1) Write a script to set the correct tab according to the field value as discussed above. e.g.,”SetTab”.

2) In that script, set a global saying “$$IamInTheScript” to true at the beginning, and false at the end of the script.

3) set a Script Trigger “On Modify” for the Tabs, to run a script “DoNothingOnTabClick”. In this script, check for your global “$$IamInTheScript”. If it IS set, then we know our script made the change, so we do nothing, i.e., allow the “modify” to happen.

if it is NOT set,then a user has changed the tab state, so call “SetTab” script, to undo whatever the user changed, by setting the tab state correctly.

Thus the tabs seem not to respond to user clicks, because they get set right back where they belong when the user tries to modify them.

Create a new field that will be updated for this CURRENT tab name. In OPTIONS Use “ENTER AUTO DATA and put the “first tab object name” as a default. (later this field will be updated with a “set field” with each script per tab clicked thus conditionally formatted via the current tab)

Create new TEXT layer for tab separately and name it whatever your tabs are going to be.

Conditionally format each of these text layers for what is going to be in the CURRENT TAB Name field.

Write a script for each TEXT layer of conditional formatting
1. SET FIELD — “CURRENT TAB Name” with the TAB Object name.
2. GO TO OBJECT — ( TAB Name desired)

Apply a PERFORM SCRIPT button to each TEXT layer.

Worked for me!

hint..you can also change the FILL color of an object in conjunction behind the text.

HAVE FUN!

I use a Max Tab variable, a current tab variable and I use those to give Dynamic access to the tabs within.. or so is the projected desire.

but Using a script and a button set to ‘Go to’ “Tab2″… is not doing anything.. and I am confused as to why.

Tried multiple machines, but both would not run the object call.

Any ideas?

I don’t think I’ve ever user this technique to get “better tabs” than FileMaker provides out of the box though. I use this technique when I need a little dynamic behavior on the layout. For instance, in one project I’m working on now, we’re building a layout that combines functionality from half a dozen places in one streamlines UI for a particular group of users. As such:

1: The layout is really cramped for space.
2: The layout is complex (lots going on).

In one area, the user make a choice which influences the UI for a portion of the screen. The choices they make early on change which portals, buttons, and text we display further down the screen. We really had three choices in doing this:

1: Use a separate layout for each variation (there are three) and switch as appropriate. Because this layout is complex, that would mean maintaining a lot of duplicated complexity across three layouts (or possibly four, since there’s the “not yet known” state as well).

2: Use a “wizard” type system. This just introduces extra clicks, and streamlined entry is this layouts Raison d’être. Users will be working through this process many times a day.

3: Use real tabs. The problem with this was subtle, but it just wasn’t natural. We were asking the user a couple of questions, essentially, and it didn’t feel right to work the answers into tabs.

So we opted instead to put each version of the changing portion of the layout into a tab panel, hide the tabs, and switch to the correct version automatically as the user works with the screen.

This sort of thing comes up now and again, and in case like this we use the hidden tab technique. It is definitely a judgement call, though.

Also, we’ve taken to “labeling” our layouts when we do this kind of hackery, which is a technique I’ll write up some time.

Thanks, and we love your blog,

Geoff

1: Remove the Emboss effect
2: Set the line thickness to 0px
3: Set the tab width to 0

If you do all three of these and you are on FileMaker 9.0 or later, you will no longer be able to click to switch tabs at all.

Geoff