ISO FileMaker Magazine

When it comes to programming, there's always more to learn and share. If you've worked with REST APIs in the past, then you may have already devised your perfect system. If not, then this video will showcase a freely available script which you might want to consider first before trying to solve the problem yourself.

In our ever expanding world of coding to standards and systems, many of which have existed for decades, it's always prudent to see if you can beg, borrow and... Ok, don't steal... code which already does the trick. When it comes to HTTP's REST implementation we've already got all the code necessary.

Thanks to a great community contribution by Todd Geist, you really don't need to fumble through all the variations and possibilities of HTTP's REST methods used by FileMaker's cURL features found within the Insert from URL step. Todd and company did the heavy lifting and made an open source file available to everyone.

In this video I showcase my own personal enhancements to the script and provide some insight into some of the ways I code and why I do the things the way I do.

When it comes to designing a FileMaker layout, there are always subtle tips and tricks that might not be immediately apparent. Whether it's leveraging a graphic to replace multiple layout objects or finding innovative ways to present information in a navigational portal, the possibilities are quite wide.

Regardless of the current state of your layouts, this video unveils various tricks that can further optimize them. Whether your aim is to create layouts with lower maintenance and maximum efficiency, you're bound to discover valuable tips to make this a reality. Tune in to explore these insights and elevate the design of your FileMaker layouts.

One of the primary reasons developers cherish FileMaker is the freedom it offers to unleash their creativity within Form and List views. You have the power to craft virtually any type of software you can envision. However, when it comes to Table View, it might seem like you're merely replicating what most end users overuse - spreadsheets. Table View was likely introduced to ease the transition for spreadsheet users into the world of databases. Nevertheless, a well-structured data model renders a spreadsheet-like view of data as useless.

Despite this, the inclusion of Table View comes with some concealed features that can significantly enhance your development process as you create your ideal software solution. This video will unveil all these hidden treasures for you.

Even when discussing seemingly mundane topics like Default Fields, there are always valuable insights to uncover. This video offers an exploration of the default fields I consistently incorporate into every table I create. While you might be familiar with or have utilized some of these fields, there could still be a surprise or two in store.

For those who are relatively new to Claris/FileMaker development, this video holds significance. Learning about core techniques for data loading and effortlessly achieving desired results is crucial. Whether it involves displaying a count of related records or utilizing the internal Record ID for various UI functionalities, understanding how to accomplish a range of tasks within our preferred database software is truly beneficial.

Being able to develop and test your solutions within a FileMaker Server environment is the ideal scenario. You can test Perform Script On Server, external binaries, and plug-ins that perform a variety of tasks. Essentially, you can perform all the necessary tasks in a real solution.

When you develop your FileMaker solution locally with a single copy of Claris/FileMaker Pro, you not only face limitations in what you can test but also risk the possibility of a crash. While running FileMaker Server on your local machine is a satisfactory solution, the next step is being able to run multiple versions of FileMaker Server without the need for multiple uninstall/install scenarios.

This video showcases my return to using Docker Desktop on an M1 Mac Studio ARM-based machine. Previously, I had to stop using Docker and resort to a full virtual machine when I switched to using Apple Silicon. However, with the release of an ARM-based version of FileMaker Server and most plug-ins being available for the ARM architecture, we are now able to use Docker Desktop again. The trick lies in learning how to use containers. This video provides a great opportunity to learn a new skill. If you want to run multiple variations of FileMaker Server on your M1 or M2 Mac, this video has what you need.

While learning to develop within any environment, it's common to develop habits which keep you within a consistent framework. However, occasionally looking outside of your current framework and observing how others accomplish similar tasks can be both affirming and instructive. You may discover valuable tips and tricks from other developers from which you can adapt to enhance your own practices.

This video focuses on script writing and explores various techniques employed by different developers, specifically regarding the documentation and structure of scripts. By examining multiple files and exploring different scripting methods, we can gather helpful insights. Additionally, I will present what I consider to be one of the best approaches to managing a complex script that utilizes multiple inputs and outputs.

The beauty of Claris/FileMaker is that you have the flexibility of keeping things simple or making them as complex as desired. Drawing from my decades of experience, this video offers numerous tips to improve your script writing skills. You're likely to find valuable insights that can elevate your approach to scripting.

When starting out with FileMaker, there's rarely the situation where you receive any "before you get started" advice. This is because working in FileMaker is like picking up a blank canvas and having someone say "Go for it! Paint something."

Essentially, you need to know what the tools are, how you use them, what can be accomplished and how certain decisions might affect you. So, when it comes to field indexing, you might not know the default settings could potentially cause your solution to become bigger than it should - without any benefit to performance.

While searching an indexed field vs. an unindexed one becomes somewhat obvious - the search may be slower than expected - it's the fact that every field, by default, can optionally enable its index that makes things interesting with regards to file size and, to a certain degree, some efficiency.

In this video I break down exactly how you can see what is going on with each specific field index and what the true difference is between a value index and a word index. You may even find out that your primary key fields are actually able to index more than they really should!

Claris International, Inc. released Claris FileMaker 2023 (version 20) of the FileMaker platform on Tue. April 25th 2023. This release, like all previous dot releases, saw just a few major features and some new branding via a new icon.

In my opinion, there are primarily three major features in FMP 20 and a VERY large number of both fixes and minor features. I'm calling this one the "move towards enterprise" release. It improves upon its level of support for robust technologies such as ARM support, furthered Linux support and integrates features which will help any organization with more easily tracking critical data.

I've created a somewhat lengthy video which provides insight to the major new 20 features and also recaps the other features which have been released over the previous 3 years.

Give yourself 30-60 minutes to catch up with what's been released in the FileMaker platform over the previous years up until today's release.

While you won't have access to as many visual effects as if you had created a native iOS application, there are still some things you can do and take advantage of with native transitions within FileMaker Go. One of my own recent experiences led to making a dedicated script which enhances the visual appeal of performing a find within a single layout.

In order to gain the advantage of FileMaker Go's native layout transitions, you can use a dedicated layout and script to accomplish some really nice transition effects. It's also a good idea to be familiar with how you can use the Set Layout Object Animation script step in conjunction with Popovers and Sliders.

This video will show you a few solutions to making your FileMaker Go/iOS SDK solution a bit more visually appealing by taking advantage of the native transitions provided by the environment.

Learning everything you can do with Claris/FileMaker scripts is such a wonderful journey. When you first start using the available script triggers, it often becomes a bit of an issue if you aren't fully aware of all the impacts. This video is an update to older videos which didn't have the insights presented in this video.

If you've been using Script Triggers within Claris/FileMaker for some time, then you might want to give this video a watch to see if you're missing any of the latest and greatest know-how dealing with Script Triggers.