ISO FileMaker Magazine

While recently working on a FileMaker Mobile solution I came across a number of tricks I was using which I thought might help other developers. The great thing about FileMaker Go is you have access to so many of the core iOS technologies and you can often create very attractive UIs in a short time.

When it comes to controlling access and replicating certain iOS features, you only need a bit of creative thinking. If you see something done in another iOS app you can typically find a combination of features within FileMaker which will let you replicate it.

This video showcases some of the recent features I've been using within the development of a FileMaker Go mobile application. There's an especially helpful script which will take the guess work out of testing your designs for multiple devices sizes. So, if you've ever found yourself thinking "This sure would be nice if I could access my database on my iPhone/iPad." Then make sure and watch this video and download the technique file.

When mobile devices first became prevalent over a decade ago, it was a pretty easy process to design for both mobile and desktop. You just made one layout for each respective device. There weren't as many variations as there is now.

In fact, these days, things are much more complex. If you decide to design for smartphone, tablet and desktop you could easily end up having to create three layouts for each possible view. This isn't something I'm personally fond of. I'd much rather limit myself to a maximum of two layouts for each possible view. One for the smaller form factor and the other as a hybrid approach for both tablet and desktop.

Fortunately, this is totally possible within FileMaker. It's a simple matter of finding the most ideal width and height which will account for the widest range of devices your solution will run on. Figuring this out, however, does take a little bit of work.

By walking you through my own process, and the tool I use for creating a hybrid design, we'll get you familiar with hybrid layout design. A design which would work on a Microsoft Surface Go, iPads and both Mac and Windows desktops. You'll establish a strong understanding of how to approach your hybrid layout design by watching this video. I also provide a few tips about working in Layout Mode with regards to making sure you create a consistent look across all of your layouts.