ISO FileMaker Magazine

Using one relationship, as a utility relationship, for the purpose of creating another valid data relationship isn't something that's always an obvious solution. In this video, I walk through the process of using a utility relationship for the purpose of a facilitating a lookup - which is used to reference data in a previous record. In this solution we're using time values in order to calculate an elapsed time.

Ok, so it sounds a little confusing without the background of the problem we're trying to solve. Fortunately, you can watch the video and work with the file provided. It's a Time Logging database which helps you track how you've spent your time.

Regardless of whether your database works with time values or not, there's always a lesson to be learned in solving a FileMaker problem!

Not everyone who opens a copy of FileMaker is going to know how to search for the records they're seeking. FileMaker's Query by Form method of searching leaves a few users hunting around for clues as to how they might perform their slightly-beyond-basic search request.

Fortunately, we can automate the process of more complex searches. This can be accomplished by scripting the search process. Another side of the search coin is the whole web search engine thing. One field and a ton of results. Didn't get what you want? Search again and change what you asked for - or how you asked for it.

In this video I present a highly powerful technique for making it a bit easier to search for data. The powerful part is the ability to simply copy and paste some global search fields, sprinkle in some layout object naming and you've got a dynamic searching tool which can be used on any layout! Very cool indeed!

While growing up, you were either bullied or you were the bully. Sometimes you were both. Fortunately, later in life, we grow out of these stages and we get to push something else around - text. Ok, enough of the childhood memories and on to what this video is really about.

In this video I walk through some of the more powerful aspects of manipulating text to achieve the output you truly desire. If you've got the need to parse, merge or otherwise wrangle any amount of text into something that suits the requirements, then you'll find that you have multiple options. You can use a 100% FileMaker method or you can employ the use of a powerful plug-in. Regardless of what you choose, it's important to know what's possible and how to accomplish it. Watch this video today and start to bully some text somewhere!

Every once in a while, you come across a technique so useful, it's simply too hard not to include it within every one of your solutions. This may be one of those techniques. Ultimate Styled Text Merging applies to any situation where you wish to provide the user with the maximum level of text styling control - of any field data.

This applies to information viewed on-screen, when printing on labels, envelopes or within a form letter - or even if you want to pass the styled text through an HTML email. This video and technique file will provide you with all the information needed to offer both the easiest and most flexible method a user can use when determining how field data should be presented.