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Hierarchical JSON Viewer / Editor
By Andy Persons & Doug West
One of the standout new features of FileMaker Pro 16 is native support for the JSON data-interchange format. In addition to providing easy integration with a host of online services, it also provides developers with the tools to create robust hierarchical structures for use entirely within FileMaker. This hierarchical JSON viewer / editor file provides some tools for visualizing, manipulating, and leveraging JSON text.
Features
[ Edit: 3/16/2016 - With the help of some other people, we have been able to recover, or recreate some of the original images from original thread. ]
Security is always a big topic when it involves data, or people, or possessions. Recently, over on the FileMaker Community, there was a very beneficial discussion regarding security. Unfortunately, that discussion was the victim of a necessary action...and was deleted. It was deleted, because the discussion was tied to a video that, as was det
Author’s note: Inevitable comparisons will be drawn between the new While function and the venerable CustomList custom function, which I wrote about at length several years ago. Preliminary testing indicates that CustomList is faster under certain circumstances and While is faster under others. In my opinion, both of them belong in your developer tool kit. […]
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GoDraw3 is a FileMaker drawing tool for users. For FileMaker developers, however, it is full of customization. A developer can do with it what she wants.
The post GoDraw3: Hack the Heck Out of It appeared first on Geist Interactive.
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Part 2: What Should You Consider When Selecting a Development Partner? What Questions Might You Ask a Potential Developer?
Hiring a developer is about creating a working relationship. You want someone who gets your business and gets you. Having a good working relationship often determines the success or failure of a development project. Hire someone you are comfortable with who also has the skills necessary to make your project successful. Beyond the quality of the working relationsh
Let's evaluate better methods for generating and modifying large sample data sets (over 1 GB) in a FileMaker solution, when custom functions are ineffective for data greater than 10K characters. Improved methods included using FileMaker’s Get (UUID), or using JavaScript or Python, resulting in faster execution times and increased character limits, ultimately showcasing superior performance for larger data sets.View the full article
Struggling with clunky pop-ups and rigid record-level security in FileMaker? Found set security offers a more innovative way to control who sees what without disrupting the user experience. Discover how dynamically filtering records by role, access, or data can enhance the security, flexibility, and intuitiveness of your FileMaker apps. Includes a video and a sample file.
dbservices.com
Maintaining a comprehensive set of custom functions for managing windows in FileMaker can be extremely valuable. Once you’ve established a consistent set of standards, window behavior becomes predictable, and you no longer need to worry about repeatedly solving the same layout and positioning problems.
In this video, I showcase the collection of window-related custom functions I’ve developed and refined over the years. These functions are organized using the new custom function folders feature
Claris MCP is now available for the Claris FileMaker platform, introducing a standardized, zero-code way to connect AI assistants directly to your FileMaker data. This powerful integration enables real-time data access, analysis, and automation—making AI more accessible than ever within FileMaker solutions. Includes Video and Download File.
dbservices.com
Creating barcodes and QR codes in FileMaker is easier than ever. Using the free demo file from Productive Computing University, you will be able to use a single script step to generate both traditional barcodes and QR codes directly within FileMaker 2025. No fonts, no plug-ins, and no complex setup are required
If you’re managing inventory, printing labels, or sharing links, this approach makes it quick to generate professional barcodes and QR codes with minimal effort. The only requirement
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is transforming how businesses handle data in today’s digital workspace. Traditionally, extracting text from images required costly third-party integrations, but not anymore. With FileMaker’s GetLiveText feature, you can harness the built-in OCR capabilities of iOS and macOS to capture text directly within your database. This includes a video and a demo file.
dbservices.com
For many businesses, FileMaker has long served as the primary hub for data. However, there are plenty of situations where FileMaker either can’t perform a specific task or simply isn’t fast enough for the workload.
This is where external technologies shine. Python handles complex mathematical operations with exceptional speed. JavaScript can process large datasets far more efficiently than a FileMaker custom function. And your data doesn’t always need to live inside the same tool you use to man
If your team collects field notes, service updates, support comments, or quick entries from mobile devices, you know how inconsistent and unstructured text can be. Misspellings, shorthand, scattered thoughts, and long explanations can make important information hard to understand. With the AI capabilities available in FileMaker 2025, you now can clean up messy notes, generate clear summaries, and translate text into other languages directly inside your solution.
Our AI text manipulation tool
There’s a perfect irony in traveling thousands of miles to attend a conference about technology that can make travel obsolete. Video calls beam our faces across continents, AI assistants answer questions faster than any human, and collaboration tools that allow seamless handoffs.collaboration tools seamless handoffs. Yet Todd Geist and I boarded actual planes to sit […]
The post EngageU 2025, the view from Antwerp appeared first on Proof+Geist.
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Whether you're new to developing in FileMaker or have been using it for a while, unless you’re already familiar with standard timestamp formats and have experience working with external systems, there are several important things to understand about using dates, times, and timestamps within FileMaker — especially when integrating with other systems and APIs.
In this part of our series, we’ll explore a helpful suite of custom functions which serves as a solid foundation for nearly anything relat
The Outlook Manipulator plug-in makes it easy to connect your Claris FileMaker solution with Microsoft Outlook and the new Microsoft 365 Outlook (we refer to it as Outlook Remote). Whether you want to centralize contacts, archive emails, manage calendar events, or automate communication, Outlook Manipulator gives you the tools to make Outlook an integrated part of your FileMaker workflow.
Direct Integration with Outlook Remote and Outlook Classic
Outlook Manipulator supports both modern
In my opinion, before creating your first complex solution in FileMaker, it’s best to become familiar with the core features the environment provides. When considering how to structure your solutions — whether using a data separation model or a single file — it helps to understand how certain features can influence your decisions.
In this video, I cover the External Data Sources feature. While this feature is primarily intended for connecting to external data sources, its utility goes beyond si
See how FileMaker can use AI to perform live internet searches and return real-time company data, news, and insights. Explore how to connect FileMaker to OpenAI to gather and organize results directly within your solution.
AI models are powerful, but their training only extends to a specific date, which means they often lack awareness of recent news or developments. When you enable AI search, FileMaker can look up current information on the web and combine it with the model’s existing knowle
As with all increasingly complex human creations, especially those that go beyond the simple steps of “1, 2, 3, and done”, it’s important to plan for a solid foundation. A well-thought-out foundation guides a project toward long-term success and easier maintenance once the initial effort has been invested.
These early investments in your technical solution cover a variety of areas, one of the most important being permissions. Controlling what can be done, and by whom, not only protects against
Here are links to articles and resources related to today’s FM Training Livestream presentation: Best of FileMaker Hacks Tips, Tricks and Traps, part 3. YouTube link Best of FileMaker Hacks Tips, Tricks and Traps (part 3) [coming soon] Demo Files 2025-Nov-Livestream.zip [coming soon] FMH Articles SortValues and UniqueValues FM 22: Pseudo Indexing Sometimes Less Is… Continue reading November 2025 FM Training LivestreamView the full article
Demo file: FM-22-Pseudo-Indexing.zip (works w/ FM 16 or later) When I wrote about Sort Values and Unique Values back in 2017, I made passing reference to an article I’d written a couple years previously on the topic of “pseudo indexing“, i.e., displaying a list of unique values for a specific field for a found set, rather… Continue reading FM 22: Pseudo IndexingView the full article
Microsoft is phasing out basic authentication for SMTP, with rejections starting in March 2026 and a full cutoff on April 30, 2026. If your FileMaker apps still rely on basic authentication, you could soon face major disruptions. By preparing now, you’ll safeguard your email workflows, strengthen security, and avoid last-minute headaches. Includes sample file and video.
dbservices.com
Featuring: Description: In this episode of The Context Podcast, join Martha Zink, Todd Geist, and Ernest Koe as they discuss ProofChat— our new, FREE tool that allows you to add an AI Chat interface directly into your FileMaker solutions. Join the conversation to learn all the reasons why this could save you time and change […]
The post The Context Podcast: ProofChat appeared first on Proof+Geist.
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Are You ‘Too Hot’ for Your Web Developer?
By Kurt Knippel,
Project Manager / VP of Production
Ever get the cold shoulder from a web developer who thinks your brand, identity or messaging is too polarizing? In today’s highly splintered and politicized world, we’ve heard about web developers “playing it safe” and refusing work out of concern they might alienate future clients or harm their reputation by virtue of association.
At eXcelisys, the only reputation we care about is our reputation f
Chat with Your Own FileMaker Data FileMaker 2025 gave developers some fantastic new features for integrating AI into FileMaker apps. It opened the door to powerful AI experiences, yet most developers (including us) face the challenge of building chat infrastructure from scratch before delivering actual value. So we built ProofChat. ProofChat is a module you […]
The post ProofChat Is Here appeared first on Proof+Geist.
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In any multi-user solution, one of the first things to focus on is managing its users. While it's always possible to create a FileMaker solution without a dedicated Users table, doing so prevents you from offering users a wide range of benefits, with user preferences being the first major advantage.
While adding a Users table will allow you to manage those users and their preferences, you might as well also add a Sessions table to track whatever you wish about user activity while they're logged
Recently, Vince Menanno, Nick Orr, and Dave Ramsey joined a Claris Community Live session to share their insights and perspectives about three unique FileMaker analysis tools. Each of them brought a different tool to the table — BaseElements, InspectorPro, and FMPerception — and together they explored how these tools help developers understand the full breadth […]
The post Three Perspectives on FileMaker Analysis Tools appeared first on Proof+Geist.
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The FMPerception 22.0.0 update introduces full support for the latest wave of AI-related script steps and functions added by Claris in the FileMaker 2025 release. If FileMaker can do it, FMPerception can now analyze it. With this version, FMPerception adds support for new script steps and understands the new AI-centric functions, providing a wider view […]
The post FMPerception 22.0.0: Ready for FileMaker 2025 appeared first on Proof+Geist.
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