Archived Wants & Wishes

To do complicated layouts that normally would not be done in Filemaker Being able to assign, name and move layers is a must. Trying without it.. it's not easy.

PerformScriptByName( scriptName ; parameters ) [or PerformScriptById()] .. Would be really useful just generally... particularly with things like dynamic interface elements, menu's etc.

Hi All, When we get good at Code Reuse the list of scripts in the stack (wonderfully displayed for us in debugger) can get somewhat lengthy. In debugger you can watch. Then comes the the stage where you need to "let it rip" a little bit. For that I use an $$error session variable and I put in an error message and a series on Get() functions for context. I now include Get(ScriptName), and I think I should be able to also capture Get(ScriptStack) top-to-bottom from active to calling to calling and so on. Also, this function should be able to take an optional parameter (or somehow offer both options) to return the Stack as a List of just the Script Names…

i been a windows guy, just got a mac having some diff 1 i use a container field.. can right click and paste clipboard tried alt, apple button.. instead of shift and still can't get a copy paste cut those kinds of things.. please point me to the right direction for reading these kinds of differences this

Now with the ability to use custom dialogue boxes in WebDirect (vs IWP), it would be nice to be able to format the text. The dialogue boxes save lot of time in scripting and layout development however they are very lackluster.

Much in the same way that the Insert from URL script step works - a script step that allows you to set a variable from URL would be really nice. This way the field would not have to be on the layout (as it does with Insert from URL). You could even have a Set Field from URL. I did submit this to Filemaker

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right section to post this in, but wanted to post about something I'v been wondering about lately. In particular, I've been wondering whether a future release of FileMaker Pro might include some level of object orientation. And also, I wonder whether current users/developers would welcome such a change. Just curious what other folks think about the idea. Thanks, Tom R.

I would love it if Filemaker, Inc. would allow developers to manually input gradient settings similar to CSS. This would be preferable than the current simplistic ‘color stop slider’. The purpose of this feature would allow developers to match a particular gradient found on the web. I've come across many I would love to emulate. The current setup makes it difficult to input color stops at the exact percentage along the ‘gradient graph’ with different colors when creating a gradient effect. The ability to input RGB or Hex variables with their exact color stops as an optional alternative to the simpler “color stop slider” would be ideal. Imagine taking advantage of all t…

Hello there, The relationship window to me remains 'a thorn in the eye' (it's a flemish/dutch saying not sure it exists in english ;-) ). When having a lot of relationships - which you mostly have - the window is a disaster to me as well viewing as for printing. A window forest in which you get lost sooner or later. So here's my request for clearing the relationship window clutter:    â�¢Â   give us bottom tabs (see my attached drawing) : which would allow us to have different relationship windows (like the sheets in excel) ideal to organise relationships    â�¢Â   give us a relationship list view (see my attached drawing). A window with a list tha…

A way to pass a parameter to web direct thru a url

I know this is lower priority than some of the other wishes but I can't help but just mention it ... If we go to Manage > Themes, we see a list of themes loaded in this file and it also indicates how many layouts are assigned to that theme. But it would be nice if we knew which layouts were assigned to a theme and even had the ability to ... yeah I know ... probably never ... but to GTRR (so-to-speak) to those layouts or see a list of them at least. Manage > Layouts certainly has room to list its theme along with the table and menu set. If nothing else, this would make life easier for us. When a solution has 150 layouts, it can take quite a bit of time to…

i find it odd that only some elements of dialog boxes can be filled with expressions, i.e. the window title and the box itself, but the buttons you click on are always hard coded. this makes, for example, an efficient localization impossible.

That would be very handy in layout design. I see fmi doing a management of areas and resources and this chunk of layout features not getting any love this version, but this seems like a simple a handy tool and can be imho implemented in, god willing, fm 14

Sorerly missing in this version, but it's understood what with iwork and cloud iwork being newly invigorated teams and fmi having their own internal schedule. Having said that it's a ******* shame to not being able to import/export with numbers, and in gereral a nicely done integration of these two is sorely missing. I have high hopes though because they both seem to have young and experienced, and certainly very dedicated teams which are confluent in their html5 dedication and also the new breed of all around synchronization and integration of appications/services. It can't come soon enough though.

It would sure make more sense (to me) if the critical creation and modification timestamps of a record used Get(CurrentHostTimestamp) instead of the client value. Â I have just ran across such a confusion where the unsorted state of a table shows last record with creation date BEFORE its prior record. Â One was created in US and the other in Australia. Â Get ( CurrentHostTimestamp) would use the client's timestamp if server were unavailable (which it does now) so it really covers all bases, right? Â Of course we can add an auto-enter calculation but wouldn't it make more sense to let us handle it when we define the field? Â It could be as simple as adding radio button …

In the Print Setup step it would be nice if "Format For" (Any Printer, your printer list) could be determined by calculation. Perhaps there's a way using CUPS commands but I'm not sure.

I'd like to see if FM could send its own dialog windows to the background or to the task bar (I'm on Windows), like Manage Scripts, Manage Layouts when the user (me) clicks on a surface beneath them. If Manage Scripts is open, I have to either minimize or dismiss to get to the layout beneath. If I dismiss, then I have to either find Manage (X) and open it again or use a keyboard shortcut (creating an arthritic pain in my fingers :-) ) with the effect that it positions me at the top row forcing me to find where I left off. It would be nice to just click the layout or surface beneath and have Manage Scripts drop out on its own but wait to be called back in later on. …

I would like to see a "script recording" feature, similar to what you have in some Microsoft products. Example: I'm in browse mode and I want to do some sort of ad hoc report. Turn on recording. System now records all my "moves" like Go To Find Mode, set a field or two, Perform Find, {suspend recording}, Layout mode, set up layout, return to Browse, {record back on}, Go To Layout, {suspend record}, do a print {record on} Go to original layout {record off}. That's sort of a sketchy example but it shows perhaps how it could help the novice roll their own and begin to learn the steps with immediate feedback - success or fail. Just a suggestion. Nothing may c…

Just considering my licencing and upgrading schedule, hence the speculation.

Not long now http://www.macrumors.com/2013/12/01/filemaker-pro-13-prematurely-appears-on-apples-online-store/ http://store.apple.com/uk/product/HB788LL/A/filemaker-pro-13-for-ipad-iphone-mac-pc-and-web

I'd like to be able to control the size and position of objects with a script. This could allow the implementation of custom dynamic enhancements. For instance, instead of a standard chart or graph I might want to use a thermometer or 3 hand clock face or dogs on a racetrack or stacks of cartons or slider controls, just all sorts of things. We also need scriptable object rotation.

I would like to have 20 simultaneous users inputting data on tablets. $200/tablet for Android, $600/iPad - hmmm. Android compatibility would open up a world of possibilities.

I have sections that hide/show after clicking on an HTML tag of each section. The sections hide/show thanks to JavaScript code. The problem is after the user click on the tag and the section below shows/hides, the page refreshes and the scroll goes to the top of the page. I want the scroll to remains where it was before the user click. I added a few lines of JS <script type="text/javascript"> function refreshPage () { var page_y = document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0].scrollTop; window.location.href = window.location.href.split('?')[0] + '?page_y=' + page_y; } </script> This code works in a HTML docu…

To my surprise it is an incredible hassle to check a prior version source file on import and see if it has a particular table and/or a particular field present. When the import target has a table and the source does *not*, FM substitutes a different source table and imports inappropriate data. Open File 'could' do the job but it does not recognize $variables in the path to the Data Source. What is left is to insert the source file into a container and then export it somewhere else... like a temp path. What an incredible hassle. The lack of this feature makes updating my application (by adding new tables and fields) a real hassle. (When I say 'updating' …

Just a quick idea for the Wish List... I know that most of the time I try to break my scripts up into smaller sub-scripts to aid efficiency, and to promote 'best practice' etc, but occasionally (mainly during complex script development) I find it easier to write everything in one big script, if nothing else, it's much easier to debug when it isn't calling sub-scripts with x number of ScriptResults and ScriptParameters etc etc... Once it all works, then I break it down... With this in mind, is it possible to be able to 'condense' lines of the script, similar to the code window in something like DreamWeaver? It'd be very helpful when writing and fixing problems …

The intent of this forum Wants & Wishes is for users to collectively discuss their feature requests, but you will need to also submit your request to the official FMI channel. http://www.filemaker.com/company/contact/feature_request.html This forum can also be used for to let off a little steam and vent, perhaps someone can aid you in articulating your feature request. The more people we get to request features the more likely FileMaker will incorporate them in future versions. FileMaker DOES listen to its users and unofficially in some capacity FMI staff does review this site. Keep up the good ideas :

FileMaker 10 and the higher versions have the Trigger Script feature. There are options to trigger a script on different events. The "OnMouseOver" trigger is missing in the lsit of options. I want an option to Trigger Script "On Mouse Over" on any object (such as fields, merge fields, text labels, rectangular/oval objects, etc.) in FileMaker. I think "On Mouse Over" event is an important event listener which is missing in FileMaker.

The option to have input fields on a custom dialog box display as popup menus with value lists, instead of just text boxes. Eliminates having to create a new layout and associated scripts.

Filemaker currently allows a value list to be determined by a table field, OR by a static list. There should be an option to create a value list from a table field AND a static list. This would make it easy to add choices like ALL, NONE, etc.

An option to run a Server Side script prior to logging a user out due to inactivity (timeout). This would save a great deal of heartache when a users has spent time detailing info (which took longer than the prescribed timeout setting) only to find out they have been logged out due to inactivity. We have smart clients - dumb servers.

I am currently working on a project which is hosted on a server. Everytime we have to swith layout or open the layout manager we need to wait every single objects or layout names load before moving to the desired destination. It would be nice, if a feature such as "cache layouts while idle" existed. This could save a lot of wasted time to customers and developers. My weekly 2 cents! Nick

There seems to be a strong rumour that Google is about to make a move for the desktop with it's Chrome OS. Whether or not this is imminent it seems inevitable. Android is already the dominant OS. Here: http://www.zdnet.com/2012s-top-five-linux-stories-with-one-big-conclusion-7000009190/ it is reported that Android already has 45% of the consumer market. Apple, Google, and Microsoft seem to be locked into a battle for dominance and it appears that Windows 8 may be about to seal Microsoft's fate. So, if this happens, when will Filemaker respond and look to satisfy that market with a versions of its products? When I posed a similar question regarding ARM bas…

That would be a very nice feature and would facilitate migration to solutions upgrade. Imagine with a click of a button : Backup only the data. A second click inside a clone : Import all from a data file. No scripting hassle for each tables...

On PC/Mac What about a true FM client such as FM Go or enable run time solutions to open files on server. Not all tablets are (or will be) iOS...

Locking objects in layout mode should only lock position and size. And not prevent re-naming, button assignment, conditional formatting or any other attribute. This would effect all objects portals, tab, buttons, fields, text blocks etc.. The only reason I lock an object is to prevent bumping it or accidentally moving it. Locking the other attributes serves no purpose since the developer has permission to unlock the object. However locking-unlocking to change the other attributes adds an extra steps. Two examples of where this would speed things up. 1. With the new behavior in 12 that selects an object when only part of the object is touched, it’s very e…

Filemaker has a big problem with statistical fields in huge tables. Whenever I go into a layout with a statistical field such as an average which is attached to a table with huge amount of records, FM just stop responding for a while. Even the "Cancel" button is not responding. That is quite pathetic in 2012. A way to fix that would be to calculated the fields into a separate thread that updates the field dynamically while running through the records. That way, no more freezing. Hope someone from FMI read this thread!

Edit Script Window - change View menu to a column. - search bar would be nice (much like osX system prefs. search bar. That all, it might save me a few thousand clicks a month. : )

By mistake I just made a sort on table that has 210k+ records. Guess what happened... FM froze making it unresponsive. So maybe they could modify what's under the hood to execute certain tasks on separate threads. This way, we could always work on something else instead of waiting for nothing...

Portals should be more like window layouts, with parts like header, body, summary, etc. And views would be nice too. And for further consistency, window layouts should offer filtering, like portals....

Windows is about to be ported to ARM processors. Will Filemaker produce a version run on it? I suspect they will be reluctant to do so as it would help the Windows 8 tablets compete with the iPad. However Apple, 100% owner of Filemaker, might find itself in ant-trust territory if it were not to do so. Personally, if a W8 tablet were powerful enough then only thing holding me back would be the ability to run FM. I have already moved to a lightweight laptop with 1080p screens at both my locations. A lighter and cheaper option than a the desktop replacement laptop I had before. If I could get even lighter for travel I would, Norman

can fmforums avail us a feature that will list out all the example files uploaded by this forum users in a new tab hope m clear so that we can download at one place :thankyou:

i request fm dev team to remove 30000 character limit in scripting and value listing ,i dont understand why they kept the limit

We want following extra features in Charts 1. Should be combined (Bar+line) 2. should be show values onEvary bar of data..id a has value 15,18,25,30 and it is showing in Y-axis then on bar for each value of A we can see their value on top of bar lines. 3. should be Able to change Y-axis set values as per desire...because sometime for month calculation n charts, it goes to 1-25 only ,sometimes more than 100 so Y-axes values option should be changeable by giving variable name or global field. Waiting for extra feature facilities in charts... Thanks,

Hey Guys & Gals, ok i am wanting to learn so badly here , but doing is learning right! now if anyone needs help, please PM me to assist in testing, writing documentation, whatever. I am a newbie - > almost intermediate but want to learn more in order to become a master & have i mentioned i will work for free!! thanks -ian

I have tried to be as general as possible when naming things such as user accounts and window names. Every once in a while, I find myself wanting to take a different approach and need to make sure that I've made appropriate changes everywhere in the system. I would like to be able to search the content of my scripts so that I can be sure to have loose ends tied up when changes are warranted. I'm only an intermediate user, so I may be missing a function of Filemaker Pro, but I've not found how to find something that occurs within a large body of scripts.

The ability to modify a particular field based on a calculation is great, but if you then want to transfer that value to all the records in the found set you still have to hard code the field you want modified.

Hey, I think having the possibility to create sub-layouts in layout would be a great addition. This way, we could create a tool layout that we modify in a single place and add this layout to many layouts. It would keep maintenance to minimum thus saving time. Also, having the possibility to dynamically show and hide these would be necessary. I know, I can use a blank label that has the same dimension and apply conditional formatting but it's not natural and normal.

Personnal wishes! Add a slider control and a spinner control. What Slider Reason : Add it on a layout to allow users to scroll the records. I know there is a slider on the menu bar, but I want to hide this bar in my solutions. What : Spinner Reason : No scripting needed! Decrement and increment the value of a given field. Probability of going in the next version... near zero :

I'd love to have the ability to easily Duplicate a record without performing the auto-enter options. FileMaker has had a Duplicate Record/Request menu item and script step for years. The problem I have with it is that, if you have any fields setup with auto-enter options, it doesn't really create a duplicate record because the auto-enter options of all the fields fire off thus changing the data in those fields on creation of the duplicate record leaving you with a record that is NOT a duplicate. I have worked around this by scripting the export of all fields to a FileMaker file and then immediately importing the data from the newly created file using match…

While debugging adding the conditional breakpoint would help a lot instead of having to add some script step to make the script stop at the desired place. For those who are wondering what is a conditional breakpoint, it allows the program to stop the program to a specific place when a condition is met. Eg : Stop the start the debugger when the value of variable $X has "potatoes" in it.

Layout objects that don't look like they're from OS 8 (Mac). It's shocking how poor the FMP layout objects are in this day-and-age. How about OS X-looking buttons, scrollbars, tab objects, etc. for the Mac version? Multi-dimensional arrays as a native variable type. Array-based listboxes instead of Portals. Variables that can be populated in dialogs and on layouts Layouts that can inherit objects/color/style from other layouts. More flexibility over relating tables to each other (i.e. more options than = ≠ > ≥ < ≤ x) Drop down menus that utilize IDs but display names on layouts. Transactions with rollback feature. Script step to toggle all objects o…

Table view is reall useful, the ability for users to re-order the fields and the sorting headers are great but it would be even better if a field with a button worked. You could take this one step further and have a view portal as table option. So that the portal had the same abilities as a table. Just imagine, portals that you could sort on any field, that could be re-ordered by the user. This would save a work-around or 10. This is a feature that already exists in Servoy so I have seen the possibilities.

Having spent a frustrating time trying to perform a GetSummary from a related table, which was only resolved with extensive help from members of this forum, that I was informed that this function does not work outside the TO that it is present in. I can find no information to this effect anywhere including The FilemakerPro Bible, VTC, O'Reilly's The Missing Manual or Filemaker help.

I want there should be any conditional formatting in custom menu items so that we can change the color of menu item or "disable the custom menu item directly by mentioning some conditions"...

Allowing script triggers on layout menu items could help in multiple case such as a previous/next layout stack.

A simple query, allow multiple instance of FM. This way we could execute scripts that takes a while to complete.

Like written in the title, field formatting using calculation could be very useful. Eg : Phone number field could be formatted to (406) 987-6543 or 406-987-6543 or 40.69.87.65.43 instead of creating a specific field for just for formatting. The function could follow the following syntax FormatText (contacts::phone; "(AAA) AAA-AAAA") or something like that.

Lets get it done, now pronto in time for next release please. You know you want it. CalcSriptTrigger ( before or after ; Case ( ) ; script ) Summer interns can start now. Or will that make IWP to powerful? Soon enough I'll be rolling my own back-ends and bending the GUI to my every whim with cocoa and be done with it. HAHAHAHA!!!!!! Ok I'm done venting. Love the holiday snow. Can that stay on this thread forever?

An option to point a script at a field via calculation much like the SetFeildByName ( ) script.

I think this feature could be quite useful for managing strings without coding twist.

That way people can add the features they want and filemaker won't have to pay for it. Also, as you improve your programing skills you can move on to a hire level of development. :yay:

It would be nice to be able to specify variables as the target for custom dialog inputs instead of fields... Having to create globals for this purpose is really grrr.

Graphic representation of underlying data is one of the first things they teach us in grade school. Pie charts, Bar charts and Gant Charts are pretty handy management tools. MS Excel has made this a standard offering since the beginning. We need it too.

Hi All, I think that Script Maker is becoming enough of a true IDE (kind of always has been and well ahead of some others) so that I think that each of those things in ScriptMaker that you can move Up and Down should be identified as a "Line" (or some other esoterica FMI prefers) and that access (at least in Developer) the Line Number should show. Further, one should be able access the function Get(ScriptLineNumber) as a function. I already have (and I presume others do) a custom function that throws all kinds of $$session variables when I call it (simpleSessionError()). I have Get(ScriptName), I have Get(LayoutName) and so on. I would like to also include Get(C…

Name: Sort Records by Calculation Type: Script Step Parameters: fieldNameList [ValueList], sortOrderList [ValueList] These are both set by specify calculation dialog boxes. It is the users responsibility to make sure they balance - otherwise script step returns error ("invalid parameters" or some such). fieldNameList is a valueList of field names. sortOrderList is a valueList containing: ascending, descending OR 'valueList' for custom order. Behaviour: if ( ValueCount ( fieldNameList ) ≠ ValueCount ( sortOrderList ) ) then ERROR "invalid parameters" (as above) Perform sort with field order given in list, using sortOrder to determine individu…

Am I being stupid? I reckon I must be! : And someone bright here will tell me so and why! (as usual!) They surely wouldn't have gone to the trouble of installing script triggers as just script triggers, when they could have just grabbed the 'Button Setup' model to enable triggering of script steps directly - for when we want to script trigger simple things. What are the reasons for not doing this? If they change it, one HUGE obvious caveat would be to ensure all old script triggers do not get broken. So they default to a 'perform script [resume]' and use previous script target and same parameters. I wouldn't dream of rewriting my code to adapt to such …

A script trigger that executes before entering a field.

Tabs to have 'specify by calculation' for name: This will enable dynamic naming of tabs. It might be desirable behaviour for the tab to disappear altogether if *no* name is provided. Tabs to have conditional formatting per tab: It will enable dynamic formatting of tab - make a backorder tab text/background red for instance etc

It would be nice to be able to GTRR from any layout. Something like a list of Table Occurrences could popup and then we could choose which one to go to... Or perhaps an option on the submenu when you right click your mouse... Dunno about you guys but having to change my one script ( depending on which layout) that does GTRR is getting old. But I cant even get them to fix the GTRR step, "layout unknown" / wrong layout bug that has been driving me nuts for as long as I can remember. Sigh, oh well wishful thinking. :tears:

This is the opposite of a Title Header/Footer. Title Heater and Footer parts appear just on the First page of a printed layouts. Wouldn't it be nice to able to specify a different Footer for the LAST page of a printout? The reason for the request is for a multi page invoice. I want the last page to have a large footer section with totals. I know you can do this with a Trailing Grand Summary section too, but this part slides up making the last page sometimes looking awkward. Another use would be on the last page of an invoice to have a 'tear sheet' to return. I would like the option to have it at the end of the invoice instead of just on the first p…

conditional tooltips import export custom menus easy multi conditional value lists option in the inspector relationship maker in inspector database with admin full access account impossible to break dynamic 3d charting with pie line histo etc direct usage of .gif on layouts rather than scripting on web viewer visual example from fm for each and every script entities how they work very tedious to understand scripts and operators removing 30,000 characters limit for value lists i want unlimited graphical customisation of dialog boxes

of customs menus of one database to other

If I am correct, fields inside a table get updated (and validated)in the order they were created right? I think it would be useful if one could have access to that order, similar to the Tab order in Layouts. Thus, editable in a separate column, the developer could re-arrange the creation order of the fields, compensating for something you forgot to put before. What do you guys think?

i need to switch this thing on/off so often that it would be great to just hit a shortcut instead of reaching for the mouse and choosing it from a menu. something off-the-wall like ctrl-shift and a function key would be fine. stefan

I would like to see folders for layouts like in script manager. when you have 30 or 40 layouts you have to scroll way down.

It would be nice if in "Manage Database" it could highlite fields that are not on any form.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to run a script from the Edit window, instead of navigating back to the Manage Scripts Window.

Dynamic layout objects with dynamic properties. Such as the april fool's day Filemaker description. Link to the prank.

By advanced I mean a filtered like the new portal and ordering based on fields. Equivalent to these examples : Example 1 : "SELECT * FROM Products WHERE Products.fkDepID = %myValue%" Example 2 : "SELECT * FROM Products ORDER BY %myFields%" PS : I know it's possible to use a pop-up, but that is not what I want.

what is this field based value list ??

I guess filemaker should remove the "30000" character limit in value list it should be unlimited hope my request will be processed

Would love it to integrate with MS Office like some of the other applications. Would love create template in Word, with the letter contents and studd, and then import that template into FM and edit the template in FM to include the fields from the database so I can do a mail merge easily. *Before someone mentions it ODBC is so unreliable* Would love to link to MS Exchange/Outlook like productive computing's plugins so can setup tasks, events in the calendar, pull emails out that match emails the address of a record in FM etc..

Hmmm... I just notice that the script triggers are missing in the DDR. This can be dangerous when deleting some script for maintenance purpose... I hope they integrated this small "oups we forgot" in FM 11.

FM should use OS native controls in their layout instead of proprietary controls. This would simplify a lot of work for non FM developpers who step into FM world. It would be easier to create our own control. This way it would be possible to personnalize FM in a brand new manner.

The ability to move thru cells within a table using the arrow keys (like in a spreadsheet). Sometimes I like to enter my data in table view mode and if I want to enter data vertically (one field (column), multiple records) I have to keep hitting TAB multiple times until it reaches the rightmost field and jumps to the next record. I find this very frustrating.

I know where FMI took their inspiration for the logo colors! These are pretty ugly! Lol

Hi All, This wish was engendered by the fact that if you assign a ScriptTrigger to a Tab control set, and then run GoToObject() of one of the tabs from that Tab control set, if that tab is not already front-most the ScriptTrigger will be run, but if that tab happens to be already front-most then the ScriptTrigger will NOT run. Now, I know there is a way to evaluate this, and I know a script step always begins by emulating what would happen if a user did the same thing, but I think that it would be a great feature that we could select that the triggers evaluate "OnObject" as if newly selected if it is called in a script... ... then I was thinking that I some…

Hi All, Debugger is great when you are coding as few of us are Mozart (who never had to edit any composition). Moreover, I would posit that few of us are able to imagine and test all the various permutations of our code's use. Like many of you, I presume that you have adopted a "Switch" model, where you use If-{ElseIf...}Else-EndIf where each option you *think* could happen exists within the If/ElseIf-s, and within Else you place some sort of mechanism that writes to an $$error session variable the context of the Switch condition that was not accounted for. Indeed, I use this $$error session variable at any juncture where I believe there might be a cri…

Hi All, I couldn't have been lost on the smart people at FMI that there is an irony that when I go to MySQL/Oracle and so on, there is an interface for me to provide a username/password for access to that data source. However, if I use an External FileMaker Data Source I must rely on the the two systems being *perfectly* sync'ed as far as Accounts/Passwords!?! All I ask, dear FMI, is that you treat yourselves with the same respect you give to the other data sources you support :-) I ought to be able to have a FrontEnd with lots of esoteric and complex Account Privileges/Privilege sets, and then have a completely separate Backend set that is essentially (…

I'm sure many others have thought this but I just wanted to get it off of my chest. Has anyone noticed that FileMaker missed one small but VERY VALUABLE step with he conditional formatting? FILL PATTERN! Had they added this one extra step the "hiding buttons" problem would be a thing of the past. You could load your layout up with buttons and show and hide the ones you want when you want. If anyone has an "IN" with FileMaker, maybe you could drop a note in the suggestion box. Thanks, Mel

In many respects the Layout in FileMaker is obsolete. Printing width and length are overly restricted; drawing tools are ancient; undo is limited, re-do non-existent. Text handling is ancient and terrible, the ability to do any real typography is non-existent; text boxes behave strangely; crossing page breaks is still a problem sometimes. All of these concerns are *basics* that should have been in place in version four or five, six at the latest. At its heart the layout really hasn't changed since, what, version three?

Since it's too late, but anyway this forum is a wishing well. : Simple wish, calculated message for record validation and calculated text for buttons in custom dialogs. Why would it be useful? Because there's not only one language on earth... I think, they should add calculation everywhere there's a text field.

Quick one! Allow the creation of runtime solution running on external files! This would just be awesome!

This one is like beating a dead horse and has been around since the introduction of unicode in FM. In the past most of us facing this challenge have resorted to pop up windows in text editors to cut and paste text into fields, (FM will accept all Thai characters this way, but not some characters thru direct keyboard input). I'm writing this as this an unacceptable cobble we have used for quite some time, and we almost lost us a major new client who was asking the proper question as to why are you using a software package that is not compatible with the Thai language....A very good question. So if anyone else is facing this same cobble to an otherwise quality DB softw…

It would be nice if FM add a bookmark feature in the relationships graph. I'm developping a project with 470+ Table occurence. Having the possibility to jump from one part of the graph to another would help a lot for project of this size.

I'm aware that you can set a character size within Filemaker, however on the layout there is no way that i am aware of to lock the size of the field, so that a user does not continue to type past the field limit size only to be later notified that they have exceeded the limit of the field characters. In the case of a solution that we use we have a narrative field. Often new users are unaware that they must stay within the size of the field on the layout and type past the limit because there is no way until they commit the record to advise them that they have reached the limit. The same would then apply for the script trigger which will not trigger until the field is commi…

I think a new layout part should make it's way to the next version. A body part that act like a portal. This could be useful for a master-detail layout. Instead of a portal with a fix number of rows that fills the body, this body-portal part could be link to the child data from the layout table. What do you think of this idea?

More recent versions of FM brought in better text handling with regard to presentation - specifically font and size management with functions. However number formatting has not had the same treatment. Yes, you can format numbers for layouts but these formats are fixed and what is needed is a way to FormatNumberAs() to permit variable formatting. For example, currency pre-fix symbol, how many decimals... in fact all the number formatting features from the standard dialog box. No doubt these are achievable using custom functions - but you need FMP advanced for that.

I think a simple checkbox named "Except calculation" under the button "Move all" when specifying the field export order could be usefull. Since the calculation would not be calculated. this could save some developpement and exportation time.

Hi all It would be nice to have a goto script step instead of having to use all the If statements. Like the old basic program use to have. Example If id = 1 goto to step 12 just a thought Lionel