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Which Code Compliments FM


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Hi.

Some years ago I used FM7 to control a large 'one table' database, but now having acquired FM13, would like to do far more.

 

However considering what I would like to do, videos on Youtube appear suggest that knowing the language behind FM would be very advantageous. What language lends itself to FM... JS, PHP or MYSQL?

 

A few years ago I learned HTML5 and CSS3 to build static webpages, but weighing-up the pluses and minuses of learning the more comprehensive languages of MYSQL and PHP, decided not to learn either as I would rarely use them... but now I am once again using FM, am wondering if it might be beneficial to learn at least one of these languages, but which best compliments FM?

 

Cheers 

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Karlos,

Your post suggests that starting with the help file in Filemaker is an appropriate starting point as FM does not have a language behind it nor is MySQL a language.

Their is no "language belhind FM" it is a database fused to a user interface tool that contains powerful scripting and calculation engines.

Their is no substitute for using FileMakers built in functionality (layouts, scripting, permissions, menus, calculations, etc) to build awesome solutions.

If you are looking for web browser based interface development tools then FileMaker Web Direct is a viable but immature solution.

If you are looking to build a customized web browser based solution with FM as a back end then you are free to choose a programming language. I'm sure that with sufficient knowledge any web programming language can be made to work.

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However considering what I would like to do, 

 

And what would that be?  Knowing that we can probably give you a little more direction.

 

As Kris mentions, there is no language "behind" FM.

 

There are some cool things you can do in a FM web viewer where knowing HTML5, CSS and JS will come in very handy.

Knowing the basics of the SQL syntax will help too through your solution.

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Thanks for the prompt replies.

 

All I want to build is a database to login jobs and customers, and thereafter allocate a customer to a job with a quote which I will chase via another 'control layout' not yet created. As for analysing the data, I was thinking of exporting it into Excel later.

The thing is, the way I wanted to do it 'seems' to require I write a little script often seen in Youtube videos... what is that script, is it AppleScript?

 

Just to throw a little light on the database...

 

• Each Job can have numerous companies quoting for it, and of cause each company can quote for numerous jobs. [so it centred around the 'Job Table']

 

1 X 'Job Table'

1 X 'Customer table'

1 X 'Quote (Join) Table'

 

With the 'Customer' and 'Job' tables already populated... I can chose from two dropdown fields [one to the left the other to the right] to allocate a company to a job creating a quote. The thing that bugged me was that when the customer or Job wasnt available in the dropdown list, I couldn't find away of making the data available without leaving the layout and entering it in either or both... the 'Customer' and 'Job' layouts which would be confusing for some end-users.

 

What I did in the end, was just place a button over the 'Customer dropdown' and another over the 'Job dropdown'... which if pressed runs a script I bolted together that creates a new smaller window with the relating 'customer' or 'Job' table where I can enter the data. Obviously, then the data will be available in both dropdowns. However, although I placed a 'close button' on each... I'm not that happy with windows overlapping the main window and hovering about. What I would prefer is having these two 'data entering layouts' in Popovers... but I can't seem to find a way of placing a layout in a popover.

 

Thanks, late here in the UK so will look back tomorrow, cheers.

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it 'seems' to require I write a little script often seen in Youtube videos... what is that script, is it AppleScript?

 

Nope, AppleScript (on Mac) and VBscript / shell scripts / batch files are only necessary if you want to integrate FM with something on the outside.

What you describe is something that can be done through native scripting in FileMaker's ScriptMaker

But you wouldn't want a "button overlay" but rather use some of the native event script triggers on those fields.

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Thanks for the reply Wim.

For some reason I can not find a 'reply' button to reply to an individual post... so shall just add to the thread.

 

I feel encouraged by your comment that there might be a way to accomplish what I am looking for via FM's Script Editor, though are you referring to a 'Popover button' when you say "button overlay"? I don't understand.

 

I am well aware that I could use a portal, which by editing the relationships between the 'Quote Table' and both the 'Customers' and 'Jobs' tables could create new records in both the latter... but as portals only seem to display in a type of spreadsheet-view, this wouldn't be very convenient.

And if by so editing such relationships I should create new records in the 'Customer and Jobs' tables via the form view I use to create new Quotes [and login enquiries]... things get very messy fast... as I am required to create a new Quote each time I want to add a customer or Job. An example might be when I only want to add a Job because I can select an existing Customer from the drop-down menu.... but this would then add that Customer a second time in the Customer Table when I created the new Job enquiry. 

 

I'm sorry if this is somewhat confusing, if that is the case it is because of my lack of knowledge regarding FM... I'm sure I'll be able to explain myself better as I learn more... and become more accustomed to the terminology used regarding both databases, and the program.

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Too many things going on here that shows that you lack a lot of fundamental understanding.

I would suggest you get the Advanced book from the FileMaker Training Series:

http://www.filemaker.com/support/training/fts.html

 

And do all the exercises.  The solution used for the exercises has a lot of similarities to what you are trying to achieve so you will get through the learning curve very quickly I think.

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