Saved Search Queries
While there are some features which FileMaker provides natively, I often wonder how heavily they are used. One feature in particular is the Saved Finds feature, which is only available in Find Mode. It's a great feature in terms of convenience, however, its implementation is right on top of the funky developer'ish UI. It's buried many levels deep within multiple dialogs (if you want to modify any of the saved searches) and it's just not as pretty as developing your own within a dedicated layout or UI widget.
In this video and technique file, I showcase a system of how to provide the same feature of saving user searches. This is handled in such a way that you can make the searches available to whatever user/group or permission set you desire. Unlike the native features in FileMaker, it's not user account specific. Ultimately, it provides many more advantages of being able to run automated searches.
If your data is the kind where multiple routine searches are frequently re-run, then this technique will have what you need. AND, a big bonus is a tip about how to detect when a user executes a search vs when a FileMaker script does so and being able to determine the difference.
Comments
Saved find capabilities are
Saved find capabilities are available in browse mode in FileMaker Pro 19 latest
Ah, I see they are.
-- Matt Petrowsky - ISO FileMaker Magazine Editor
I'm with you in thinking that
I'm with you in thinking that an approach like yours leads to a better user experience.
Saved searches for server side scripts
hi, I know this can be use using the same priciple, but is there any video in specific on how to pass a given search to a server side script call as parameter?
tks
I can certainly make one.
Use the search feature on this site for keywords like "server side" or "psos" - which is Perform Script on Server. This is probably one of the methods I would favor because all the criteria for the query is right there in a structured JSON format. The only thing you need for a server side script is context.
In that regard, you would simply add to the outer object. So the JSON would look like { layout:"name_of_layout", "find":{}}
Your server side script would simply see if there is a "layout" key that exists and, if so, it would navigate there to execute the query. Does that make sense?
-- Matt Petrowsky - ISO FileMaker Magazine Editor