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FileMaker Magazine

A blog by FileMaker Magazine in Affiliate Blogs

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Entries in this blog

Better UI Settings

Longtime FileMaker developers have often used the database itself to store values for various user interface settings. This is valid, because, where else would you store them? A common approach is individual fields. However, there are a few problems with this. First, it adds "noise" to your data structure, making it harder to distinguish between actual data fields and those used for other purposes. For example, you might ask, "Is this an actual data field or is it used for something else?" Sec

FMIndent - FileMaker Code Formatting

FileMaker developers who use editors like VS Code, IntelliJ IDEA, BBEdit, or even VIM are very familiar with the modern conveniences expected from a code editor: linters, code completion, formatting, syntax highlighting, and more. In FileMaker, however, we've been stuck in the 90s for quite a while. One of my favorite tools is Typinator, which offers extensive text manipulation capabilities. Recently, a new tool for Mac developers was released that addresses the lack of a full-fledged editor. F

ForEach Function for Scripted Loops

When it comes to doing the same thing over and over again, you really can't beat a loop. It's the wet side of DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself), where the "Don't" turns into a very big "Please, yes, DO." The trick with loops, especially when you're processing a lot of data like JSON, is that you often have to manage multiple iterators, counts, and all the little bits and pieces needed for a successful outcome. One of the wonderful things about many other languages, like Python, PHP, JavaScript, and

Complex Conditional Formatting

Breaking down complex logic into manageable chunks of code is the smartest thing you can do when it comes to conditional formatting. Especially when it needs to account for an increasingly wider number of conditions. This week's video deals with what seems like a simple solution to solve, yet it comes with all kinds of complex little pieces to make the solution provide the end result desired. If you enjoy the type of video which is a bit of a solution walk-thru, where I discuss how things are

Effective Solution Settings

Every solution starts out like an infant. It knows very little and works hard to manage your solution's data as it becomes a productive citizen of your digital society. As it grows, your solution will need to offer a variety of options. User A prefers things one way, while User B another. Your job, as the developer, is to accommodate those whims and preferences, or settings as we’ll call them, in the most efficient way possible. As is somewhat typical, you may be halfway through development whe

Using Gateway Files

One of the greatest joys of working in technology is that you never really have to stop learning - although you certainly can. Everything also moves so fast that it often feels like you can’t keep up. The great thing about FileMaker is that you're not stuck in the '80s or '90s when the software first started - you get to explore as widely as you like. FileMaker can literally reach into almost all aspects of technology. You can learn about relational structure, SQL, REST, web APIs, and whatever

Critical Graphics Knowledge

Even to this day, after providing FileMaker-related technical education for many years, I still see solutions with less-than-optimal structure and storage. When it comes to graphics, “all things add up.” The cumulative cost of data or technical debt often comes back to bite you when you’re trying to refactor an old solution to meet modern standards. This video showcases what I know about storing and using graphics within your FileMaker layouts. If you’re unaware of how large images impact perfo

Re-Theming Existing Solutions

When tackling the task of updating a UI/UX look and feel, it can quickly become overwhelming — especially if you have hundreds of layouts and countless individual styles, some in use and others deprecated. While designing a new solution from scratch allows you to take advantage of modern best practices, many existing solutions have simply relied on the Default style and applied it across numerous layouts. The goal of this video is to demonstrate how you can achieve an updated look without disr

Execute Data API - Stateless CRUD

Continuing from a previous video that introduced the Execute FileMaker Data API script step, this video explores the remaining CRUD operations added in FileMaker 21+. With the create, update, duplicate, and delete actions, we can now leverage more stateless data operations thanks to direct write access to tables. This video walks through the new write capabilities of the Execute FileMaker Data API script step. Along the way, we’ll also share tips and tricks for writing Custom Functions and exp

Execute Data API To Custom API

The Execute FileMaker Data API script step has been around for quite a few years. It was introduced in FileMaker 19, around 2020. If you haven't used it, you may be manually creating JSON for your records when you don’t need to — FileMaker can do this for you. I covered this script step in a video in 2021, explaining how the REST/Data API functionality translates into internal use. While some features perform better than the Execute Data API step — ExecuteSQL() being one of them — it requires a

Collecting Related Data

Every development task involves both what you know and what you don’t. The key to achieving the desired outcome often lies in learning what you don’t yet understand. That’s exactly what we’ll explore in this video – how to collect data from related tables for use in various ways. If you haven’t used the GetNthRecord() function before, this video provides a perfect example of one of its applications. When combined with the While() function, you can build virtually any data structure to help you

Managing Layout State

One of the best feelings when developing is making new discoveries and finding solutions to common problems you didn’t know how to solve before. In this week’s video, I present an overarching solution for managing the layout state of any layout within your application. I also introduce a highly useful method for both managing and executing a universal sort on any field present in the layout. The combination of managing the layout state with the introduction of a universal sorting script will si

Ultimate JSON Part 2

The first and most common way you'll likely use JSON within your FileMaker solution - should you choose to adopt it for this purpose - is as your primary method for passing script parameters. If you haven’t done so yet, it is highly recommended that you use JSON for script parameters. Not only does this provide an opportunity to become thoroughly familiar with the format, but it also helps you understand the most common method of transmitting data when working with nearly any internet-based API

UI Tweaks & Maintenance

Designing layouts in FileMaker is one of my favorite aspects of the platform. The ability to simply drag and position elements exactly where you want them feels akin to being a painter, free to use any tools and materials you choose. FileMaker strikes a remarkable balance between the creative and technical sides of development. Like all things, achieving the desired results requires knowing a few tricks. Whether it's about stacking objects efficiently or minimizing their number, it's up to the

Learning Webhooks via Google Forms

Capturing external data directly into FileMaker has always been a bit of challenge due to the variety of technologies required to set everything up. In the past, XML and PHP were commonly used, taking advantage of direct integrations available in FileMaker Server. Even earlier, during the "wild west" days of FileMaker, some systems remarkably relied on AppleScript to facilitate data exchange. Claris, then operating as FileMaker, Inc., provided libraries and methods to enable these connections.

Coding Efficiency

One of the great things about being a developer is finding flow. It’s that feeling when you’re cranking out code, accomplishing one task after another, and time seems to fade into the background - you’re in the zone. However, a few things can really disrupt your flow, and one of the biggest culprits is your development environment. If your syntax highlighting doesn’t work, or your environment slows you down, productivity takes a hit. That’s why one of the best things any coder can do is optimiz

Using Color Effectively

When incorporating graphic design into your FileMaker solution, you might either be the sole designer or collaborate with someone to enhance the user experience. Regardless of your role, it's always beneficial to understand how to effectively use colors within your solution. You can, obviously, make straightforward choices, such as simple selections of colors from the built-in color picker. But, there are additional tips and techniques that can significantly enhance your ability to use colors s

Using Web Workers

Taking advantage of JavaScript within FileMaker is a crucial skill that can significantly enhance your solutions. Relying solely on native FileMaker capabilities can be limiting, as certain tasks are more effectively handled with JavaScript. Using a Web Viewer to execute JavaScript comes with nuances. For instance, when a JavaScript process takes longer than a few milliseconds, providing a visually appealing progress indicator can greatly improve the user experience. This is where the concept o

Layout Manipulation Tips

Who doesn't love making their software look great? We all want our solutions to be visually appealing, highly usable, and efficiently streamlined. Along with these desires comes the need to understand the environment so you can easily modify your layout and achieve those objectives. This video covers working in Layout Mode and taking advantage of various tools and keyboard modifiers, which make it very easy to both create and manipulate your layouts. If you've been looking for ways to make your

FileMaker Server was Hacked

As technology advances and becomes as critical to our digital lives as water is to our physical well-being, we must be keenly aware of whether that "water" is tainted with harmful elements that could harm us. This sentiment applies not only to your health but also to your technological security concerns. For most technical systems, we may be inclined to assume that "big tech" — meaning the creators of the software or technology — will automatically make things safe for us. However, there may be

Single Pass Loops

In the world of programming, there are various concepts you need to understand in order to create software which is both functional and resilient. Maintaining that code may be another challenge, but if you don't learn about exception handling and determining if your processes truly succeed or fail based on expectations, you risk inviting more errors and failures than you might anticipate. In this video, we'll cover several critical aspects of a FileMaker database solution. Yes, FileMaker Pro is

Cool Tools for FileMaker - Coding Faster with Typinator

Being more productive when developing in FileMaker is something that will always pay off. You’ll create solutions faster and feel better about how quickly you can solve problems. Due to the unique environment in which we write code, there are concepts other developers have access to that we don’t. We’re not using a standard text editor with modules and plug-ins to extend its functionality. In FileMaker, we rely on a few third-party plug-ins and tools to enhance the development experience. In t

Client Side PDF Forms

PDFs have become the digital equivalent of what was once printed on paper and will likely remain in use for a long time. They offer an easy way to present structured information, and FileMaker simplifies PDF generation by allowing you to save your layout's design as a PDF. However, there are times when simply exporting FileMaker data to a PDF isn't enough — you may need to populate an existing PDF with data. The challenge can be getting your FileMaker data into a copy of the PDF. While there ar

Ultimate JSON Part 1

If you're developing in FileMaker and haven't invested time in learning and using JSON, you're at a significant disadvantage. JSON is not difficult to learn, and it's used in so many areas of modern development that it's crucial to get familiar with it if you haven't already. In this video, I begin with the basics of JSON and its implementation within FileMaker. Once you start using it, you'll find it's valuable for much more than just passing parameters. While passing parameters is one of the

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