculation that uses a plug-in. In fact, odds are you received everyone’s favorite invalid character, the `?`. This article explains why this occurs and gives some solutions for this rather pesky problem.
Jesse Antunes
Creating Random Numbers in FileMaker
Creating a random number with FileMaker is a seemingly impossible task. Fortunately for us, FileMaker provides us with a very useful calculation function to help us along the way: `Random`. Alas, this function isn’t quite what you think.
Deleting Duplicate Records in FileMaker
Duplicate data always seems to creep it’s way into your system no matter how hard you try. Unfortunately, in FileMaker there is no easy way to deal with junk. Or is there?
Passing Multiple Parameters to Scripts – Advanced
Wouldn’t it be nice if whenever you need a parameter you could just ask for it by name? Lets say that you have a create order script and you want to pass the script the name, street and zip code of the customer. If you were stuck with just the regular old FileMaker functions there ain’t no way that’s happening. But after you are done with this post, you will be able to get the name of your customer with the simple function: `GetParameter( “customerName” )`.
FileMaker 9 Tip#8: Script Debugging
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 will be happy with your new debugging tools.
FileMaker 9 Tip#7 Multi-User, More Functional ScriptMaker
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 little tweaks to your not-quite-finished script and FileMaker gives you that annoying little pop-up. Fortunately, FileMaker has finally gotten rid of this productivity killing problem and added a couple other gems to ScriptMaker with their newest release, FileMaker Pro 9.
FileMaker – Passing Multiple Script Parameters
I can think of hundreds of times when I found myself pounding my head against the desk because I had to define yet another global field just to pass a simple value from one script to another. Like you, I myself hate to have lots of cruft clogging up my databases. Luckily, FileMaker 7+ gave us the wonderful addition of script parameters to help relieve this plight. Sometimes, even this isn’t enough and that’s where passing multiple parameters takes over.
Filemaker Error 401
No this is not an AP class on FileMaker Errors. FileMaker Error 401 refers to the dreaded, script killing, FileMaker Error 401. Many of us have encountered an annoying pop-up stating “No records match this set of find requests” in the middle of our carefully crafted scripts and don’t really know where it comes from. The error message FileMaker’s way of saying that your script just performed a find, and it couldn’t find any records. But in practice, you often don’t want to tell your _users_ no records were found. Instead, you just want you script to note this fact, adjust its behavior accordingly, and keep on trucking. More often than not, when this error message pops up, the poor user can’t figure out what to do: “Should I Cancel? or should I Modify Find?” Perhaps he just pounds the escape key until something happens. All three choices seem like perfectly rational responses to me, but are probably not what the programmer intended.