ISO FileMaker Magazine: FileMaker Video Tutorials, Templates, Help & More

by Matt Petrowsky

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If you've worked with FileMaker for any length of time (5 years or more), then it's hard not to become affected by your historical knowledge of how FileMaker works. My reason for stating this is because of how data and interacting with it "might" be limited if you're taking the conventional approach within FileMaker.

"Conventionally", FileMaker provides your layout and you simply add fields from the table that layout is associated to. Here's the problem though, you end up with a mindset which potentially limits you from seeing other options - until you want to see things differently. How about each user of the database being able to see only the records they've interacted with, and being able to do so from a historical standpoint? Statements such as "Who was that customer I dealt with last week?" become easy to answer.

Seeing things differently is what this video is all about. The video will show you how to use a dedicated History table to provide unique views on how users have interacted with the data in the database. You don't always have to do things the same way. Sometimes, there's a different way that may provide better options!

by Matt Petrowsky

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Here's the deal about creating things in FileMaker Pro. There's no one way to do it. It's really that simple.

If you ask 5 different developers (all experienced) to create the same solution, you'll likely end up with 5 different approaches. Granted, there will be similar aspects across the solutions, but the way things are accomplished will differ.

This is where you get to choose which methods you use when putting things together. When it comes to logic testing, you'll find there are a variety of ways to do things as well. In this video, I talk about the various methods for testing conditionals within ScriptMaker's If step. Hopefully, it will give you some additional insight into yet another way for creating your solutions.

by Matt Petrowsky

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• QuicKeys (Mac or PC)
• iKey for Mac

Programming, or using logic for that matter (for some people - not you), can be an exercise in creating more problems than solving them - at least until you debug those problems. And there it is, debugging, that essential skill which increases your productivity while programming.

Ok, so maybe you don't think you're programming when you're writing a script. I beg to disagree. You're using conditional logic and you've got access to a debugger - a programmers tool.

So how do you go about using the debugger most efficiently. Well, you need to learn what Step In, Step Over and Step Out mean in the world of debugging. Fortunately, this can be learned in the short 27 minutes this video takes to watch!

by Matt Petrowsky

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If you've ever come across the need to trigger a script when you switch to a new tab, you need to know it's possible. Even though FileMaker doesn't natively provide this feature, you can make this happen with a degree of control that makes it easy - and even fun!

Using a variety of custom functions, and some creative thinking, your native tab switching script triggers are simply a matter of editing some text within a text box.

Watching this video will provide insight into using conditional formatting to make a FileMaker script trigger when you switch to any new tab.

by Matt Petrowsky

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Quite simply, you may not be using Custom Functions as much as you should be. In fact, you might not consider Custom Functions as a general place to enter code as freely as you do within calculations themselves or scripts. If this is the case, then you're likely missing out on some BIG TIME time-savers.

By using a clear strategy of organizing your custom functions, you may begin to think of this area of FileMaker as being just as vital to your development as all the rest.

Don't think simply in terms of functions specific to your whole solution. Think about using Custom Functions for just about anything. Custom Functions dedicated to one specific layout? You bet!

by Matt Petrowsky

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• Function Scripting Video

Learning to code a better FileMaker solution is something that happens over time. As you improve, there are all kinds of things you find that make the development process more streamlined.

Some of your application logic becomes repetitive in many locations. Think about using the Show Custom Dialog script step (I use this example in the video). How many places have you used it in your solution(s)?

Having to update this code can become quite the hassle down the road. This is where you come to the point of resolving to "code once", and by doing so, you only have one location to update the code.

While this approach can be taken to the extreme, it's a great thing to know. Using wrappers around native FileMaker script steps and functions can help you out in the long run - I promise!

by Sean Mills

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If you're in an industry where standardized forms are the norm, then the holy grail is automatically pushing data from your database into the required PDF. Yes, it's true, we still live in a world where forms consume most of the process. And this probably won't change too much over the years.

If you've ever dreamed of taking those field values and shoving them right into the required form then the included technique file and videos in this mini series will provide you with everything you need.

Not only has the work been done but there's a ton to learn from this wonderfully crafted FileMaker solution. The file is ready-to-go, the solution is based on freely available technology and the videos are worth the price of admission.

Don't miss this series of videos if you have any desire to merge data from FileMaker into preexisting PDF forms!

by Matt Petrowsky

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• zippScript Plug-in
• DoScript Plug-in
• SmartPill Plug-in

For the longest time, I remember a great divide between the camp who used plugins and the camp that didn't. Actually, there aren't any camps, it was just individual developers who had an opinion about using plugins <grin>. (Note: I'll be using the word plugin instead of the proper spelling of plug-in - simply because I think it's cooler that way.)

One of my early opinions was that I didn't want to use them. One, because they added to the cost, two because they didn't "feel" like they were part and parcel with FileMaker and three, because I was unfamiliar. Yes, that last reason is a bad one, yet it may still be true for you.

Getting to that "ok" point about using plugins should happen REALLY fast these days. That's because you simply can't do everything you need to (or should be able to) do within FileMaker alone. Plugins are what make a solution more powerful and more robust.

This video is about how I use and check for plugins. It's a bit long and I tend to go on an on about the SmartPill PHP plugin, but hey, I want you to know what's out there and what your options are. There are quite a few plugins on the market and many of them duplicate what others do. While the options are diverse, it's all a matter of testing, using and then working with the plugins which provide the functionality you need. Not everyone is going to fall in love with embedded PHP like I have!

by Matt Petrowsky

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• zippScript Plug-in

You'll never guess what you can do with a little creative thinking and the Custom Formatting option. Oh, wait, I just told you in the title of this article - Super Quick Data Entry.

One of my MOST favorite features of FileMaker is the fact that records are created by default when entering data into a related field and no valid relationship exists. This provides a number of opportunities to do cool things, such as entering data - provided it's not a lot of related data.

When you add script triggering to a field's custom formatting option, and you rely on what FileMaker tries to be smart about, you get a powerful method for entering data in a super quick way. The best part about this whole technique is that it becomes universal to your whole solution. You can use any related field with auto-creation of related records and your one single script can handle it all.

Watch this free video to see how easily it can be done!

by Matt Petrowsky

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There are many ways to solve most data problems. The biggest problem, however, is getting stuck within a certain mind set of any given approach. FileMaker provides a powerful tool to solve complex data problems. However, it may be limiting you. It does this by providing a default way of approaching the solution.

This approach can be summed up into two words "Form View". When most users and developers start creating a FileMaker solution the approach is to simply add fields to the table that is the most specific to what's in mind. If you're a teacher, you're dealing with students. If you're in business, you're dealing with customers. If you're a consultant you're dealing with clients. You simply add fields to your respective table, add them to its respective layout and away you go.

Guess what, students, customers and clients are all the same! This is what you need to realize when creating a flexible data structure. This video will highlight the direction for an optimized data structure that focuses on generalization and not the specifics you should be avoiding.